Olivia | M/V Sea Lion | August 28th, 2020 | 13:30

It was a flawless day out on the water this afternoon. Captain Pete and I were lucky enough to inform our passengers that we were leaving the dock with a rumored whale report in the area, which already made it a special day. What was even better? The rumor was that the whales were just south of Jones Island, right in San Juan Channel. Who on our boat has good karma?! Scooting up to Jones Island, we caught sight of those black dorsal...

Olivia | M/V Sea Lion | August 11, 2020 | 13:00

It was an exception treat this morning leaving the dock. We had reports of Bigg’s Killer Whales within our area that swam in quickly from Victoria early this morning. They moved up so far and fast, that leaving the dock they were milling near the south western part of San Juan Island. In order to give our passengers, the best possible opportunity to view Transient Orca, we decided to head straight for this family before they moved too...

Olivia | M/V Kestrel | July 24th, 2020 | 14:00

“No one will protect what they don’t care about; and no one will care about what they have never experienced.”

-David Attenborough

I do not even know where to begin with writing tonight’s blog. I have been a naturalist in New Zealand and the San Juan Islands for a total of 4 years now and have never had such a profoundly spectacular trip as I did this afternoon. We left the dock with no reports of orca in the area and decided to go see...

Laura | M/V Kestrel | 7/20/2020 | 2:00pm

I must say, today was one of my favorite trips all season!  It was a gorgeous day on the water and the seas were so calm!  It felt so nice to have some warm breeze on such a hot day!  As we left the harbor there were reports of some Bigg’s killer whales close to home!  We made our way into the Rosario Strait and found orcas just 20 minutes after leaving our dock! 

Passengers scanned the shores and saw a cluster of tiny black dorsal fins as...

Laura | M/V Sea Lion | 3/10/2020 | 12:00pm

Today was such a fun day to be out on the water!  M/V Sea Lion left the dock of Friday Harbor and headed north.  Moments after we left the dock a large common loon came right by our boat and surprised all the passengers!  He was sporting some gorgeous spring breeding plumage and this sighting was the closest I have ever been to a loon!

We continued through the San Juan Channel and stopped at Flattop Island to watch a juvenile bald eagle take...

Laura C. | 11/30/2019 | M/V Sea Lion | 12:00pm

Waking up this morning was bittersweet, as I knew it would be the last trip of the season, but I was equally excited to get out on the water to hopefully see some whales!  Today could not have more perfect, with orcas graciously providing a grand finale!  This is the last blog of the season as it is our final whale watch of the year!  Eleven passengers eagerly boarded M/V Sea Lion and greeted Captain Pete with enthusiasm.  After...

"So, what makes them breach?"

Ahhhhhhh, the most common question whale watchers consistently ask. The answer is...... We don't know for sure!!

A full breach is known as the "big splash" or more scientifically as when more than two thirds of a whale’s body leaves the water. This behavior is one of the most spectacular to witness in the natural world, and often leaves quite an impression on our guests. Though we have no exact explanation for why the whales breach, we have a few good...