Lauren | M/V Kestrel | 8/16/2022 | 2:00 PM 

It’s not uncommon for us to begin our trip with zero whale reports, and today was no exception. We always tell our guests that every single day, at every single hour we essentially “start over.” That’s because none of the whales in the Salish Sea are tagged, and we don’t use any type of sonar to find them. We are a part of the Pacific Whale Watch Association (PWWA), which is a private network that works organically off eye sighting reports...

Lauren | M/V Kestrel | 8/7/2022 | 10:00 AM

We couldn’t have asked for better boating conditions on our Sunday morning adventure whale watch and wildlife tour! It was predicted to be one of the warmest days Friday Harbor has seen all summer, which is a blessing for anyone cruising aboard M/V Kestrel. The water temperature of the Salish Sea sits at about 47 degrees year-round, and Kestrel is the fastest boat in our fleet. Traveling at a speed of 35 knots, she always ensures a breezy...

Elle | M/V Osprey | 7/29/2022 | 5:30 PM

This evening was full of baleen whales here in the Salish Sea! After travelling south past Cattle Point Lighthouse we settled our boat in shallow waters at the top of Salmon Bank. We were surrounded by birds at the surface, hunting the smaller fish below, in what’s known as a bait ball. These bait balls on top of Salmon Bank are a favorite hunting area for minke whales, a smaller baleen whale with a reputation for being elusive. After patiently...

Elle | M/V Kestrel | 7/27/2022 | 2:00 PM

After departing from Friday Harbor we headed south in San Juan Channel. Near Cattle Point Lighthouse, we entered some choppy water, produced by fast currents mixing together, as well as wind. Above the waves, we saw a fifteen-foot puff of air: an exhalation from a humpback whale! The whale surfaced and dove, rarely staying under the water for more than a few minutes as it fought against a six-knot current. The whale didn’t make much progress...

Lauren | M/V Kestrel | 7/28/2022 | 10:00 AM

I’ve had a lot of epic whale encounters during my time working for San Juan Safaris, and today I was blessed with yet another first! What happened you may ask? Our 10:00 am Adventure Tour took a trip to a pectoral playground!  

M/V Kestrel started the morning by taking a right out of Friday Harbor and heading south down San Juan Channel. Before heading into the strait, we made a quick stop at Goose Island. Goose Island is known for its...

Elle | M/V Osprey | July 16, 2022 |12:30PM

We set out on a cool, cloudy day from Friday Harbor in search of wildlife. We headed down south past Cattle Point on San Juan Island and pulled up to Whale Rocks, off the western tip of Lopez Island. Here we saw a haul out of harbor seals as well as Steller's sea lions. While harbor seals are here year-round, sea lions migrate out of the Salish Sea. It's pretty rare to see them here this late in the summer so we were grateful for the chance...

Lauren | M/V Osprey | 6.18.2022 | 12:30 PM

It was my first day back to work after a week-long vacation and I had whales on my mind. I truly miss them when I’m gone, and I felt especially eager to show our guests all the San Juans has to offer. As M/V Osprey left the dock, we got word that Bigg’s killer whale family the T123s were in the area. The T123s are “frequent flyers,” or should I say swimmers, here in the Salish Sea. They are one of the families I’ve seen the most thus far...

Lauren | M/V Kestrel | 6.3.2022 | 2:00 PM

Grey skies and wet exposure suits were in our future today as M/V Kestrel left the dock for our Adventure Whale Watch & Wildlife Tour. Despite the rain, I was in fantastic spirits after captain Eric told me where we were going… One of my favorite Bigg’s killer whale families, the T065A’s were spotted in the Strait of Juan de Fuca! This curious bunch is always a delight to observe. This family of six was reported to be traveling alongside...

Lauren | M/V Sea Lion | 5.3.2022 | 12:30 PM

M/V Sea Lion had a small group today, only 9 passengers were aboard as we puttered out of Friday Harbor. I was beyond delighted to hear that the infamous “Big Mama” was back in the Salish Sea, and that we may see her out on our trip today. Seeing “Big Mama” is a treat in itself, but we got some exciting news yesterday… “Big Mama” was not only back in town, but she had a new calf with her!

Once we got word that “Big Mama” and calf were...