Haleigh | M/V Sea Lion | May 29, 2022 | 12:30 pm

The island has been filling up with visitors as Memorial Day rings in the start of the summer season! Our classic whale watch was no disappointment for those coming to view some of the stand-out species found in our waters. 

Early reports had us off the dock headed straight towards the outer islands (Patos, Sucia, Matia, Clark and Barne). With gusts of winds up to 12 knots, our vessel trudged through wavy waters spraying the port...

Haleigh | M/V Sea Lion | May 24, 2022 | 2:00 pm

Today was a classically gray Pacific NorthWest day for our Classic Whale Watch and Wildlife tour. We left the harbor excited, knowing a Humpback Whale was spotted just North of Friday Harbor. As we approached the scene, guests on our vessel had their heads on a swivel in search of the cetacean on a long dive. Eventually we heard blows off the starboard side of the vessel and had our first looks at the massive hump making its way...

I have recently uprooted back to the United States after living in New Zealand for a year and a half and decided I wasn’t ready to give up that beautiful scenery. I discovered the San Juan Islands after an impromptu trip with my best friend and decided not only is it incredibly similar to my life down under, but it was a place I needed to be!  Therefore, I packed up my Red Band gumboots in my favorite Osprey backpack and moved out here at the very beginning of May. Being a hard...

[Sarah | 04/12/2019 | M/V Sea Lion | 12:00pm]

Today was a fantastic day spent in the Salish Sea. The sun was shining, the water was calm, and we had wildlife to find! Leaving the dock in Friday Harbor we had no reports of whales in the area, but we didn’t let that dampen our spirits. Reports can change and come in at any time, so we elected to head north on a search pattern.

Just after we left the dock Captains Erick and Brian got a report of a whale to our east, we quickly ducked...

Sarah | 09/28/2018 | M/V Sea Lion | 12:00pm

September has always been my favorite month out on the water. In these seasonal transitions the ecosystem is super dynamic creating unique opportunities for wildlife viewing. On Friday we were incredibly lucky to encounter a humpback whale on our afternoon Classic Whale Watch.

Captain Mike, Naturalist Clai, and I decided to head west on our noon departure from Friday Harbor. Though sightings vary drastically day to day, recently heading...

Sarah | 09/21/2018 | M/V Kestrel | 01:00pm

We had an amazing day on the water, traveling further south than Captain Mike and I had ever taken one of our boats before, and most importantly, saw killer whales! When we left Friday Harbor we had no reports of killer whales in the area, but days on the water can change moment by moment.

Leaving Friday Harbor, our plan was originally to head north past Shaw and Orcas Islands, up towards the Canadian Gulf Islands. When we have no reports...

Sarah | 06/29/2018 | M/V Sea Lion | 01:30pm

Yesterday’s overcast weather yielded amazing wildlife viewing… with a bit of [much needed] rain falling from the gray skies the islands had that very specific Pacific Northwest magic swirling over them.

Leaving Friday Harbor Captain Mike, Naturalist Jordan, and I elected to head south towards some areas that we’ve had great wildlife sightings lately. Cruising through Griffin Bay we caught views of our two most common marine mammals in the...

[Lauren Fritz, M/V Sea Lion, 09/07/17, 1:00 pm Private Charter]

It's a big deal every year right after labor day in Roche Harbor - Ranger Tug Rendezvous is happening! Lots of these beautiful boats are docked in the harbor right now, and dealers and enthusiasts alike are wandering the docks, sharing their stories, talking about the boats, and enjoying the beauty of San Juan Island. Naturalist Piper, Captain Pete, and I had the chance to take some of these wonderful folks out on a...

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[Lauren Fritz, M/V Sea Lion, 08/27/17, 1:30 pm Tour]

Oh my goodness - another amazing afternoon trip out on the water today! We had an amazing encounter with a humpback...

We could not have asked for a better spring weather out on the M/V Sea lion today.  We started our day with reports of whales on the North side of Orcas Island.  On our way up to the area we spotted some harbor seals swimming in the water and some bald eagles flying up ahead. 

We arrived on scene to a pod of transient orcas formally known as the T49A’s.  This pod is made up of 4 individuals including the 31 year old matriarch and her three offspring; a 14 year old adult male, a 5...