It has gradually been getting colder. But this morning, 26 degrees at 8:00 AM? Brrrrrrrrrrr.
The fences, bushes and grass all had frost glittering on them as I drove into town.
Attached is a photo of San Juan Valley – just had to stop and snap the fog sitting on the ground with the sun shining on a barn.
Low laying fog on a 26 degree morning
Today with beautiful weather the two Kenmore Air sea planes touched down at the dock and we were there waiting to take the guests for a wildlife tour. The group included people from Denmark, Sweden and Japan.
We went down the east side of San Juan Island stopping a few times to view birds and harbor seals. We had a good look at a mature bald eagle, solo, at the top of a tree. As we neared the southern-most tip of the island, we stopped (turned off the engine) and sat to watch some big stellar sea lions. 10-15 sea lions sunning on a rock outcropping with 100’s of pelagic cormorants. The rocks were literally covered with animals.
We started up again heading north. There were a number of commercial vessels out fishing today with nets out. The guests and I saw several orca whales go right up to one of these boats. I wondered if they were going to try to get fish out of the net, but then they just moved along. There were also many markers bobbing about as crabbing season has RE-opened.
Further north up the west side we saw a male orca solo. We were stopped and watched him for a bit.
We started up going slowly north were we encountered a few more orca whales. I remember a group of 3, either all females or females with a young male. The whales were not coming out of the water – just enough to breath. There were many small groups of whales and seemed to be spread out over a large area.
With the engines off and the hydrophone down (50’) we were treated to the whale calls/song/clicks. I can never grow tired of this. There was a good deal of vocalization today too!
We moved a bit more north were different whales were seemingly on a northern journey. Again, with engines off, we sat just staring to the coast of San Juan Island where whales were popping up and sliding back down. We even saw 2 tail slaps that looked like a juvenile.
We came home stopping near Speiden as one of the guests spotted 4 Harlequin Ducks swimming by. The captain turned the boat around so that Peter, the birder, with a 400 mm lens, could get a really good photo. He was thrilled and so was I. (hope he sends us the photo).
How would I grade this trip? The fog from the morning lifted and the planes came on time, it did not rain, it was not cold, we saw Stella Sea Lion, Cormorants, Harbor Seals, Bald Eagle, Orca Whales, Harlequin Ducks, Heermann’s Gull, Loons, Common Murres, Pigeon Guilemots and more. It was an “A” Trip.
Naturalist, Colleen Johansen
Headed south down the east side of San Juan Island.A single mature bald eagle was spotted up in a tree. We paused to view it, then off it went. We went a bit further south, then stopped a rock outcrop with TONS of Stellars Sea Lions. Lounging, posturing, snoozing, swimming. They where piled up with scads of cormorants and a variety of gulls. You could smell that these animals were all fish eaters. (Hey, watch it, I kinda like that fragrance!) The boat sat with the engine off and twirled in the current. Pretty cool right at that spot in the water.
50/50 chance of seeing whales is what I gave it. BUT . . . It was a WHALE day for sure. We were on the west side of San Juan Island south of Lime Kiln, north of False Bay, about a mile from shore. A single male resident orca surfaced. Solo. We could not see any other whales for quite some time. The boat moved further north, then we began to see what looked like two females. While sitting with the engine off, after about 20 mintues, a female off our bow start slapping her pectoral fin. Over and over.she slapped. Almost as if waving to us. She kept this up for several minutes. I am not sure just how many orcas there were. They were all very s p r e a d out. None were breaching. None were surfacing. It seemed like heavy duty prey finding.
There was a report of Humpback whales 3 miles from us - closer to Canada. Off we went. There were a few other boats already on scene. Two humpbacks were swimming side by side in sync with each others movements. Another whale was solo. I kept expecting a fluke. Sure enough, when I was not looking, Shelly saw the tail. We stayed with these whales about 20 minutes. Then we turned and started homeward – southish. The orcas were still in the same area. Stilled looked like fishing and eating mode to me.
What a great “Tail End of the Season tour this was!
