This evening our guests joined us on the Orca Spirit II, the largest vessel in our fleet. The weather was perfect for a beautiful evening on the water as the sun was shining and the wind was at a whisper. We left the Harbour and headed in a westerly direction. Along the coastline we admired the snowy peaks of the Olympic Mountains of Washington and the natural beauty of Vancouver Island's forests, rich with evergreens and rust-coloured Arbutus trees. We cruised out to Bechey Head, a stunning bay where we like to look for whales as the seals like to frequent the bay's calm shorelines. We also like to keep an eye out for Bald Eagles and Turkey Vultures who both like to use this particular area for nesting and feeding.

We then made our way to search the Marine Reserve known as Race Rocks, a place rich in biological diversity. Although we did not find and Transient Orcas stalking the cluster of islets, we did find Stellar's Sea Lions and California Sea Lions. These two species will reside together, often scrapping over the most comfortable space on the rocks. We were also fortunate to see Elephant Seals dominating the top of the island across from the lighthouse. Race Rocks is the furthest location south that Elephant Seals can be found hauled out of the water on the Pacific seaboard. They have light tan coloured fur and extremely large eyes. The males possess a special nose called a proboscis which they can inflate 2-3 feet out and produce a trumpeting sound. The most abundant of the marine mammals on our coast, the Harbour Seals were out in large numbers claiming the rocky edges of the islets. Soon we will see the first pups of the year nursing from their moms amongst the rocks. Guests enjoyed taking pictures of the sunset and the 152 year old lighthouse, the second oldest of its kind on the Canadian Pacific. It turned out to be a lovely evening on the Salish Sea as we ended our trip with a cruise around the Inner Harbour to show our guests the sights of downtown Victoria at night!

Ocean Quote of the Day:
"Voyage upon life's sea, To yourself be true, And, whatever your lot may be, Paddle your own canoe"
Author: Sarah Bolton