Monday April 16, 2012 10:00 am Trip

Last minute tour this morning got off the dock around 1050 hrs. The weather reports for the day were looking a bit bleak as the winds were supposed to come up to “Gale Force” by mid-day !!!! We started off the tour with a quick stop at Trial Island where we saw lots of Harbour Seals laying on the rocks. A quick spin through the Chain Islands allowed us a great close-up of a mature Bald Eagle and then it was off to the San Juan’s !!!! Before heading North up San Juan Channel we stopped in at Whale Rock to see all the Steller Sea Lions on the rocks… Two large males were pushing each other around as they were jockeying for position on the rock !!!! As we traveled North past Friday Harbour we stopped briefly at Spieden Island to see all the Mouflon Sheep that were grazing on the grass along the steep South slopes of the island. Great views of the large males with their huge racks !!! Traveling West along the island we encountered many juvenile Bald Eagles in the trees along with Japanese Sika Deer and European Spotted Fallow Deer. These exotic animals were imported here many years ago and have been left to multiply freely ever since. The population of Sheep and Deer is getting to the point where something will have to be done soon, or they will eat themselves out of a home as the island is only 2.5 miles long and a quarter mile wide !!!!