[Sarah – 04/20/2018 – M/V Sea Lion – 12:00pm]

Friday's whale and wildlife tour was OFF THE HOOK! We saw a little bit of everything!

We started the day by heading north out of Friday Harbor towards Spieden Island. Before even reaching its grassy slopes and rocky shores, we encountered harbor porpoise and Steller’s sea lions feeding in the rich upwelling water. We checked out some sea lions hauled out Green Point before heading across the island to see what we could find. There were ba...

[Naturalist Sarah – 03/15/2018 – M/V Sea Lion – 12:00pm]

Lately we have had some simply exceptional days out on the water. Not only have we been treated to insane whale sightings, but we have also had magical springtime weather.

While I was cooking breakfast this morning Captain Brian called me, “Want to go find some whales? Get down to the harbor in 15.” I quickly downed my breakfast, gathered my gear, called Naturalist Rachel, and zoomed down to the harbor. With fresh cups of...

[Naturalist Sarah – 02/24/2018 – M/V Sea Lion – 12:00pm]

Yesterday was not what I would call an average trip in the Salish Sea… Definitely not normal mid-February, not even a normal for our peak season! The trip started out average enough, with no reports of wildlife as we left the dock. This time of year we rarely receive early reports from our spotting network, as the wildlife and boats are fewer and farther between. Captain Mike decided to steer the M/V Sea Lion east from Friday...

[Naturalist Sarah – 11/18/2017 – M/V Sea Lion – 12:00]

November whale watching in the San Juan Islands is exciting. When we leave the dock we have no idea what we might find. Typically this time of year I expect to see amazing bird activity, harbor seals, Steller’s sea lions, humpback whales, Bigg’s killer whales, minke whales, and many other amazing species. Every now and again we get a sighting surprise.

Preparing for the Trip...

As I was getting the boat ready for our trip, our...

[Naturalist Sarah – 10/24/2017 – M/V Sea Lion – 12:00]

Today felt more like a summer day than a late October departure! With clear blue skies and a great group of guests Captain Brian and I were excited to explore the Salish Sea on the search for whales.

Leaving the harbor we elected to head north towards the Canadian Gulf Islands. Unusually for this time of year we had a report of killer whales before leaving the dock. There had been vocalizations on the hydrophone reported in the...

[Naturalist Sarah – 10/16/2017 – M/V Sea Lion – 12:00pm]

Yesterday was a great day out on the water enjoying the beautiful scenery and wildlife of the San Juan Islands. We started the day by heading south through San Juan Channel from Friday Harbor.

Just south of Griffin Bay we found some Steller’s sea lions feeding on chum salmon. We watched the large pinnipeds shaking the fish and ripping them apart above the surface. In the turbulent water we also got great looks at harbor...

[Naturalist Sarah – 10/15/2017 – M/V Sea Lion – 12:00pm]

This time of year leaving the dock we don’t often have reports of whales or other wildlife when we leave the dock. Sunday was not one of those days! Just as we untied the boat, we received a report of killer whales on the west side of San Juan Island! We quickly transited north and around the north end of San Juan, and then down along the west side of the island.

We encountered the orcas just off of County Park. Usually during...

[Sarah M – 10/04/2017 – M/V Sea Lion – 12:00pm]

Today was a perfect fall day, and we experienced quintessential San Juan Islands wildlife! Leaving Friday Harbor we headed east for Upright Channel between Lopz and Shaw Islands. The water was glassy and we had crystal clear, panoramic views of Mt. Baker. We wove inter-island, taking in the scenery, before popping out into Rosario Strait.  Mt. Baker was breathtaking across the sweeping Strait.

Humpback Whale

In Rosario we encountered a...

[Naturalist Sarah – 10/01/2017 – M/V Kestrel – 02:00pm]

Going into October we start to see magical light out on the water and special encounters with wildlife. Leaving the dock in Friday Harbor we didn’t have a report of whales in our area, but at this time of year that rarely means anything for the day’s sighting. Sunday’s trip was a perfect example of how our sighting network, the Pacific Whale Watch Association, works to our customer’s advantage.

Captain Mike steered the M/V...

[Naturalist Sarah – 09/30/2017 – M/V Kestrel –  02:00pm]

Saturday was a beautiful illustration of the varying weather conditions we can experience here in the Pacific Northwest. On M/V Kestrel, wearing Mustang Survival Suits, we keep you prepared for the huge swings in weather conditions we can receive in the Fall and Spring! As we prepared to leave, we experience a deluge of rain, which weakened into a slight on and off drizzle as the trip progressed.

Heading south from Friday...