Well, no crab last night in the trap (it finally stopped raining long enough for me to check the trap), so it was blueberry pancakes for breakfast. Normally we have cereal, either oatmeal or granola, but we try to have a "special" breakfast on Sunday. We missed it this week because of our early departure from Alert Bay, so to make up for it we had pancakes this morning.
I got up early to go salmon fishing after a guide on a resort boat told me there had been "surface" fish in the morning. I don't have fancy downriggers like they do so I have to do all my fishing close to the surface. No fish, but lots of fog and a few whales (I heard breathing though the fog).
After breakfast, Linda and I went out in the dinghy so she might have a chance to see the whales and eagles I saw during my trips. At first there wasn't much happening. We hung around the salmon fishing area for a while and then went a few miles up the shore, but still nothing. Finally, after we were about to return to the boat, Linda spotted a few eagles catching fish close by. We motored over and stopped far away so as not to disturb them, but in a position allowing us to drift closer. We sat and watched about 20 bald eagles catching herring at the surface for at least half an hour. At one point we were pretty close, about 75 yards, and could clearly hear the rush of air under their wings as they dove.
Finally the eagles seemed to have enough herring, and went off to sit in the trees so we started back. On the way in through the narrow pass I stopped to bottom fish in case I might be able to get a halibut on the incoming tide. Up ahead I could see a large log which seemed to be caught in a side current. It was going directly across the channel. After a bit it seemed obvious that there's no way it could be a log. It had to be something swimming across the channel. We both watched as a small black bear completed its morning dip in the 52 degree water, then got out, shook itself off, and headed up into the woods. Linda wanted to go back to the campsite we had just passed to warn them of the bear but I said, if they're out here, they have to be prepared for bears!
NOTE to Kathy and Tycho: We stopped to talk to John and Kathy of the BCC, Gertrud, hailing port Seattle, but they live in Oregon and are moving the boat to Newport for the winter before heading to Mexico next year. It's a 1977, hull #23, and they are the fourth owners.
After a quick side trip to check the crab trap, which we had moved on our way out, we passed a fish farm and saw a dorsal fin break the surface. Stopping immediately we sat and watched a pod of 7-8 white sided dolphins slowly swim by.
Finally we arrived back at the boat, having had plenty of wildlife for one day!
We're planning on moving tomorrow to Cutter Cove which the guild book says is "ALIVE with crab." We'll see I'm sure.
P.S. We need entertainment! Can someone do a google search for SSB (Shortwave) radio shows and send us the time and frequency? Anything will do, anything other than BBC world news that is. Thanks!
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