We anchored in the Walker Group – a set of small islands towards the edge of Queen Charlotte Strait. There’s a small cove with anchoring depths between Staples and Kent Islands with narrow entry channels both to the north and the south.
These islands are the last spot to anchor before the western edge of the strait empties into the open Pacific. To the southwest is Cape Scott, which we’ve passed each of the last two summers heading down the west coast of Vancouver Island. To the northwest is Cape Caution, which is one of the few stretches of open water that a boat needs to cross on the way to Alaska.
One of the highlights of the Walker Group is the wildlife. Guarding the cove is the largest bald eagle either of us has ever seen. Circling above and flying from treetop to treetop is a juvenile bald eagle ñ he is a mottled grey in color and apparently has a lot to say. A sea otter is collecting crabs from the bottom of the cove and then munching away at them while floating on its back ñ the sound of the crunching shells is almost loud enough to echo in the small cove. River otters dart down to the water, then clamber back up onto the rocks.
This is what professional wildlife photography looks like…
We take the dinghy outside the cove to try to catch some fish, and weíre shadowed by two or three sea lions. They are easily as long as our dinghy and make both of us jump when they surface for a breath just behind our backs.
Tomorrow we’ll try to round Cape Caution – we’re hoping for good weather.
