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Bigg's Orcas

Happy Earth Day! T65A and Her Orca Family Jump Around Turn Point!

Erick | Saturday, April, 20, 2019 | M/V Sea Lion | 12:00 

Happy Earth Day! 

This was a sunny Earth Day out in the San Juan Islands. Captain Pete, Alex, and myself took a large group out to celebrate the day and find some other great denizens of Earth out there. We headed north through San Juan Channel and into President Channel where we had a few Bald Eagles soar above us. After we passed Waldron Island we stopped by Bare Island to look at the Harbor Seals that were trying to escape...

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Bigg's male orca

Killer Whales Found in Presidents Channel! : Bigg's Orca Family, the T123's, hunt in the San Juans

Erick | Wednesday, April 10, 2019 | M/V Sea Lion | 12:00 

 

This Wednesday brought us back to very on brand Pacific Northwest spring weather. Low-lying clouds scraped the canopy of the evergreen forests that cover the San Juan Islands intermittently dipping low enough to brush us with a light rain. Captain Brian and I took a smaller group out on M/V Sea Lion to look for a wonderful array of wildlife in the Salish Sea. As we left Friday Harbor, we turned north to travel up San Juan...

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killer whale

Bigg's Killer Whales in the Salish Sea: Welcome home to the T065As!

[Sarah | 04/7/2019 | M/V Sea Lion | 12:00pm]

Today Captain Brian and I took a lovely group of guests out to explore the Salish Sea. After a few days of windy conditions, it was nice to be out on the water in relatively calm conditions. We started our day by taking a left out of Friday Harbor, pointing north on the hunt for wildlife. This time of year is still considered early season for orcas, but we have enjoyed over 75% success rate this spring, so spirits and optimism were high!

W...

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young Bigg's Orca breaches

Bigg's Orca Whales Hunt and Party in Boundary Pass: The T49A's Breach like Crazy!

Erick | Sunday, March 24, 2019 | M/V Sea Lion | 12:00 

Listen to the Bigg's Orca Vocals we recorded this day here

 

 

Yet another day of beautiful sunny weather today. Captain Mike and I took a pretty large group of folks out on M/V Sea Lin to look for some marine wildlife in the San Juan Islands. We left Friday Harbor and headed north towards the northern edge of the islands. We made our first stop at Flattop Island. This whole island is a nature preserve and it is a perfect spot to...

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J Pod heading North

Southern Resident Killer Whales Spotted in the Salish Sea

[Sarah | 03/23/2019 | M/V Sea Lion | 12:00pm]

Today was spectacular… there is no other way to put it. Oftentimes today the waters of the Salish Sea were so calm that the islands and tiny puffy clouds were reflected perfectly in the surface. It feels like spring all through the islands, with flowers sprouting and baby animals running around on the slope of Spieden Island. We left Friday Harbor with an early morning report of orcas spotted on the west side of San Juan Island and the...

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killer whales

Never give up Hope!! Orca Sighting in the San Juan Islands

[Sarah | 03/17/2019 | M/V Seahawk | 12:00pm]

What a beautiful day in the San Juan Islands! Captain Erick and I got to take out the M/V Seahawk from Friday Harbor under bright blue skies on the search for wildlife… and what the search we had. We decided to leave the dock and head south to start, motoring our way towards Turn Island to search for some seals as well as to look for whales and other wildlife in Griffin Bay. We got some great looks at harbor seals, our most numerous marine...

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Bigg's male orca tail slapping

Orcas Everywhere! Three families of Bigg's Killer Whales meet in Boundary Pass!

Erick | Thursday, March 14, 2019 | M/V Sea Lion | 12:00

 

This Thursday still felt a little bit like winter. It was quite chilly with a grey sky above. Captain Mike and I headed north to go check out a report of Orcas up in Boundary Pass. We traveled through San Juan Channel and headed past Spieden and Stewart Islands into Boundary Pass. Right in Between Gooch Island and Moresby Island we saw some blows up ahead! It was not just one but two families of Orcas. Both of these families...

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2 male Bigg's Orcas

We found Killer Whales in San Juan Channel!: T101 and T90 Bigg's Orca families hunt near Friday Harbor

Erick | Wednesday, March 13, 2019 | M/V Sea Lion| | 12:00 

 

This Wednesday was one of the first days it really has felt like spring here in the islands. The sun was out and there was only a slight breeze in the air. Captain Pete and I took a good-sized crew out to go see what wonderful wildlife was also out enjoying the sunshine. We headed south after we left Friday Harbor. We rounded Turn Island and just as we made our way into Griffin Bay we saw some blows just ahead in San Juan...

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New calf in the T124A family

Sunny San Juan Islands: Two Families of Bigg's Killer Whales get their babies to play!

Erick | Saturday, March 9, 2019 | M/V Sea Lion | 12:00 

If you can imagine a perfect March day, then that day was today. The sun was shining bright, there were a few fluffy white clouds hanging out above the islands, and the breeze was slight. Captain Mike, Sarah, and I took a pretty large group out aboard M/V Sea Lion. We left from Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. And headed south into San Juan Channel. The channels in between the main islands of the San Juan Islands are not very...

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T046's near Victoria

Whales and Wildlife Spotted in the Salish Sea

Sarah | 03/07/2019 | M/V Sea Lion | 12:00pm

Today we had a marvelous day exploring the Salish Sea. The day was full of wildlife and beautiful cloudscapes.

This time of year we often do not have any reports when leaving Friday Harbor, but as we left the mouth of our protected home Captain Mike steered the M/V Sea Lion south towards Cattle Pass. I poked my head in the wheelhouse… a report of orcas near Victoria! This time of year a report is kind of like a rumor until we put our eyes...

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