Posts Tagged ‘whale watching tour’

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The Minke Mash

Monday, May 14th, 2012

Minke whales are one of the most underrated cetacean species. No one ever says “let’s go whale watching for minke’s.” But if you’ve had the opportunity to actually see a minke whale, you’d think they were not only beautiful animals, but pretty darn cool as well.

Well today we had that opportunity! We left Friday Harbor headed south towards Hine Bank. It was absolutely beautiful! Warm, sunny, and the ocean surface was as smooth as glass. Along the way we were able to see a large group of harbor seals hauled out on a rocky island and a few harbor porpoises. As we reached Hine Bank, coordinates 48 degrees 20.80 minutes N, 123 degrees 04.089 minutes W, we slowed to almost a stop. Minke whales are difficult to spot because they have a low blow, a small dorsal fin, and if there are waves they tend to block our view. But, we definitely had no trouble today as a minke surfaced right ahead of our boat! And because the water was so flat we saw more of the body than I’d ever seen before.

We spent some time watching that lone minke surface and dive methodically around our boat before heading back towards Salmon Bank. Again, it didn’t take very long before we spotted two more minke whales! (Coordinates 48 degrees 24.53 minutes N, 122 degrees 59.06 minutes W). Their blows were audible and their smooth, rounded backs sliced through the glassy water again and again, keeping us mesmerized.

Heading back to San Juan Island gave us more wildlife viewing opportunities. Before docking we saw a lone Steller sea lion hauled out on whale rocks, and finally a beautiful bald eagle perched on top of Long Island that took flight just as we were pulling away. It was a truly amazing day!

Kristen, Naturalist, San Juan Safaris

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Whale Watching & Wildlife Report Tuesday April 24, 2012

Tuesday, April 24th, 2012

Leaving Friday Harbor under solid grey skies, a damp drizzle, no wind, very calm seas, and a last minute report that Transient Orcas were on the west side of San Juan Island, we headed north and quickly made our way to the west side via Spieden Channel  in anticipation of running into the northern-bound whales.

It wasn’t until Pile Point though, before we caught up with 3 of the T-100’s, including T101 and T102 (48°28’N, 123°05’W), traveling south from Pile Point off the west side of San Juan Island. Another group of Transients were reported behind us (6 or 7). We stayed with the T-100’s till the Salmon Banks buoy before heading towards Cattle Pass and home.  A stop at Whale Rocks gave us great viewing of hauled out Stellar Sea lions covering one end, while several more milled about in the water.  And, just like yesterday, we found several groups of Harbor Porpoises foraging in San Juan Channel, between Lopez Island and Turn Island. It was also a great day for viewing Bald Eagles. We found them perched in tree tops, posed on the top of rocks, and even one sitting on a rocky beach on the north end of San Juan Island.

Another perfect day in the Northwest!

Naturalist Shelly and Captain Mike

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Saturday & Sunday Whale Watching from San Juan Island

Wednesday, April 11th, 2012

We will be going out on Saturday the 14th and Sunday the 15 again at 12 noon. Saturday is already almost full and Sunday still has space. Call now 800 450 6858 or use our online secure reservation system.  https://secure40.securewebsession.com/sanjuansafaris.com/reservations_whale.html

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26 Degrees On San Juan Island This AM December 9, 2011

Friday, December 9th, 2011

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.

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An “A” Whale and Wildlife Charter Tour

Thursday, October 13th, 2011

  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

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Tail End of the Season

Saturday, October 8th, 2011

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

 

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Orca Whales, A Loon, A Brown Peligan, Dall’s Porpoise & Stellar Sealion on our Last Daily Tour

Sunday, October 2nd, 2011

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.

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From An Up and Coming Young Marine Naturalist On Our Tour September 20, 2011

Thursday, September 22nd, 2011
Resident Orca Whale by Guest David Paris September 20, 2011

Resident Orca Whale by Guest David Paris September 20, 2011

 

Ode to the Orca

In a colossal embrace matter melted with music

Orgasms of fantasy and light.
It was so that the breath of the goddess took form,
Her chants crystallized in an ocean with twilights instead of waves,
Mask of the unknown,
Uterus of the first spawned orca.

The aeons pre-universe elapsed nurturing her gestation

and it was only when she was fully grown that time could born
for the sun is just a mirage of her belly,
the night, the tattoo of her skin embracing the infinite.

Oh! Priestess of life!

mother and channel of sublime
the light in the blue finds its path by following your chant
hence you are the luminous sentinel and the maker of the abyss
forger of darkness at your own image and likeness.

Unintelligible creature, terror is the shadow that your movement sows!

for in those with whom you share the ocean destiny exists and it is to fear you,
preys of knowing themselves your victims by antonomasia;
at their birth they learn from the waters that you mean death and angelical paroxysm.

The tale at you pupil is the law of blood and watch

written with the ink of lightning
over magma and submarine mountains.
Those of us who have suffered enough sacrilege,
dream with the return of the law that you embody and prophetize.

Hailed be him who finds himself at the face of the Orca,

for he could say that he has known the Truth!

“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:

I wish that the human majesty would be only the incarnation of the reflection of yours. I ask much and this sincere wish is, to you, glorious. Your moral greatness, image of the infinite, is immense as the thoughts of the philosopher, as the love of women, as the divine beauty of the bird, as the meditations of the poet. You are more beautiful than the night.
Answer, ocean, would you be my brother?

 

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Guest Sends In Orca, Cormorant, Gull, Sea Lion (and more) Photos for the Contest

Friday, September 2nd, 2011
Schalk August 27, 2011 killer whale aka orca whale off San Juan Island

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 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 off San Juan Island

Schalk August 27, 2011 Orca whale in the mist 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 breaching off San Juan Island

Schalk August 27, 2011 Orca whale and the Sidney Ferry 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 Lions Mane Jelly off San Juan Island

Schalk August 27, 2011 cormorant in flight near 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 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 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 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 Jump! Orca whale.

Schalk 8-27-11 Orca whales on move near San Juan Island

Schalk 8-27-11 Orca whales on move near San Juan Island

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Do We Go The Extra Mile to See Whales? You Bet!!

Wednesday, August 10th, 2011
Whales Map August 9. 2011 Sunset Tour by Victoria BC

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

 

 

 

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