Before breakfast we ghosted into the Pacific Ocean. The sea was calm, living up to its name. We were headed to Flattop Island, a small islet where the seabirds nest. As we watched sea otters, oystercatchers and pigeon guillemots, a sharp winged, gray bird powered its way past the Sea Lion toward the island. Making passes at successive gulls, the peregrine falcon landed on Flattop. Whenever you can see a peregrine before breakfast it's a good day, but our day would actually get better.
After breakfast we landed at nearby George Island. Here we hiked, launched our kayak fleet and set out on Zodiac cruises. The weather was iffy. It rained a bit during the morning but later the sky turned blue and the decision to have a barbecue lunch ashore was vindicated. We sat in deck chairs on a granite rock beach, watched the tide come in and feasted on salmon with teriyaki, raspberry glace and chicken with an herbal marinade. Here on the edge of the Pacific where the weather is changeable, we were enjoying fine dining as if we were in a tropical clime. Many of us wished we had brought our sunscreen.
