Here is the link to last week's post for directions, etc., but today, is all about MORE PHOTOS!!
The tide levels could not have been more different this time.
High tide was 5:00 a.m. today, we got on the water around 7:45. We followed a very similar route as I did last weekend. I knew the tide was going out today and was even more mindful of the rocks and tide/currents. We timed this PERFECTLY... as we approached the Ram Island Ledges, the rocks were not far out of the water and were covered with seals! The boat traffic was pretty much non existent until later...we saw a family who had similar ideas as we did, on paddleboards, coming from the other side of Ram Island. This is an amazing trip and I got SOOO lucky today to be in the presence of so many seals. They swam around us, towards us, followed us, and when we weren't looking at them, they splashed a bit to get our attention.. just amazing. Enjoy the pictures!
I zoomed way in with my camera to see if the shiny spot I saw was a seal... and was so excited to see that it was!
I had no idea there would be this many!
They are so cute bobbing in the water!
A family was on the water early too, you can see them just behind the seals, on a paddleboard...
We kept a good distance and they didn't seem to be bothered... when a loud boat went by they seemed to want to get in the water more... but some stayed on the rocks..
Look at that face!!
The one on the far left was way smaller than the others, we think it is this years pup!
They swam around us a lot... staying about 20 feet away most of the time. A couple got a little closer, maybe within 10 feet, but only a couple.
We could hear them when they surfaced and they seemed to like to follow us... my paddling partner would tell me there was one behind me and I would turn to look and it would submerge, and the same happened to her... sometimes they splashed pretty good when they went under.
This gives an idea of the distance they got to my kayak... no zoom here...
They had some steam coming off them after they got on the rock from the water..
Last weekend when going under this bride I went on the left side... OVER those huge rocks! How crazy is that. This was getting close to low tide.
At low tide, this launch area is inaccessible... mud flats!
This ramp is a MOST tide ramp... we got out as the tide was almost low... and the water was below the end of the ramp... we had to take a few steps in the mud... but oh so worth it. Again, I think early is the best way to go when doing tidal areas!
Cormorants, great blue herons....just like Florida. The seals make it special.
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