A Plenitude of Ship Action

Saturday afternoon, Ediz Hook, after the rain. Alaskan Explorer, Akili, and Seabulk Arctic were anchored in the harbor. The second pilot boat has returned from wherever it had disappeared to. There were a few harlequin ducks, and a grebe, on the harbor side; but as expected most of the ducks seem to have left for their breeding ranges.

Alaskan Explorer; Port Angeles; Olympic Mountains (Click for larger image.)Juan de Fuca and Puget Sound, docked at the Pilot Station (Click for larger image.)

I was watching the Yang Ming Line freighter, YM Orchid, come in off the ocean, and turned around to see if a pilot boat had gotten under way to meet her, and there was Akili suddenly on the move, leaving the harbor. She moved out into the Strait, Juan de Fuca followed her out to pick up her pilot once she was out of the harbor and outbound, and she headed towards the ocean. Pilot boat then went over to Orchid to put a pilot aboard who would bring her into the container port at Tacoma. Akili westbound and Orchid eastbound crossed paths.

YM Orchid and Akili (Click for larger image.)

As Coho (ferry from Victoria) began to approach the US shore, I could almost get all three and the pilot boat in the same picture. Welcome home, Coho.

M/V Coho approaching, on the Strait of Juan de Fuca (Click for larger image.)