Olivia | April 12th, 2022 | M/V Sea Lion | 12:30pm

But wait, did we just witness history in the Salish Sea?

Captain Brian and I caught word of three families of Bigg’s Killer Whales north in the Strait of Georgia. Leaving the harbor, we debated if we could make it there and back in our allotted tour time, with how far away they were moving. It didn’t take us long to decide to go there once we heard there was a Humpback Whale not too far away. To Georgeson Pass we went!

Coming out of...

Maxx K. | M/V Kestrel | 04/02/2022 | 1:30pm

Today was a big day! Today marked Kestrels first voyage of the 2022 season and it did not disappoint! I had forgotten how fast this vessel is- it can reach speeds of up to 40 kts (45ish mph)! It’s like flying. But boy oh boy is it also freezing. With an average water temperature of 45 degrees, the wind chill coming off the Salish Sea is no joke! But what is a little cold air when you’re hanging out with a family of Bigg’s Killer whales?

Soo...

Lauren | M/V Sea Lion | 4.1.2022 | 12:30 PM 

On Thursday, March 31st the single day record of Bigg’s killer whale sightings was broken in the Salish Sea. A whopping 72 Bigg’s killer whales were sighted! Needless to say, Captain Eric and I had high expectations going into Friday's trip. Killer whales can swim over 100 miles in a day, and just because they are in the San Juans one day does not mean they will be the next. Knowing these facts, we were still optimistic that we would get...

Fog, Steller Sea Lions and a Squirrley Family of Bigg’s Killer Whales

Maxx K. | M/V Sea Lion | 03/29/2022 | 12:30pm

    Today’s tour was wild. Sea Lion pulled out of Friday Harbor and veered south. Whale watching runs on rumors. Someone thinks they might have seen a blow on the horizon. They tell a friend. The friend tells a friend and before you know it we can confirm a congregation of five killer whales slowly making their way along the southern banks of Lopez island.

Naturally we...

The Day is Never Stale with a Bigg's Killer Whale

Maxx K. | M/V Sea Lion | 03/28/2022 |12:30pm

    I was beyond excited to be back on the water today, having taken the winter to spend some time back home with family in North Carolina. And let me tell you, while I love coastal North Carolina, it’s deeply unlikely that you’re going to be seeing many Killer Whales regularly over there. Needless to say, it felt absolutely phenomenal getting back out here, zooming through the islands and...

Olivia | March 18th, 2022 | M/V Sea Lion | 12:30pm

Today’s trip was so unexpected for March here in the Salish Sea. We were lucky enough to leave the dock with some reports of Bigg’s Killer Whales in Rosario Strait! With these whales moving south and being a bit further away, we headed inner island and down through Lopez Sound in hopes of seeing something black and white.

Slowly coming on scene, we spotted their black dorsal fins and misty spouts moving northwest of us about a half...

Olivia | M/V Sea Lion | March 16th, 2022 | 12:30pm

If I would have known leaving the dock today what I know now, there is no way I would believe it. We headed out just like any other spring day; a cold breeze guiding us towards the flirting sun in search of any Salish Sea wildlife. On M/V Sea Lion, we often start our trips with a tutorial on how to spot wildlife with each season and tips on what to look for. I prefaced with the fact that these shoulder seasons are often the most...

Jordan | M/V Sea Lion | 08/16/2021 2:00pm

Nturalist Haleigh and I joined captain Pete on the boat with our excited guests and headed out to see what we could find around the Salish Sea.

We headed north and crossed the border into Canada. Here we found Orcas!! Beautifully swimming around off the coast of Pender Island, we watched in awe as they searched for any prey that could be hiding within the rocks. It felt like a whole different world as we appreciated being able to boat in...

Haleigh | M/V Kestrel | August 09, 2021 | 10:00am

There are few days that begin like today. We left the harbor, excited and ready to search for wildlife around the islands. Being one of the first boats out on the water, we were in search mode. However, not long after we departed a report came in for some killer whales around our waters. We rerouted to follow along with that note. Sure enough, we found our first big wildlife of the day!

There were 4 Bigg’s Killer Whales traveling...

Maxx K. | M/V Sea Lion | 07/29/2021 | 2:00pm

    Today was wild, y’all. Captain Pete and I had no idea what to expect when Sea Lion left Friday Harbor. There were rumors of Bigg’s Killer Whales north of us off the south side of Lummi Island but as we know, whales stay rumors until you see them yourself! We carried on taking the inter-island route, up and over Lopez and through Obstruction Pass. We passed by numerous harbor porpoises during the journey as they surfaced for air in our...