Gray Whale #531
Today's trip started with our usual sighting of two ospreys at their nest and a California sea lion on the first channel marker. There were lots of crab boats out today between Hat Island and Jetty Island so we had to travel a long ways to find a gray whale. We went all the way past Langley on Whidbey Island before we spotted a gray whale, but he gave us a great show. He started out showing his tail flukes on many occasions before he swam toward shallow water in front of Langley. It was #531 and he started feeding in shallow water, time after time, rolling over and showing his pectoral fins and tail flukes. The surf scoters were following him around picking up the food scraps he left behind. We were able to turn off our engines and watch this whale feed for a good portion of our viewing today. Toward the end 531 picked his head up pretty high out of the water on two different occasions, and he raised his tail flukes one last time just before we pulled away. Other wildlife we spotted today included harbor seals, a bald eagle, western grebes, great blue herons, double-crested cormorants, Barrow's goldeneyes, and harbor porpoises. Naturalist Bart Rulon. First tour from Anacortes for Orca Whales is Saturday, May 8th!
