A lot can change in the span of a few hours out here in the Salish Sea. By the time our 2:00 tour came around the weather had cleared up, the sun was out, and more whales had been spotted in the region! Like our morning tour, Kestrel flew north. This time however, we continued past Spieden island, up and over the US/Canadian border and towards South Pender island where reports of Biggs Killer whales sparked a few hour before. 

Initial reports consisted of 6-7 whales but boy were we in for a...

It was a classic PNW morning as we began our 10am tour out of Friday Harbor; skies were gray. A light sprinkle of rain drenched us as we tore north through the San Juan Channel. We didn’t have a heading at this point as we never really know where whales are going to pop up. As cliché as it sounds, whale watching really is like a box of chocolates out here- who knows who’s going to be around that day let alone where they’re gonna be! As we mention on each of our trips, we work closely within the...

Olivia | M/V Osprey | August 21st, 2024 | 12:30pm

Summer season out here in the San Juan Islands is considered peak season, bringing in the opportunity to see potentially two ecotypes of Killer Whales, Humpback Whales, Minke Whales, and Gray Whales. While statistics continually reflect on that, every day is a brand-new adventure on where or what type of whale it is we are going to see. Starting off August, we had a bit of a Killer Whale lull in the Salish Sea, where Pacific Whale Watch...

Olivia | San Juan Safaris | August 19th, 2024 

After a long hiatus while getting our NEW website up and running, our daily blogs are back! 

We will be documenting whale and wildlife sightings daily from all three of our vessels to provide a sneak peak of where we’ve been traveling and what wildlife has been visiting the Salish Sea- while hopefully teaching you something along the way. We will also be providing bonus material for extra education and conservation topics, and photos of course! 

Every...

Lauren | M/V Kestrel | 6.1.2022 | 10:00 AM

Captain Eric and I were off the dock at 10:00 am today with our boat only half full… A post Memorial Day lull if you will? With an entire boat to themselves, our eight passengers still packed into the front of M/V Kestrel. The front of our zodiac proves to be the bumpiest spot during the ride. It seemed we had true adventures seekers on our hands, and we were excited to show them around the Salish Sea!

Our first stop was at Flattop Island to...

Maxx K. | M/V Kestrel | 06/01/2021 | 2:00

I woke up this morning with one of those unexpected, unwarranted gut feelings that today was going to be awesome. Today we were going to see something really special. And that we did. 

We set out of Friday Harbor heading north. Like days prior, we were getting reports of whales off Saturna Island, hugging the US/Canadian border. 

Now historically, because of the Right of Free Passage, this would be absolutely no stress. However, given the...

The day started strong! The sun was bold this morning following a rainy day off. With only a half hour before suiting up for an afternoon adventure tour there were rumors of orcas in the Rosario strait, heading south towards Anacortes. 

Now, if I’ve learned anything in my brief time here thus far, it’s that whales are only rumors until you get eyes on them yourself. I was still hopeful though. 

As soon as the team was suited and booted we hopped onto Kestrel with our Captain Brian...

Joining us for an Upcoming Whale Watching Trip?! Yay- So glad to hear it! There is so much to do in Friday Harbor you’ll want to make every moment count the second you get here!  Once you arrive on island feel free to stop by our office and we will get you checked in, as well as provide you with a map of the island- and of course point out some of our favorite spots to check out.  But before you get here read on to find out some of our favorite things to do- in the very walkable town...

[Naturalist Sarah – 02/24/2018 – M/V Sea Lion – 12:00pm]

Yesterday was not what I would call an average trip in the Salish Sea… Definitely not normal mid-February, not even a normal for our peak season! The trip started out average enough, with no reports of wildlife as we left the dock. This time of year we rarely receive early reports from our spotting network, as the wildlife and boats are fewer and farther between. Captain Mike decided to steer the M/V Sea Lion east from Friday...

[Lauren Fritz, M/V Sea Lion, 09/07/17, 1:00 pm Private Charter]

It's a big deal every year right after labor day in Roche Harbor - Ranger Tug Rendezvous is happening! Lots of these beautiful boats are docked in the harbor right now, and dealers and enthusiasts alike are wandering the docks, sharing their stories, talking about the boats, and enjoying the beauty of San Juan Island. Naturalist Piper, Captain Pete, and I had the chance to take some of these wonderful folks out on a...