Someone aboard must be doing a dolphin summoning dance because they don’t stop coming! Jack on Patos announced with enthusiasm, more dolphins riding his bow as they cut through the cold waters of Wright Sound as we passed the north side of Gribbel Island. For the fifth time, I believe, the humpbacks got the best of us. Off in the distance, crossing Otter Channel, Rich spotted humpback spouts while at the helm of Deception, but sadly no photos again. They are the most elusive whale of the trip yet; teasing us with their distant splashes and waving goodbye with flukes high in the air, signifying a deep dive, never to be seen again. I remain hopeful with less than a week left of the trip to get some good shots, so fingers crossed!

The weather has been steady with rain and the occasional “sun breaks,” a term I have never heard until moving to the Pacific Northwest. The waterfalls have transformed from small streams to powerful channels of water. After three days of showers, it’s common to see several cascades spilling down a single rock face from the sea to summit traversing thousands of feet uninterrupted, just spectacular!

Along with the showers, the wind picked up, too. For the first time in a week, we have had some good swells giving the boats a lovely, sea-kindly motion compared to the glass-like conditions earlier in the week. However, it wasn’t long before we made anchor in Patterson Inlet. Jack and Jan brought over a delicious salad to go with the spaghetti and meatballs for dinner. After two hours of laughter, home-made cookies, and more ice cream, we all went to bed happy as can be!