Naturalist, Colleen Johansen
Yes, we saw orca whales today on the 2nd of October – late in the whale watching season. We took off from Friday Harbor, San Juan Island heading north toward Spieden Island. As we neared Speiden, one of the guests spotted a large brown head which turned out to be a great big stellar sea lion fishing by himself. We stayed on the south side of Speiden and Shelly spotted a mature bald eagle up in a tree. Down below the Mouflon Sheep and Sitka Deer were roaming about.
We pushed on to Haro Strait and started south down Henry Island to the west side of San Juan Island. We were a bit south of Kellet’s Buff and north of Lime Kiln Point when orca whales came into view. It was part of L pod that we were viewing. We sat for about 40 minutes watching the orca pursuing fish. Surfacing for air, switching directions back and forth the whales this up the entire time we sat there. Capt. Mike put down the hydrophone and there was some whale calls that could be heard. Light calling – not a lot.
As we headed further south on the west side, some Dall’s porpoise started riding our bow. Brief, but what a treat. As the water was gliding I by, I screamed out “loon!” and sure enough it was. Then at the southern tip of the island I spotted a BROWN Pelican in a raft of sea birds. Brown pelican may be common where you are from, but they are a bit of a rarity here in the islands. Near Lopez Island, we stopped at a large rock outcropping to view at least 30 stellar sea lion, what seemed like hundreds of cormorants and gulls. One could definitely smell these animals prior to actually seeing them.
What made this trip so enjoyable for me was that every guest on the boat seemed interested in anything Shelly or I could tell them about the area, birds, trees and wildlife.
This is the last daily tour of the season for us and what a trip it was.
Resident Orca Whale by Guest David Paris September 20, 2011
In a colossal embrace matter melted with music
The aeons pre-universe elapsed nurturing her gestation
Oh! Priestess of life!
Unintelligible creature, terror is the shadow that your movement sows!
The tale at you pupil is the law of blood and watch
Hailed be him who finds himself at the face of the Orca,
“Quisiera yo que la majestad humana fuera sólo la encarnación del reflejo de la tuya. Pido mucho y este sincero deseo es, para ti, glorioso. Tu grandeza moral, imagen del infinito, es inmensa como la reflexión del filósofo, como el amor de la mujer, como la belleza divina del pájaro, como las meditaciones del poeta. Eres más hermoso que la noche. Responde, océano, ¿quieres ser mi hermano?”
Conde de Lautréamont
Translation:
Schalk August 27, 2011 killer whale aka orca whale off San Juan Island
Schalk August 27, 2011 MV Sea Lion 55' new fast boat San Juan Island
Schalk August 27, 2011 Orca whale off San Juan Island
Schalk August 27, 2011 Orca whale in the mist off San Juan Island
Schalk August 27, 2011 Orca whale breaching off San Juan Island
Schalk August 27, 2011 Orca whale and the Sidney Ferry off San Juan Island
Schalk August 27, 2011 Lions Mane Jelly off San Juan Island
Schalk August 27, 2011 cormorant in flight near San Juan Island
Schalk August 27, 2011 1500 0 2500 lb Stellar Sea Lions near San Juan Island
Schalk 8-27-11 Looks like a Heeramans Gull off San Juan Island
Schalk 8-27-11 Looks like a male orca from the resident orcas taken on a charter
Schalk 8-27-11 Looks like a male orca from the resident orcas taken on a charter
Schalk 8-27-11 Jump! Orca whale.
Schalk 8-27-11 Orca whales on move near San Juan Island
Whales Map August 9. 2011 Sunset Tour by Victoria BC
Occasionaly our resident orca whales take a day or two sabbatical and go out to the Pacific, likely to survey the trend of salmon coming in (no one really knows why).
Yesterday, boats from Victoria reported the whales were returning and had reached the Jordan River coming east to San Juan Island. For our 1:30 tour the large group of whales had not come far east enough for us to reach.
When departing for the 5:30 trip, Captain Craig had learned that the whales had progress 5 miles east of Race Rocks, which is apprx in front of Victoria break water. The passengers were advised that the wind was increasing and that the water could be a bit lumpy.
