Lauren | M/V Sea Lion | October 26, 2024 | 12:30 pm

With only two trips left in our 2024 season, I could not have been more delighted when I woke up to an alert that one of my favorite Bigg’s Killer Whale families was in the region. The T049A’s were picked up near Victoria and were trending northeast across the Haro Strait. The T049A’s are local legends and one of the families we’ve encountered most this season, so I was excited to get the chance to wish them a safe and prosperous winter. 

By the...

Lauren | M/V Sea Lion | October 25, 2024 | 12:30 pm

One of my favorite things about San Juan Island at this time of year is the crisp fall air and the occasional crystal-clear skies. Yesterday was one of those days, where even Mount Rainer was shining as far as the eye could see. The morning whale reports were abundant… everywhere BUT in the inland waters around Friday Harbor. Captain Eric and I prepared the M/V Sea Lion for our long voyage ahead and set sail. We took a right out of Friday Harbor...

Maxx | M/V Kestrel | August 31st 2024 | 2:00pm

Kestrel’s second tour of the day was incredible. The family of three Bigg’s Killer whales, the T018s, continued thy journey around Lopez and had now made their way up to Orcas islands eastern coastline. We found them by the Peapod islands and were almost immediately greeted with a spy hop (when a whale propels its face vertically out of the water) as birds buzzed around them. I only assume that this family was once again, feeding.

The T018s are...

Maxx K. | M/v Osprey | August 28th, 2024 | 12:20pm 

Bigg’s Killer whales have a typical range from SE Alaska, straight down the coasts of Washington and Oregon to Northern California. However, they don’t seem to follow a typical “migration” in the ways our Humpback visitors do. Different families seem to pass through at different times of year. Were still learning about how they move and with all the incredible data collection that happens in this region, we may begin to further understand...

Lauren | M/V Kestrel | August 25th, 2024 | 2:00 pm

The morning fog had cleared, and we had firm whale reports in the region. We couldn’t ask for a more promising start to our 2:00 pm Kestrel tour. We left the dock and headed north in San Juan Channel. The original plan was to catch up with the Bigg’s Killer Whale family the T075B’s. While on transit to T075B/Pebbles and the gang, we got a report of a group of killer whales near Eastpoint. Curiosity got the best of Captain Eric and I, so to the...

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...

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...

Elle | M/V Osprey | 9/17/2022 | 1:30PM

Today we headed out of the harbor with no whale sightings reported nearby. Because none of the whales in this area have tags that report their location, we rely on our own visiual sightings and our partners in the Pacific Whale Watch Association to find wildlife here in the Salish Sea. We know that small, schooling fish like to congregate on banks (underwater hills) like the ones just south of San Juan Island. We also know that seals, sea lions...

Elle | M/V Osprey | 9/14/2022 | 1:30PM

Today was a lucky day out here in the Salish Sea! Soon after departing from Friday Harbor, we stopped to see a majestic bald eagle perched above a group of harbor seals, hauled out on a rocky island. As we continued north through President's Channel towards Sucia Island, we encountered a humpback whale! We were able to identify him by his fluke as BCX1233 "Raccoon." We love seeing eagles and humpbacks out here because they both represent huge...