July 18th

As we departed from Alert Bay we were soon engulfed by a thick blanket of sea fog, greatly re-ducing visibility, yet providing an eery backdrop for what turned into an fantastic and eventful morning. As we approached Stubbs Island we were privileged to encounter a large Steller Sea-lion catching a salmon for its breakfast, closely followed by a visit from a small pod of Dall's porpoises showing-off their newest member, a two month old calf. As the fog closed in on this scene, it opened up another, we suddenly found ourselves surrounded by dolphins! The morning progressed, still thick with fog, with us listening for distant humpback blows. All the passengers got into the spirit of the challenge, gleefully pointing out the direction of the latest blow while we navigated through the fog. The scene that enfolded was breathtaking, a young humpback emerging from the mist, exhaling a cloud of oxygen before diving again to feed.