M/V Sea Lion | Friday, May 18th | Naturalist Alexandria | 2:00 PM

What a great day we had today!  As we were heading out of harbor we decided we were going to head south and see what we could find.  When we hit the water with no firm reports, all the captains are in constant communication with each other, and work together to decide where each boat is heading, all in an effort to ensure that we scan as many areas as possible looking for whales and wildlife.

We decided to head south...

Alexandria | Thursday, May 17, 2019 | M/V Sea Lion | 12:00 PM

We all boarded M/V Sea Lion and pushed off the dock, happy to see that the afternoon had cleared up and the threat of rain was no longer something people were worried about. As we got off the dock we headed out into San Juan Channel and then over to Rosario Strait. 

Captain Pete was in constant communication with all the other captains on the water, and we were all working together to scout the area.  We each chose a...

Piper | Thursday, May 16, 2019 | M/V Sea Lion | 12:00 PM

Today was one of those rare Spring days when we get to leave the dock with a sighting already reported. That never means we will definitely see whales, but it for sure increases our chances. Sometimes the animals give us the slip, but with the sun shining down strong Captain Gabe, myself, and an awesome group of people headed south into San Juan Channel, through Cattle Pass and out into the beautiful Strait of Juan de Fuca! We...

Piper | Wednesday, May 15, 2019 | M/V Sea Lion | 12:00 PM

Today was another gloriously sunshine-y day in the Salish Sea and Captain Gabe and I headed out of Friday Harbor on the M/V Sea Lion with an awesome group of people and pointed the boat south into San Juan Channel. Shortly after rounding Turn Island we came up on some rocks which were dotted with some adorably fluffy harbor seals! These little guys were taking a moment to rest on the rocks in between searching the waters for...

Erick | Tuesday, May 14, 2019 | M/V Sea Lion | 12:00

Today, we were back in our normal spring weather – so gray skies with light drizzles through out the day. I love this weather because the low-lying clouds scrap along the tree line and the mist that you walk through cools down the temperature and the colors of the islands. Captain Pete and I left with a good group of folks out of Friday Harbor to find out what sort of marine life was out there today. We started out going north in...

Sarah | 05/13/2019 | M/V Sea Lion | 12:00pm

We had another amazing day in the Salish Sea today. I know that I say that every day, or at least every time I write a blog, but I’m serious… this is the coolest place ever! Today this ecosystem was truly a delight to explore and we had amazing views throughout the duration of our boat trip!

Captain Pete and I elected to head north today into the nutrient rich and productive waters of Boundary Pass and the Strait of Georgia. This area of...

Sarah | 05/12/2019 | M/V Sea Lion | 12:00pm

What a spectacular day out on the water! Naturalist Piper, Captain Pete, and I had a great Mother’s Day trip exploring the Salish Sea! We great weather and great wildlife kicking around as of late it was bound to be a great day! We left Friday Harbor and headed north towards Boundary Pass and East Point. This time of year the southern stretches of the Strait of Georgia have amazing prey abundance for all sorts of critters, so it seemed like...

M/V Kestrel | May 12, 2019 | Naturalist Alexandria

What a perfect way to spend Mother’s Day! Guests onboard M/V Kestrel got to spend the day with a mama Humpback and her baby!  As we were heading out to start scanning the water this morning we were very excited to see what the day had instore for us!  We had gotten suited up in our exposure suits, walked down to our trusty zodiac, and were boarding when Captain Gabe received a report of 2 Humpbacks that had been spotted off the coast...

M/V Sea Lion | May 11, 2019 | Naturalist Alexandria

What a great day we had today out on the water!  Captain Pete, Erick and myself all hit the water with no firm reports of whales, but as we headed north up San Juan Channel we heard of some Humpbacks that had been seen up in Boundary Pass!

We were just passing through Presidents Channel- right off of Orcas Island- and were already headed in the right direction! Along the way we got some good looks at a few harbor porpoise swimming...

Sarah | 05/10/2019 | M/V Sea Lion | 12:00pm

We have been having just spectacular days here in the San Juan Islands. The sun was shining today, and we had some great wildlife around the islands. Captain Pete and I elected to head south through San Juan Channel towards Cattle Pass to see what we could find on a mirror-smooth day out in the Straits. We had quite the tidal exchange today, so we had lots of upwelling and currents swirling around us as we made our way south.

We decided to...