Today was great!

I was incredibly excited when I first heard that the T18s were in the area. This powerful pod consists of 4 massive whales: Two adult males and 2 females. The pod is led by the matriach and grandmother named "Esperanza" followed by her daughter "Nootka" and her two grandchildren "Galiano" and "Spouter." This family is known for splitting into pairs consisting of one of the huge males and one of the females. And that's just what we saw today!

As the crew (Naturalist...

Jordan | M/V Osprey | 08/03/2021 5:30pm

What a beautiful day out on the water!

Naturalist Laura, Haleigh and I headed out of the harbor and headed north through San Juan Channel. We looked and looked for any signs of blows or fins when all of a sudden we hear guests shouting "blow!!" We look towards shore and sure enough there was a whale!

We slowly approached and watched as the massive whale surfaced. It was a Humpback Whale! Then, suddenly a second blow surfaced right next to the...

Laura | M/V Osprey | 8/3/2021 | 5:30PM

Today was one of the best humpback encounters I have experienced in quite a while!   We left the dock headed northbound through San Juan Channel and it was only about 10 minutes before we spotted some blows!  A young boy named Oliver looked close to the shoreline and exclaimed to naturalist Haleigh that he just spotted a blow!  Our Captain Gabe instantly slowed the boat down and we patiently awaited our next leviathan sighting!  On the next...

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...

Jordan | M/V Osprey | 07/23/2021 12:30pm

What a fantastic day!

Captain Gabe, Naturalist Alexandria, Olivia and I jumped on Osprey and headed out towards adventure.

We were incredibly lucky as we rounded the corner and found whales immediately outside of Friday Harbor! Everyone got so excited as these six beautiful orca whales cruised down the San Juan Channel. As we admired their wild grace, they led us through Upright Channel above Lopez Island. We watched as they searched the...

Maxx K. | M/V Sea Lion | 07/19/2021 | 2:00pm

    The crew was stoked for our afternoon trip today. Captain Pete and I joined Haleigh on Sea Lion, stoked for the afternoon given the reports from various morning tours. We left Friday Harbor heading out towards the Juan de Fuca and towards rumors of a T-Party of Bigg’s Killer Whales. It took us maybe 40 minutes to get on scene, but believe me, it was well worth the wait. 

    Four families of Bigg’s Orcas (made up of the T037As, T065A’s...

Maxx K. | M/V Kestrel | 07/12/2021 | 2:00pm

Captain Sarah and I decided to head south this afternoon, trying our luck in finding whales off the various banks that rise up in the Juan De Fuca. After passing Goose Island to admire some nesting Pelagic Cormorants we continued out of the San Juan Channel. 

We then slowed over Salmon Bank at our first baitball, gulls and Rhinoceros Auklets flocking tightly over an unseen ball of fish below. The anticipation built as we waited, hoping...

Maxx K. | M/V Osprey | 07/05/2021 | 5:30pm

    There were only a few people booked for our sunset trip tonight but ohh boy were they in for a treat! When we left Friday harbor we turned north towards a family of Bigg’s Killer Whales we had seen earlier that morning, the T046B’s. 

    We followed alongside them for several minutes as they moved into Boundary Pass just north of the San Juan Channel. When we arrived on scene they had just successfully hunted a harbor porpoise, the...

Maxx K. | M/V Osprey | 07/02/2021 | 5:30pm

Osprey slowly turned southbound out of Friday Harbor as the sun set behind San Juan Island off our stern. We motored down the San Juan Channel and eventually stopped at the Whale Rocks off cattle point. Harbor seals seemed to cuddle with one another just above the water’s edge, maintaining that quintessential banana shaped posture as they balanced against the incoming swell. Steller sea lions rested just behind them, their robust beige...

Jordan | M/V Sea Lion | 07/02/2021 2:00pm

We got so lucky today!

 Captain Pete and I headed out of Friday Harbor and found whales in only a few minutes! This is an incredibly rare occurrence, so we were feeling really excited.

As we slowly approached the scene, we identified the whales as the two brothers: T77C and T77D also known as Neftali and Alcyon! We found then near Lopez Island and they led as all along the coastline down the San Juan Channel. They were cruising along, looking...