July 21st, 2022

Abby Dahl

2pm M/V Sea Lion

Captain Erick and I chugged out of a busy Roche Harbor, with our sights set on a humpback whale just north of Stuart Island on the Canadian border. We cruised by some thermoregulating harbor seals and their newborn pups, with the sun glistening off the calm waters of Spieden Channel. When we got to the humpback whale identified as the female “Fallen Knight,” we had some great looks and some beautiful tail flukes.

Upon leaving the scene and...

Maxx K. | M/V Kestrel | 07/18/2022 | 2:00pm

    I had a blast on today's tour! Kestrel raced out of Friday Harbor towards the north, stopping first to admire a bald eagle that sat looming over the San Juan Channel. We ended up seeing at least eleven eagles during the duration of our tour today and I’m confident we must’ve missed at least a handful more during our journey. The Salish Sea has the second largest breeding population of bald eagles outside of southeast Alaska so keep your...

July 8th, 2022

Abby Dahl

10am Kestrel

Captain Gabe and I zipped out of the harbor with hopes of seeing some Biggs killer whales spotted north. Rumor had it that they were the T065A’s, my favorite matriline in all the Salish Sea, quite possibly my favorite whales in the entire world.

The T065A’s are made up of:

• T065A “Artemis” (1986, Female, Mother of all listed below)
  
  • T065A2 “Ooxjaa” (2004, Male)
  • T065A3 “Amira” (2007, Gender Unknown)
  • T065A4 “Ellifrit” (2011, Female)
  • T065A5 “Elsie”...

June 30th, 2022

Abby Dahl

10am M/V Kestrel

Captain Michael and I peeled out of the harbor, knowing it was about to be a long journey in our search for whales. We had only one report of Bigg’s killer whales near Race Rocks in British Columbia, Canada, so we took a right and began heading south through San Juan Channel. It was almost ironic, as we immediately found a pair of humpback whales upon our southbound journey. They were taking long dives, so we only saw them a few times before...

Maxx K. | M/V Kestrel | 06/27/2022 | 2:00pm

    It’s was a bomby summers day. Kestrel absolutely flew threw the San Juan Channel, cutting through the velvety water with ease. We raced up and around through Waldron Island, stopping briefly once to scope out Skipjack Island and dozens of Harbor seals that rested along its rocky shorelines. 

Harbor seals haul out onto rocks for a variety of reasons such as rest, thermoregulation, birthing and nursing. This gives us a great opportunity...

Maxx K. | M/V Osprey | 06/26/2022 | 12:30pm

    Today was hotter than hades! No doubt about it, summer is officially here. 

    Osprey slowly put putted its way out of Friday Harbor, north through the San Juan Channel and around again into Presidents Channel. A family of Biggs Killer Whales known as the T036A’s had been picked up right outside Friday Harbor a few hours before and had already made it to Sucia Island, north west of Orcas. 

    The T036A’s were a new family to me, being...

Maxx K. | M/V Kestrel | 06/18/2022 | 2:00pm

    Today was so much fun. Not only did we have a full crew aboard Kestrel today (myself, Elle AND Captain Eric), we also managed to spend some time with my favorite family of Bigg’s Killer Whales, the T123s. Then we got a quick glimpse of a couple of Peregrine falcons, some wild South Pender Island mountain goats and the biggest eagles nest I’ve ever seen!

    The T123s traveled tightly together around the east side of Barnes and Clark...

June 11th, 2022

Abby Dahl

12:30pm Osprey

We zipped out of the harbor at 12:30pm, an earlier sighting of Biggs killer whales rattling our brains. We took to the south, through San Juan Channel, harbor porpoises bobbing parallel to our vessel all the way to Cattle Point. We made a beeline for the report of killer whales which were traveling parallel to the western shore of Whidbey Island.

When we saw whales in the distance, guests rushed to the railing, jaws dropping for those who were...

Maxx K. | M/V Kestrel | 05/21/2022 | 2:00pm

    Today was pretty perfect! The sun was out, the sea was glass and guests were stoked. We swiftly left Friday Harbor and rounded up north through the San Juan Channel where we then stopped at Flattop Island. We sat there spinning for several minutes in the upwelling, admiring the island that poked itself out of the water. 

    Suddenly a blow! A Humpback whale appeared off our bow surfacing every few minutes to take a deep, fresh breath...

Maxx K. | M/V Kestrel | 05/13/2022 | 2:00pm

    Today was pretty dang close to perfect. It kicked off strongly as a good hour before Kestrel untied from the jetty, two bull Bigg's Killer Whales passed directly in front of Friday Harbor. I could see their tall six ft dorsal fins cut the surface of the water through my binoculars here at the office. 

    When we left the harbor for our adventure tour, we decided to save the whales for last. We opted instead to start by heading out into...