Haleigh | M/V Sea Lion | October 9, 2021 | 12:00 pm

For today’s whale sightings, we didn’t have to go too far! We left Friday Harbor pointed North through San Juan Channel where we were united with a family of Bigg’s Killer Whales. Within the group was T60 (Panthera) and three of her five living offspring. T60C (Yelnats) is her oldest living calf born in 2001. T60F (Tigris) and T60G (Unnamed) are her two youngest calves, born in 2012 and 2019. Two of her middle children, T60D and...

Haleigh | M/V Kestrel | August 09, 2021 | 2:00pm

For our afternoon adventure tour, we departed from Friday Harbor ready to find some wildlife and enjoy the beautiful day! We traveled inter island in pursuit of a reported group of killer whales traveling in Rosario strait. The calm, glassy waters reflected the puffy white clouds overhead, providing perfect conditions for sighting animals.

By the time we reached Rosario Strait, a reported group of Bigg’s Killer Whales was just...

Laura | M/V Osprey | 8/3/2021 | 5:30PM

Today was one of the best humpback encounters I have experienced in quite a while!   We left the dock headed northbound through San Juan Channel and it was only about 10 minutes before we spotted some blows!  A young boy named Oliver looked close to the shoreline and exclaimed to naturalist Haleigh that he just spotted a blow!  Our Captain Gabe instantly slowed the boat down and we patiently awaited our next leviathan sighting!  On the next...

Haleigh | M/V Kestrel | July 31, 2021 | 10:00am
 

Being one of the first vessels out on the water is an incredible feeling. We began our Saturday morning trip searching through the quiet islands. The water around us was still glassy and the last of the lingering fog was lifting up towards the tips of the islands. Being one of the first boats on the water meant we were actively scanning to discover wildlife tucked in the channels.

We moved interisland, wrapping around the east side...

Haleigh | M/V Sea Lion | July 20, 2021 | 2:00pm

For our afternoon Classic whale watching trip, the boat full of excited passengers was just the beginning to a great day! We headed inter-island to follow a report of some Bigg’s Killer Whales in Rosario Strait. Bigg’s Killer Whales are a marine mammal-eating ecotype found in the Salish Sea. They primarily feed on Harbor Seals, though will also hunt Harbor Porpoise, sea lions, and the occasional baleen whale calf. Due to the abundance...

Olivia | M/V Osprey | June 16th, 2021 | 12:30pm

Another clear day graced us with the presence of Mount Rainier beaming high atop the Puget Sound to the south. We set off with the volcano guiding our way, passing Harbor Porpoises swimming outside Upright Channel. Passing Cattle Point Lighthouse and keeping it on our starboard side, we continued around Salmon Bank aiming for False Bay off San Juan Island. 

Not only did we catch a Bald Eagle chasing after a Rhinoceros Auklet upon...

Olivia | M/V Osprey | June 13th, 2021 | 12:30pm 

It was a rainy day leaving the dock. We could smell it in the air even if we could not feel it on our skins just yet. One thing I’ve learned is that being in nature feeling all the elements in addition to watching wild animals go about their day, is an entirely different feeling that is truly something special. That is exactly what we got this Sunday afternoon. While there was a Humpback Whale and calf duo in Spieden Channel just north...

Olivia | M/V Osprey | June 12th, 2021 | 12:30pm

Every day is a complete surprise on where we travel around the Salish Sea depending on where whales and wildlife are being spotted. That means, often we head off in one direction and end up turning a different way. Today was one of those days where we initially pointed south down San Juan Channel and immediately got a report of a Gray Whale picked up just north of Friday Harbor. By the time we got on scene, the baleen whale was on the...

Olivia | M/V Osprey | June 10th, 2021 | 12:30pm

The day shifted from a cloudy, rainy morning into a beautiful sunny afternoon- just in time for our adventure trip on the zodiac. After getting everyone geared up in their exposure suits and a brief tutorial on spotting wildlife, we were off the dock and in search mode heading north! It was a quick trip up to speed, because we were fortunate enough to have reports of Bigg’s Killer Whales IN San Juan Channel when we left the dock. Since...

Haleigh | M/V Osprey | June 9, 2021 | 5:30pm

Our Wednesday night sunset tour began with us racing north up San Juan Channel to catch the reported 8 Bigg’s Killer Whales before they crossed the US-Canadian Border. We witnessed this same group hours earlier at the Southern end of San Juan Island, and knew their travel pattern was taking them up along the West side of the island heading North. In the group, we saw T65A Mother (Female, 1986) with her calves T65A2 (Male, 2004), T65A3...