On days when there is not much tide running (this means we will more or less stay in one place) we do not tie to a kelp bed rather we have a drifting picnic lunch. This was a visitation from a baby harbour seal. It remained close to the boat for most of our picnic popping up around the boat either for protection or out of curiosity.
Harbour seals are found in British Columbia often in coastal waters, estuaries and river systems. The Pacific harbour seal inhabits the B.C. coast. The adult seal may reach a length of 1.6 – 1.9 m (5 –6 feet) and weigh from 60 – 120 kg (132- 265 lbs.), while ranging in colour from brownish to black with a speckled pattern. Your guide often takes them for granted because they are so abundant so remind them if you want a good picture.
The whale watching day from the lodge requires a fifty-minute boat ride to the area around Johnstone Strait, which is part of the Inside Passage to Alaska. On this day we have a picnic lunch that is normally eaten in the boat as we drift with the whales or other marine life. I am always amazed at the curiosity of these mammals. With the motor turned off and sitting quietly we frequently have visitors. Harbour seals because of their size are a little more timid and less frequent. Steller sealions will approach the boat swimming around and beneath when we have lunch near their “haul out island”.
Bald Eagles are frequently sighted in our area. At times they can be seen in large numbers. This is usually where food supplies are high. For example this could be in areas with high concentrations of baitfish or along the rivers in the fall when the salmon are spawning. They are not migratory, but do move around with the food supply. As mentioned earlier when the salmon are spawning we often see many along the rivers, while there will be fewer along the coastline. With little need for camouflage their white head and tail feathers can be spotted easily. The female is slightly larger and her white head extends down a bit farther onto the body, but it is subtle. It takes these birds 4.5 – 5 years to acquire this unique plumage. As juveniles they are a brown colour. With exceptional eyesight and the ability to view 270 degrees they are understandably often seen in high perches and in trees near points and passageways.
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