Sea Otter Off the Quimper Peninsula

The northern shore of the Quimper Peninsula consists of steep bluffs rising sharply above the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Approaching the edge of the bluffs along this shore reach is always a bit of a thrill and there is always the reward of a great view. 

Protection Island

North shore of Miller Peninsula with Olympic Mountains in distance

     

Steep drop to the beach below

If the above picture is blown up large you might be able to spot the two seals. Zooming in with the camera better captures our bird's eye view of the seals patrolling the coast.   

Later in the day while on the beach I noted an otter as well as a seal.

Otter is near and seal in the distance

This otter exhibited different behavior than the typical otters I am accustomed to. Typically river otters will lift their heads up high and stare at me either out of curiosity or making sure I am not trouble. This otter appeared to pay no attention to us. It also seemed a bit large for a river otter. The otter then did something river otters do not do. It floated on its back.

The otter was just far enough away that it was hard to get a definitive look, but I am fairly confident this was a sea otter. There is a fairly stable population on the outer coast after reintroduction and the slow recovery of the species after being hunted to near extinction for their thick fur.

Sato (2018) (wdfw.wa.gov/publications) notes that the occasional sightings of sea otters are reported in the Strait of Juan de Fuca and even rare sightings within Puget Sound. This is the first time I have seen one. This particular shore reach has a rich platform below the water with bull kelp. The underlying geology is a factor. The platform is underlain by boulder-rich Possession glacial till (more on that in a future post) that provides a rocky substrate.