Orcas, anemones and more oysters (6/27)

     Today was the marine mammal boat cruise and I couldn’t have hoped for anything better!  

Warming up the cameras for the day.

     It was a gorgeous sunny day and we headed out first to a rock stellar sea lions often haul out on but it was empty we tooled around and enjoyed the views as well as local geology and geography.  Jay had the radio on the whale boat frequency and we were very slowly moving when Elizabeth noticed what she thought might be orcas.  She was so very right.  We cut the motor and drifted.  The whole pod came along the island we were next to, some coming within about 15 feet of our boat!  There were quite a few and right when you started to think that that must have been the entire pod more would show up swimming by us.  All you could hear was excited gasps, chatter and the clicking of cameras.  Sadly I remembered my camera but not the battery so I had to make do with my phone camera.  It was a breathtaking perspective altering time that I will never forget. 

My first orca experience in the wild!

     Once we were sure the pod had passed and was delighting the kayakers we had passed earlier we kept on our way.  The rocks with seals hauled out on it was not nearly as impressive as if we had seen it prior to our huge dolphins aka orcas.  We lunched and hiked on a cute tiny little island called Jones Island.  Playing on the beach we found an anemone with the back end of a fish bigger than it sticking out of it’s mouth.  It was pretty cool and happily my camera was sufficient.  All in all we spent about 5 hours out on the water but the orcas overshadow everything else in my memory.

Not your average anemone.

            Shortly after we returned I biked into town.  I picked up Andy Lambs Marine Life of the Pacific Northwest which I have been lusting after for quite some time.  The farmers market was open, only it’s second Wednesday open and it was small but pleasant. I got a banana cookie and some rolls.  After the rest of my errands I headed back. 

            It was too amazing of an evening to let it go to waste so I headed down to my sea tables and did two more shell bags.  I finally had a big with no spat and it was kind of sad.  There was also a pretty big hermit crab in the back with a tiny shell that he dropped when I tried to get him to put back in the water.  He wouldn’t listen to reason or put his shell back on and I think kamikazied off the table when I went in search of a larger nicer home for him.  

Tools of the trade.

            Eric and I chatted on speaker phone while I did a bag.  He is so amazing and wonderful, I miss him very much but I am so glad he is supportive and understanding and wants me to have this opportunity and these experiences.

            I’m going to try to tag along on the boat trip tomorrow as well.  I feel like I am doing well and am also timely in regards to my project so I hope Nate lets me come along.