Whale Watching - Reserve Your Whale Watching Spot Now! Meet the San Juan Island Whale Watching Staff Of San Juan Safaris Nancy Hardy Captain Nancy comes to us with 25 years of seamanship. Originally from North Dakota, Nancy has been calling San Juan Island home for many summers. She spends her winters in warm climates like Arizona. She and husband, Captain Peter, live aboard a salmon troller that the two of them have refurbished. Nancy's major was Parks & Recreation. Her favorite things are being out on the water and traveling to new places. When not working, which is almost always, she and her husband enjoy bicycyling and diving. Peter Hardy Captain Peter has been with us 3 years and has over 20 years experience on the sea. A former helicopter pilot, and a diver, he is also a skilled wood worker and teaches a course called "Navigating By Stars". He and his wife have a salmon troller that they have restored and live on in Friday Harbor in the summers. Hobbes (aka Alan Buchanan) Captain Hobbes grew up in the East-End of London. A Cockney from Hackney he has worked on the river Thames on tugs, ferries and tour boats. Licensed captain with any Oceans endorsement and Merchant Seaman in England and the USA. EX-Member of Britain's elite regiment of the Army. When not on a boat he enjoys cooking and eating, rowing, looking at and working on wooden boats and sailing. Jacyln Van Bourgondien Naturalist Megan Young Naturalist First Mate Megan recently graduated from Grand Valley State University with a Bachelor of Arts in PR minoring in Legal Studies. Some of Megan's favorite pastimes are gymnastics, horse racing, football, soccer, snowboarding, kayaking, rock climbing, track, swimming, dancing and shopping. She says that her favorite thing about being on the water, or anywhere in nature for that matter is that "It really makes you realize how small you are. Seeing the Southern Resident Orcas and other local wildlife really makes you realize that some things are worth protecting and that you can make a difference. No matter how small you are " Megan went on a whale watching wildlife tour with us last year and later wrote to us saying that she absolutely wanted to work for us on our boat. Bill Wright-Naturalist, Owner/Creator of San Juan Safaris and what is now named Alaska Wildland Adventures back in 1975 In 1993 Bill began offering wildlife tours by kayak at Roche Harbor. 1994 he added Whale Watching. 2002 He opened up an additional operation in Friday Harbor with both Whale Watching and Kayaking. He began his career showing people wildlife, teaching the tenants of environmentalism and also proper wildlife viewing long before the term eco tourism had been coined. In Alaska he rafted rivers that were seldom seen by humans. He is an avid traveler having been to every state in the US, all over BC, to Costa Rica, Africa, New Zealand and Fiji. Bill is a news junky and is obsessed by what is going on in the world. He enjoys birding, riding his tractor, taking long drives to someplace he has or hasn't been, being around his critter companions and reading adventure books. He can usually be found in the administrative office with a phone on each ear. He credits some of his success to his wonderful mate. See next photo. Colleen Johansen Naturalist On Staff full time since 1995. Mostly at the appointment desk, behind a computer updating the website & answering your emails at the admin office, also a kayak guide naturalist on the whale watch. Colleen enjoyed The Whale Museums naturalist class so much, she has taken it four times and so holds four certifications. A full time resident of San Juan Island since 1993, she has lived in Truckee, CA, Kona, HI & Canandaigua, NY and now here in Friday Harbor.. She has a varied background:degree in music, degree in gemology, years in retail and other careers. Colleen loves travel and has been to almost every state in the US plus Brazil, Costa Rica, Fiji, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, France, England and Belgium. And looking forward to more exotic countries. Things she enjoys: birding, reading, working out, jazz & clasical music, gardening, learning new things, updating skills, using her digital camera capturing staff and spending time with her geese, llamas and friends. She sometimes credits her good life to her husband, but mostly to just expecting life to be good. See his photo above. Captain Cal at the wheel of the whale watching boat Sea Lion June 2007. Photo by Frederick Kohler Kendall with guests on the Sea Lion June 2007 Tiffany & Margo take the fenders up on the Sea Lion to go out whale watching Tiffany (Tiff as we call her) talking wildlife will place fenders back, coming home Jaclyn (the mermaid) aboard the Sea Lion caught by naturalist Traci Walter Captain Nancy Hardy aboard the MV Kittiwake getting ready for the morning whale watching tour. August 26, 2005 Margo shining up the Kittiwake (whale watching boat) windows. August 25, 2005 Naturalist Anna with guests Yes, that is Pat the accountant checking in a whale watching guest. In the summer her job description . . . well it e x p a n d s to lots of new territory.