What a nice day we had on the water today!  Captain Pete, Alex, and myself hit the water for a beautiful trip.  As we were heading out we knew that it was going to be a beautiful day, but we couldn’t have predicted just how nice it would be!

We were treated to some views of seals as we headed north up San Juan Channel, and worked our way to where we had received reports of orca sightings.  As a special and lucky treat today we had Resident Orcas to look at!  As we got on scene we...

We all like to eat, let's be real. Mammals need food. Sometimes lots of it, especially if you're a 15,000 pound killer whale who sometimes swims over 100 miles a day. You're burning calories nonstop, and life is a constant search for food. So, you're hungry, and you're a Southern Resident orca - what do you do next? 

Well, since you've got a refined palate, you're going to be on the hunt for some King Salmon, also called Chinook. And where would you find such a fish? If it's the...

Days like today are basically a dream come true - residents and transients were spotted on our whale watch. Our adventures always keep us guessing, but each and every day is magical out here. We're in the San Juan Islands, after all! M/V Kestrel was all shined up and ready for a trip out to the Salish Sea, waiting patiently at the dock before all of the passengers were boarded and off she zipped! Gracefully flying over the surface of the water at about 30 knots, we headed north out...

Isn't it fascinating how tied to their families orcas are? By mom's side for life...I'm sure some human moms wish this were the case for their own children. As part of a matriarchal social structure, newborn calves will stick close to Mom and nurse for their first year of life, eventually becoming weaned. But, unlike, say, a humpback whale, these calves don't go off on their own after a year or two. They're going to stay with mom for life. She's the leader of the pod, and the...

Orcas – no secret – are amazing animals that constantly leave us in awe, with powerful cognitive abilities and massive brains that house extraordinary intelligence. Sometimes, we can’t help but feel an intense connection and sense of understanding with these amazing black and white mammals that swim through the waters of the Salish Sea. As highly social animals, they remain in very tight-knit family groups, learn constantly from each other, practice cooperative hunting and food...

Another wonderful day on the water! Sun was out and it was HOT. Captain Mike, Naturalist Emily, and myself went south out of Friday Harbor and then steadily made our way north along the west side of San Juan Island. While meandering along the west side, we first encountered a large group of bobbing seals in the water. After sitting in silence for a bit we realized our boat was surrounded by harbor seals! It was great to see them enjoying the crisp 46 degree waters.
After saying...