Skip to main content
Image

The T018 Biggs Killer Whale Matriline in Rosario Strait

Abby | M/V Kestrel | 2pm | 9/9/2021

Captain Solan and I slipped out of the harbor, deliberately cruising south through San Juan Channel to spot many different species, including:

  • Steller Sea Lions
  • Harbor Seals
  • Double-Crested Cormorants
  • Pelagic Cormorants
  • Glaucous-Winged Gulls
  • Marbled Murrelets
  • Pigeon Guillemots

As we were viewing a large congregation of birds feasting on a bait ball, Solan and I received word of a family of Biggs (transient) killer whales heading north through...

Image

20 Biggs Killer Whales

Abby | M/V Kestrel | 2pm | 9/8/2021

Captain Solan and I cruised out of the harbor with the intention of viewing what is known as a “T-Party,” where several families of transient, or Biggs, killer whales were playfully interacting with one another. We zipped in between Shaw and Lopez Island, through Obstruction Pass, and headed North through the Rosario Strait before seeing our first exhalations and dorsal fins dotting the surface of the water.

Below is a list of the matrilines we...

Image
Bigg's Killer Whale

Seas of Glass and Bigg’s Killer Whales

Maxx K. | M/V Sea Lion | 09/04/2021 | 1:30pm

    Today was another grey day. It felt like 7:00pm all afternoon as the sun never seemed to be able to creep out from behind the clouds. Yet still, the seas were flat calm, glassy. These are perfect whale spotting conditions and myself and our boatful of guests were hyped to get out there and see what we could find. 

    There was only one whale report this morning: a family called the T100s that were currently foraging just south of Hein...

Image
Bigg's Killer Whale

Minke Whales, Bigg’s Killer Whales and a few surprises!

 

Maxx K. | M/V Kestrel | 09/03/2021 | 2:00pm

    Today was a pretty cold day. Grey clouds covered the sky and seemed to block out the sun as Kestrel raced down the San Juan channel towards the Juan De Fuca. In my time working on boats however, I’ve learned to really value a grey day. I find it’s much easier to spot whales or even simply disturbances on the water when there’s not an intense glare from the sun. A sharp black orca dorsal fin can be pretty hard to miss on a day like...

Image

Two Biggs Killer Whale Matrilines Cut Through Glassy Waters

Abby | M/V Sea Lion | 8/9/2021

As usual, Captain Pete and I have the best luck. With multiple matrilines traveling through the islands, we had our pick of the pod. We decided to travel towards the T037A’s, one of my favorite Biggs killer whale family groups, which has a total of six members, although only five were present:

  • Volker T037A (Female, 1994)
    • Inyo T037A1 (Gender Unknown, 2007)—Not present today
    • Inky T037A2 (Male, 2009)
    • Spinnaker T037A3 (Male, 2013)
    • Crinkle T037A4 (Gender...
Image
Bigg's Killer Whales in Lopez Sound

Multiple families of Bigg’s Killer Whales traveling around San Juan Islands!

Haleigh | M/V Kestrel | August 09, 2021 | 10:00am

 

There are few days that begin like today. We left the harbor, excited and ready to search for wildlife around the islands. Being one of the first boats out on the water, we were in search mode. However, not long after we departed a report came in for some killer whales around our waters. We rerouted to follow along with that note. Sure enough, we found our first big wildlife of the day!

 

There were 4 Bigg’s Killer Whales traveling...

Image
Orcas near San Juan Island

Bigg’s Killer Whales Traveling through the Strait of Juan de Fuca

Haleigh | M/V Sea Lion | July 30, 2021 | 2:00pm

 

Our Friday afternoon Classic Whale Watch was a really fun trip! We departed Friday Harbor in search of wildlife and decided to travel south through San Juan Channel, following a report of something big, black and white in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. These reports are only rumors until we get our actual eyes on them! We passed Cattle Point Lighthouse, entering choppier waters with some rolling swells. The boat rocked and rolled while...

Image
Bigg's Killer Whales

Amber skies, flat seas and Bigg’s Killer Whales

 

Maxx K. | M/V Osprey | 07/27/2021 | 5:30pm

    Osprey left Friday Harbor heading north this evening. Our morning trip left a family of Bigg’s Killer Whales off Lime Kiln on the west coast of San Juan Island. A mere three hours later this same family was reported up and over Orcas Island, approaching Sucia Island. It took us a little over 40 minutes to reach them: 

T037A Volker (1994, F)

T037A1 Inyo (2007, M)

T037A2 Inky (2009, —)

T037A3 Spinnaker (2013, —)

T037A4 Crinkle (2015, —)

...
Image

T037A's in San Juan Channel

Abby & Maxx | Sea Lion | 6/23/2021

 

Whale, whale, whale. Hello there! Abby here.

I just got back from this stellar trip and am now on a complete orca high.

Captain Pete, Maxx, and I zipped out of Friday Harbor to find the T037A’s in San Juan Channel.

  • Volker T037A (Female, 1994)
    • Inyo T037A1 (Gender Unknown, 2007)
    • Inky T037A2 (Male, 2009)
    • Spinnaker T037A3 (Male, 2013)
    • Crinkle T037A4 (Gender Unknown, 2015)

As we headed south through San Juan Channel, travelling parallel to our...

Image

T037A's in San Juan Channel

Abby & Maxx | Sea Lion | 6/23/2021

 

Whale, whale, whale. Hello there! Abby here.

I just got back from this stellar trip and am now on a complete orca high.

Captain Pete, Maxx, and I zipped out of Friday Harbor to find the T037A’s in San Juan Channel.

  • Volker T037A (Female, 1994)
    • Inyo T037A1 (Gender Unknown, 2007)
    • Inky T037A2 (Male, 2009)
    • Spinnaker T037A3 (Male, 2013)
    • Crinkle T037A4 (Gender Unknown, 2015)

As we headed south through San Juan Channel, travelling parallel to our...

Start your next adventure today! View All Tours