Friday, March 24th, turned into a fabulous day on the water!  Captain Mike, guests aboard the M/V Sea Lion, and I were hopeful that the cool spring day would turn something up, and we were not disappointed!  During this early season, we usually leave the docks with no reports.  I did not let this fact discourage me, because we are members of the Pacific Whale Watch Association and know of all sightings in the area in real time.  I had my fingers crossed for cetaceans in the San Juans...

Yesterday we had a charter scheduled on M/V Kestrel, our first trip of the season! The weather was March-perfect, with almost blue skies, no rain, and crisp air. To top it off we had a boat full of enthusiastic guests!

We suited up in Mustang Exposure Suits and headed down to the boat. Captain Brian Briefed our guests on the safety of the vessel and then we set out on the search for wildlife. Heading North out of Friday Harbor we set a course for the Canadian Gulf Islands and the...

M/V Kestrel has the day's reports! Today, we got to see two very interesting species of baleen whale, one a bit uncommon and the other fairly elusive. Because the Salish Sea offers the chance to see an abundance of wildlife, we never know what we're going to see out here - but days like today are an extra special cherry on top to an already epic whale season! 

Have you heard of the minke whale? This small member of the rorqual family is not typically at the top of everybody's list...

What's up, humpbacks! On our whale watch on M/V Seahawk today, we had a chance to encounter these massive baleen whales out in the Rosario Straight - a real treat, considering we don't always get the chance to pass by Orcas and Shaw Island on our tours. These beautiful islands greeted us with views of rocky bluffs dotted with wildflowers, pine trees, and the ever graceful medrona trees. The sun sparkled brightly overhead, hinting of exciting things to come. Not a single breeze waved...

It's been an absolute fabulous few weeks to watch our transient killer whales here in the Salish Sea. These marine mammal eaters are frequently seen hunting their favorite meal - harbor seals - along with harbor porpoises, minke whales, and dolphins around our islands. Males need to intake about 450 pounds of food a day to satisfy their appetities, while females need a bit less. These incredible hunters take down their prey in a cooperative manner and share their kills, and any...

Yesterday we left the dock with reports of humpback whales just south of San Juan Island, a short jog from Friday Harbor. On our way there, we happened upon dozens of harbor seals just off of Cattle Point and paused to watch them fishing for the small fish being carried in by the quick flood.

We then carried on for a few more miles until we reached the location that the humpbacks had been spotted in last. Baleen whales especially love feeding in the waters between San Juan Island and...

I don’t know if y’all remember the ‘90’s but I sure do. The biggest thing and maybe one of the more unfortunate things that I do remember are, of course, frosted tips. You probably remember these and have a general idea about how they are engineered into hair. You may even no be experiencing a wave of nostalgia as an NSYNC song plays in your head. But what you probably don’t know is that some marine mammals are still really into the ‘90’s…

            We started off this Sunday trip...

Today was one of the best trips I had all season. Captain Brian, Naturalist Mike and I set out from the dock without a single report determined to find some wildlife we set out North towards Spieden Island. When we reached the Wasp Islands just west of Orcas and Shaw Islands we received a report of a large group of orcas moving south through Rosario Strait on the other side of Orcas Island, so of course we had to go check it out. Though there was a bit of wind and some significant...

Today October was showing it's true colors over the Salish Sea in the form of an incredibly serene mist that hung in the form of clouds over hilltops and muted all the normally seen colors. Not a breath of wind was felt on this classic Pacific Northwest morning in Friday Harbor, and Captain Mike and I were looking forward to taking our passengers out on the Sea Lion for this unique experience.

As we left the dock with a boat full of passengers ready to embrace the mystique of the...

Today, like most days, the Salish Sea was demonstrating the full potential of this incredibly unique ecosystem. Captain Mike, myself, and the excited passengers aboard the Sea Lion were fortunate enough to bear witness to some incredible activity that is a sure sign that Autumn is upon us.

We headed South out of Friday Harbor after leaving the dock on a hot tip that there were some large marine mammals spotted South of Lopez island in the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

On our way down the...