Our highlight of circumnavigating Saturna Island was time spent with the orcas. Of course, photographing whales from the kayak is somehow based on luck more than skills. You just have to trust me that we spent about twenty minutes paddling right between them. All their tricks, including jumping, splashing, racing towards us and broaching were included in their show programme. It was wonderful, to say the least. Locals gathered on the shores of East Point have had quite a show as well, watching whales and admiring our bravery.



We camped for a couple of nights on Cabbage Island, with its fantastic view of Mt Baker.




We then paddled to Narvaes Bay, where we had the opportunity to recover after whale experience. A hike to Monarch Head provided us with fantastic vistas of southern Gulf Islands.




It was another splendid trip with Wednesday group of paddlers from Victoria.

Lucky you Greg.....thats the trip we did in the late spring before arriving at Portland and then on to Sydney Spit. But we didnt get to see the whales.... maybe next time.....sounds like it was a very exciting experience....one that we all hope we will come across one day while out there paddling. And East Point and Boiling Reef were fun too !

Wow...great luck Greg! It sounds like your trip was fantastic - and I think that is the best orca from kayak photo that I have ever seen!!!
Cheers!

Kasey, there is a better one from the same trip. A huge one was charging towards a paddler, with a wake around his head (in marine terms it is called having a bone in his teeth) . The whale must have dived under his kayak in the last moment, since the paddler is still around. I'll try to convince the guy to publish his picture here.

Greg, here's the image. I'm just glad the Orca didn't end up with a kayaker in his teeth.

Oh Geeze!

Dave, thanks for posting this great photo.

I wonder what Alan's (the paddler in red jacket on Dave's photo) rescue strategy would be in such case?

Oh My Good God!! He wasn't "charging" do you think, was he? I've never heard of one charging before but I suppose they certainly could...and I certainly wouldn't want to be the charged! Could you imagine - and you guys were rounding East Point at the time? I think I would walk on water rather than capsize, with him in the same pond as me!

More images of our trip can be viewed at
https://picasaweb.google.com/1129441420 ... August2011

That is downright scary!!!! I was charged by a grizzly bear at that range and had no where to go! Glad it was hunting season and I could defend myself!

Excellent trip reports Greg. Thanks for all the photos. WOW about the orca!