Olivia | August 23rd, 2019 | M/V Sea Lion | 6:15pm Private Charter
This evening was absolutely gorgeous for hosting a private charter on our M/V Sea Lion. With 45 people in attendance this evening for a wedding the following day, we set up all the catered food and drinks ready to set sail into the sunset. Luckily, we had a small family group just outside the harbor- the T46B1 Bigg’s Killer Whale family group! This...
Sarah | 05/11/2019 | M/V Kestrel | 11:00am
We had an amazing late morning/early afternoon trip out in the Salish Sea with our Adventure Tour! We had incredibly clear skies and buttery-smooth waters, enjoying amazing views of the surrounding mountains as we cruised. We decided to leave Friday Harbor and head north, as there was an early morning rumor of some humpback whales in the southern stretches of the Strait of Georgia.
We drove through President’s Channel and onward towards the...
Sarah | 05/09/2019 | M/V Sea Lion | 12:00pm
Today we had an awesome day on the Salish Sea. We were graced with just incredible spring weather, so much sunshine and smooth water. With an early morning report of gray whales to our southeast, Captain Pete and I decided to point that way! As we traveled south through San Juan Channel and then out into confluence of Haro Strait and the Strait of Juan de Fuca we were treated to awesome views of our surrounding mountains, including Mt...
Sarah | 09/28/2018 | M/V Sea Lion | 12:00pm
September has always been my favorite month out on the water. In these seasonal transitions the ecosystem is super dynamic creating unique opportunities for wildlife viewing. On Friday we were incredibly lucky to encounter a humpback whale on our afternoon Classic Whale Watch.
Captain Mike, Naturalist Clai, and I decided to head west on our noon departure from Friday Harbor. Though sightings vary drastically day to day, recently heading...
Jordan | July 9, 2018 | M/V Kestrel | 10:00
Today was a lovely day despite the gray skies that hung over the San Juan Islands. Luckily, we had our speedy boat, the Kestrel to take us around the seas to try and see as much as possible!
Captain Mike and I journeyed up the San Juan Channel, and east through Spieden Channel. Here we stopped and found some adorable seals along a nearby rocky outcrop. They were relaxing near the surface of the water with a few baby pups! As we kept...
[Naturalist Sarah – 10/22/2017 – M/V Sea Lion – 12:00pm]
Yesterday, we had a beautiful day avoiding the raindrops in the Salish Sea. Leaving Friday Harbor we elected to head north on a possible rumor of a humpback whale in the Canadian Gulf Islands. This time of year our reports often start as sightings from the public reaching out to company offices, or even from the commercial fishing fleet!
As we left Friday Harbor we found a pair of bald eagles up in the trees along...
[Naturalist Sarah – 10/12/2017 – M/V Sea Lion – 12:00pm]
October continues to impress in the Salish Sea. Weather-wise we have come to expect rain in the morning clearing to beautiful, sweeping cloudscapes in the afternoon. Yesterday, Captain Mike and I steered the M/V Sea Lion south through San Juan Channel towards Haro Strait on the search for whales and wildlife.
We ventured out into the wide-open water of the straits on the Westside of the island. The water was wonderfully glassy...
Saturday, September 16 – M/V Sea Lion – 1:30 PM Charter
The Sea Lion motored up to Roche Harbor to pick up today’s charter guests—a wedding party! And a party it was. After everyone was loaded up Captain Gabe gave the Coast Guard-mandated safety talk and we were off! We headed north, cruising between Sentinel and Spieden Islands, and spotted a group of harbor seals hauled out on Sentinel! The little rock sausages were sprawled out, taking in the heat from the sun. Continuing past...
[07/01/2017 – M/V Sea Lion – 1:30pm & 5:30pm]
We had a magical day on the M/V Sea Lion that again taught us about the importance of not worrying if there is no report of orcas as we leave the dock. Killer whales can travel 100 miles a day at speeds over 35 miles per hour. This means that reports literally change minute by minute and you can never write off a day based on the reports leaving the dock.
Since we had no reports we left Friday Harbor on our 1:30 trip with the...
