There is certainly a lot of excitement on the water today, from a variety of boats and yachts to BBQs on the shore, but most importantly..the orcas whales!  We headed to the west side of San Juan Island today to oo and awe in the presence of our resident J-pod orcas.  We spotted the orcas off every direction of the boat.  Not to mention that two bald eagles were flying above us.  The orcas were spread out from each other, occasionally joining with a family member to travel in a small...

As we say (and it's true) - every day that we see orcas is a great day. I mean, here in the majestic San Juan Islands every day - whether it be sunny, cloudy, rainy, whale-free, or otherwise - offers a new and exciting kind of beauty. This means that, really, every trip out on the water, whale free or not, is a great day! That being said, today was a REALLY GREAT day for whale watching.

The summer sun shone down on our faces, as a boatload of guests, Lauren, Captain Mike, and I...

Another sunny day on the Sea Lion!  As we boarded the boat, we received news that orca whales were spotted north near Vancouver.  Communicating with the other whale watching vessels helped inform our crew that the whales were actually heading closer to us near Saturna Island.  The excitement on the boat stirred like the nutrients upwelling in the currents of the Salish Sea.

We spotted three members of our Southern Resident orca community when we arrived at Monarch Head.  There was a...

Today was the kind of day the whales inspired me to remember childhood ways (not too far buried for me, I must admit). Cartwheeling - when the orcas throw their back-end and tail out of the water and over their heads - seemed to be the activity of the day. The orcas performed this behavior for us over and over and over again! If we weren't rocking back and forth upon a boat (safety first!) the southern residents may have inspired me to do a cartwheel or two myself!

Captain Craig, the...

What a pleasant surprise the gorgeous weather was today.  The sun was shining, it was warm and there were whales! What more could one really ask for? Except for the whales to be headed right in our direction,  and as it turned out they were!!   The plan was to head straight for the whales which were reported to be near Saturna Island just at the border between the United States and  Canada. Captain Craig informed us that we would not be making any stops so that we could make it to...

The sun was shining, the waters were calm, the guests were smiling and life couldn't have been more peachy as we departed Friday Harbor. Summer feels like it is finally approaching here in the islands. In town tourists wander the streets, hopping in and out of shops. On the water whale watch boats, private boats, ferries, and the occasional tall ship meander through the channels, bays and straits. With things picking up here in town, the Kittiwake and the Sea Lion (both our boats)...

It was a chore to find them, but I finally got to spend some time with J pod.  This season is starting out slowly and the orcas are still not back in the area full-time like we are used to.  That means that we spend a lot of time searching and seeing other wildlife on the way.  Today though we knew where the animals had been spotted, but once we got there it became clear why the reports had seemed so sporadic.  J pod was scattered in ones and twos over several miles with whale...

Reports were in early of the southern resident J pod sightings around Active pass. While this is good news it can also mean that the whales may be just out of our reach should they continue north.  Active pass is in Canada so this meant we were in for a long haul. Luckily Captain Craig put the pedal to the metal and we made it out to see J pod! Although they were spread out we did get some close looks at an adult male and two sets of female calf pairs. The dorsal fin of an adult male...

What a first day back on the job! This is my third season working for San Juan Safaris. At the beginning of every season I can't wait to get back out on the water. Today was my first day back on the boat and I couldn't have asked for a more perfect welcome back! We departed Friday Harbor having heard word that the Southern Resident Killer Whales were off the coast of Victoria headed eastbound. Captain Craig informed me that rough seas might make an encounter with the orcas a no-go...

It was a double round-trip for those guests coming from Anacortes today. We loaded them on the boat in Friday Harbor and then motored through Upright Channel and Thatcher Pass to get to Rosario Strait right outside of Anacortes. There was some fog again today, but it was well inland and offered a nice soft background for viewing the orcas. And orcas there were.

J pod was all there travelling in two tight family groups down the strait. The four big boys, both calves with their...