For those that wanted to be up front, they were given long yellow slicker to wear. Well, it DID get lumpy. While reaching Vancouver Island it was learned that the orca whales had stalled out. But after coming this far, it was decided to continued on.
Some hardy guests had decided that the spray and water was quite fun and stayed up front on the bow as long as they could. The effort was well worth it.
When the ‘super pod’ was reached, cheers of excitement could be heard through out the boat! The whales were socializing in a tight group. We could see about 30 of them at a time from the boat.
Because of the extended travel, the Sea Lion could only stay on scene with the whales for 20 minutes.
The return home was rocky, but the guests did not even notice because of what they had just seen and experienced. The boat pulled in about 9;30 – one hour late. This was truly a “SUNSET” cruise.
Captain Craig Melvin, Naturalists Alex Hill and Kristen Dominici
Orca off South West End of San Juan Island Sunset Whale Watch Tour
Last evening I got out from behind the computer and went on the 5:30 whale watching tour. It is the “lighting”. I just love it around 7:00 pm when eveyone’s faces are warm from the sunlight. The Madrone trees seem firey and the summer grass on the hills glows.
There were many, many whales out off San Juan Island last evening. A guest took a photo and Serena ID’d the orca as Cappucino. The orcas were doing lots of fishing. The movements they were making near the surface – back and forth, back and forth – then there were some spy hops and some well, was it “love” in the water?
The seabirds were partying on an outcrop. Sea Lions and Harbor Seal were all having a snooze – lazin’ about. A couple bald eagles were circumnavigating Spieden Island.
We passed through Mosquito Pass (Roche Harbor) named so because the boats through that passage were as thick as mosquitoes. We slowly passed homes gleaming in the late light, little private docks, little private boats, large private boats (none with helicopters tonight) and more Madrone trees popping out past Pearl Island near Spieden Island.
18 knots and 25 minutes later we came around the corner and there was our little town on the hill – Friday Harbor with its evening lights twinkling. Home Sweet Home.
Sea Lions and Seals Sunset Whale Watch Tour July
Male Southern Resident Orca Whale Sunset Whale Watch Tour
Madrone Trees on the Sunset Whale Watch Tour
Guest on the Sunset Whale Watch viewing snoozing harbor seals
Male Orca Dorsal on the Sunset Whale Watch Tour July
Lookin' Around (spy hop) Taken on a Sunset Whale Watch Tour
It's a Sea Bird Party! Sunset off San Juan Island
Young Guests Viewing Wildlife at Sunset
There's A Serious Photographer - Photographers Love the Sunset Tour
Recently we had a family group charter the Kittiwake boat for a family reunion.
They had our favorite caterer bring boxed lunches, sodas and home made goodies for the occasion. Kittiwake is certified for 24 passengers. When booking the public in, we limit this number to 12. When using her for a charter we like to limit it to 14 so that there is plenty of space for guests, food and guests belongings.
This boat charter saw orca whales, bald eagles, harbor seals, at least a dozen species of sea birds and lots and lots of island scenery.
Chartering the boat gave this family an opportunity to be isolated with their loved ones and they had the Captain and the Marine Naturalists all to themselves.
When they returned, they made sure to come into the office to tell us what a wonderful time they had and how great the crew was and how happy the were that they chartered the boat.
Charters start at $895.00
We started seeing the dorsal fins of K pod after exiting the Speiden Channel and spotted Deadhead (K-27) with her new son (K-44). The boy is her first offspring and he will remain unnamed until after he has survived a winter and is officially considered part of the pod. Researchers do this because of the alarming fact that only around half of the calves survive the first year of life. The first-born calf has an even lower survival rate which is believed to be partially due to the large amount of toxins they receive through the milk. The organic toxin Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) is extremely concentrated in the orcas of the Salish Sea with the transients having the highest levels recorded in any marine mammal. PCBs are soluble in fats so they are found in high doses in the fat-rich milk of mothers. A female unloads a huge portion of the toxins she accumulated throughout her life onto her first child, with subsequent calves receiving much less of the chemicals. With hopeful thoughts of this little ones future, we watched him lobtail next to the cliffs and lighthouse of Stuart Island while the sun warmed the scene.
Kirsten, naturalist
