Blame the Orcas

Third in a series of blog posts by Executive Director Karen Wristen as she and her husband Jasper sail their 40’ Newporter sailboat “Viajador” north to Sointula.

Day three: Lund to Campbell River

So, the word on the dock in Lund is that the orcas were through yesterday, which accounts for the scarcity of marine life on view:  everyone's hiding.

This business about the orcas coming through the day before I get to a place has come up often enough now that, in the interests of whale watchers everywhere, I have decided to announce my travel plans in advance.  Anyone out there looking for orcas should head to Kelsey Bay on Saturday.

Our crossing from Lund to Campbell River started with promise:  there was a strong wind warning in effect, meaning enough wind to really get some speed out of Viajador.  It was blowing northwest again, so of course we had to motor out of Lund and past the islands before taking a more westerly heading that would enable us to set sail.  Then, of course, the wind died altogether.  We motored to Campbell River.

En route, we checked out Mitelnatch Island, a nesting area for Pelgic cormorants, Seagulls and Guillemot.