Wildlife Tour

We had precious little wind for long periods down the northwest coast, but there was compensation in the form of tremendous wildlife.  If we had been sailing in more usual conditions, we would have missed most if not all of the many, many whales, not to mention the dolphins, sharks, and a really weird  fish called a Mola.  Actually, we might not have missed a few of those whales.  Twice, we had to alter course abruptly to avoid running into them.  A third time, two whales appeared within a few dozen yards crossing our bow.  Too close to react with the autopilot, we just hoped they saw us.  Not sure if they did because they slid alongside us within ten feet.

Dolphins also came to visit a number of times, but one of those was especially memorable.  A large pod of spinner dolphins entertained us doing synchronized backflips repeatedly.  They left us gaping in awe at their antics.

Quite a few times, the dorsal and tail fins of some fish appeared protruding above the glassy surface.  After many such sightings, we are pretty sure they were Blue Sharks.  Never seen that before, and wouldn't have had there been any wave action.

One fish that I have long hoped to see is the so-called ocean sunfish, a Mola.  This is a huge, bizarre looking fish -- you should Google it for a picture.  Anyway, we saw one sunning itself on the surface, waving a fin in the air.

Lastly concerning wildlife, Robyn did well fishing, hauling in a 35# Albacore.  Sashimi first, then meals for four for several days.  It's hard to believe that the stuff in a can is really tuna.