More Fishing and Sandhill Cranes at Calvert Island

June 28th (Friday)
In the morning we headed out fishing. We went fairly early so as to avoid any wind that often picks up later in the morning. We were surprised that it was glassy calm. We put out our crab trap in the next bay over on the way out. When we got out to Main Guy Rock the water was still a milky glass. Only the continuous swells disrupted the inky surface, but they seemed much smaller than last time we were out, and in comparison we barely felt them.  The tide was high so there were no breaking waves over Main Guy, but it was quite obvious where it was because of the large number if birds. 

It quickly became clear why they were all there. There were little fish being fed on by Dark Dusky Rock Fish, who in turn were being fed on by two large sea lions, and the birds were taking advantage of whatever they could get. 

We quickly came to benefit from the Dark Duskys as well as they immediately bit on our jig, seemingly at any depth, as we would get them while reeling up to the surface, as well as when jigging off the bottom. At one point we saw them ferociously feeding, and their tails and fins were clearly visible above the surface.
Jason also caught a Lingcod, but unfortunately it was too small to keep. Some of the Rockfish that we catch have swim bladders that have expanded from the depth transition. When we let them go it can sometimes be a challenge for them to swim themselves back down to the bottom. Usually they make it, but occasionally they float back up to the surface, and we then take time to coax them into giving it another attempt. 

Today we caught a small China Rockfish that had this problem. He made his best attempt to swim down, and then floated back up behind us. This time Jason came up with a great idea for a way to assist him back to the bottom. We used one of our hand lines, attached a weight about a foot from the end. Then used the swivel quick connect on the end of the line and clipped it loosely to the mouth of the fish. We then let out the line, and as the weight pulled the line to the bottom, the fish was also pulled down. Then when it got to the bottom, and regained his wits, he was easily able to free himself from the clip. Yay. Success! He did not come back to the surface, and he was gone from the line when we pulled it back up, so we can infer the rest.
While fishing we had also been watching the sea lions. Sometimes they would come up with a big fish in their mouths and thrash it from side to side, and other times they seemed to be playing together.  When we reached our limit of six Rockfish, we put our stuff away and floated, watching the sea lions. 

A little while later one of them came up just five feet from us, and he was there to check us out. He came up looking at us and exhaled with a loud snort, he then remained for a bit, looking at us, before diving under and swimming away. Usually when the sea lions come up close to us they seem just as surprised by us as we are by them, and they quickly leave. This guy clearly knew we were there, and came to check us out.
On the way back to our anchorage we went into the next bay over to look for the start of a trail that apparently goes up to a good vantage point by a Telus tower. We had been under the impression that there was a dock at the start of the trail, but we found no dock. Instead we found a super shallow bay, with a shelly spit, and two beautiful Sandhill Cranes. They put on quite the show for us; performing some type of couples dance. One would bow; open it's wings and step, then pirouette. The other one repeated this, and so it continued. When they were done dancing, we got serenaded by their calls back and forth to one another. Very neat! 

Back in our anchorage we went to a small beach area that connects a small island to shore. Here we found a board, and Jason put it across two rocks to make a table for filleting the fish. We also found some sea asparagus, which we had not found any of in this area, so while Jason worked on the fish, I picked us a bag of sea asparagus. 

Jason filleting our fish.

While Jason was filleting the fish a curious and hungry marten came to check out what he was doing. He came out of a hole in a stump not three feet away from Jason, and watched intently. He then made his way out a little closer. Jason gave him one of the fish carcasses, and he quickly pulled it back under the stump where we continued to hear him chomping away. It was definitely that little guy’s lucky day!
For dinner we made fish tacos!! Yay. The tortillas turned out great, the sauce J made was delicious, the fish was perfect, and we had it all wrapped up with chopped raw cabbage and onions. Wow. What a meal!!