Day 6- Dawn off Seiku in the Straights of Juan De Fuca. We have been
circling- Neah Bay to Port Angeles, across to Canada, out to entrance,
south to Neah Bay...all day in the shipping channel, over and over.
Hydro-acoustic array is out listening for Killer Whales. Rhinos and
Red-breasted Mergansers abundant. Surf Scoter flocks heading east in
the Straight. Pigeon Guillemots heading east too. Very few Common
Murres all in winter plumage. Brants on the water, always near kelp
rafts. Just a precious few kittiwakes, a few Herring Gulls. One
Northern Fulmar and a Fork-tailed Storm Petrel. Mammals- Harbor
Porpoise, Sea Otter. Morning was nice but now it's blowing 40 knots
down the Straight on the Canada side. Seems like a wind tunnel. The
air mas behind last nights storm is COLD, we are all freezing on the
flying bridge. Tomorrow the same. Forecast is bad, no run up off
Vancouver Island this year.
Good night, Troy