As we were untying our ropes in Alder Bay this morning and before we had even left the dock the fin of a large male orca was seen slipping back under the surface of the water, it was an early and incredible sighting. Once we were under way we could see that there was a female swimming beside the male and there were also two other female sized fins bringing the count to four Transient orcas who were reported as being the T19’s. As is typical with transient orcas they were taking long dives and with the ebb current they were soon past Ledge Point where we left them approaching the Pultney Point light house. The weather today on the North Island was superb and it was a beautiful day out on the water. Other sightings included: A stellar sea lion, harbour seals++, rhinoceros auklets, pigeon guillemots, common murres, herring, california and mew gulls, belted kingfishers, bald eagles, surf scoters and pelagic cormorants.