Aurora "smudge", more and more whales

Coming to the end of nearly 2 days at sea, we got all excited on Tuesday night, as we’d been told there was a high chance of a Category 6 (?) Aurora Borealis between 11pm and 3 am.

So, after a beautiful sail away, down the fjord from Skagway, we ate, watched a show, wrapped up and sat at the back of the ship and waited. We saw a glow in the sky for an hour or so, then gave in and went to bed.

“Bing bong” at 2 am - “Northern Lights seen”. And we saw them, as a distant curtain of green glow - too faint for photos (at least on our camera), but there nonetheless.

Another talk by Brent Nixon this morning, this time about Orca. 2 resolutions:

(http://www.naturetalksbybrentnixon.com/brents_b…)

- never again to be called “killer whales”
- boycott anywhere that keeps them in captivity.

(Oh yes, update to an earlier post on being chased by porpoises - Brent told us that porpoises don’t jump out the water: they must have been dolphins)

He also said that, as we cruise up the Strait of Juan de Fuca this lunchtime - “of you don’t see whales, you’re dead!” And was he right! Dozens of hump backs, spouting and fluking, and, in the distance, jumping out of the water!

About to dock in Victoria for our last stop. We probably won’t go ashore - instead, a relaxed final dinner, get packed by 10 pm and prepared for disembarkation and off to the airport for the 1330 flight.もっと詳しく