Abby | Kestrel | 7/15/2021

As if I thought my orca encounters couldn’t get any better, BAM! Today happened…

I suited up in fleece-lined pants, ready to take on the wind and waves that were about to disenchant the calm, put-together look I had so carefully compiled this morning. Weather reports came in of five-foot swells out in Haro Strait, and, as if right on cue, so did the killer whale reports. Captain Eric and I held on as we zoomed through San Juan Channel, 18 guests unaware...

Maxx K. | M/V Kestrel | 07/12/2021 | 2:00pm

 

Captain Sarah and I decided to head south this afternoon, trying our luck in finding whales off the various banks that rise up in the Juan De Fuca. After passing Goose Island to admire some nesting Pelagic Cormorants we continued out of the San Juan Channel. 

We then slowed over Salmon Bank at our first baitball, gulls and Rhinoceros Auklets flocking tightly over an unseen ball of fish below. The anticipation built as we waited, hoping...

Jordan | M/V Kestrel | 07/11/2021 10:00pm

This trip was super unique! I’ve never seen orca behavior quite like this before.

The day began with a beautiful boat ride out of Friday Harbor and down the San Juan Channel. We passed Cattle Point lighthouse and emerged out into open waters.

Heading toward the East, we could see the distant islands grow closer and closer. Finally we arrived at Deception Pass, a fantastic area with huge rocky cliffs and lush forests. Here, we saw something...

Jordan | M/V Kestrel | 07/11/2021 10:00pm

What an incredible trip today.

The day was perfectly sunny as Captain Eric and I hopped on the boat and headed between Shaw and Lopez Island. We wound around the Islands and through Lopez pass as we came out into the open waters of the Rosario Strait. The distant fog bank hid the coastline and made the seas look never-ending.

As we entered the fog, we found ourselves along the coastline of Fidalgo Island and suddenly there were orcas! A large...

Jordan |m/v Kestrel |07/08/2021| 2:00pm

Today was definitely one of my favorite trips of the season. Just want to start by saying thank you to all my wonderful guests! Your passion and intrigue made the trip even better!

The day began as Captain Eric and I headed East out of Friday Harbor, in between Blakely Island and Decatur and then out towards Anacortes. We sped past Anacortes and around Guemes Island. Here, we found Orcas!

We shortly identified them as the T34s and T37s! These...

Haleigh | M/V Kestrel | July 7, 2021 | 2:00pm

 

All whale watching trips begin the same way: checking for reported visual sightings in the area, predicting the paths those cetaceans are headed, and determing if it’s viable for us to make it there given the distance and weather reports. We take into account all of the factors and plan accordingly, knowing that much is out of our control. Our adventure trip today was one of those days. 

 

Reports of a large group of Bigg’s Killer...

Haleigh | M/V Kestrel | July 6, 2021 | 2:00pm

 

Our adventure tour took off as a slow ride. Cattle pass, the southernmost part of San Juan Channel squished between San Juan Island and Lopez Island, was full of fog. We drifted through at a snail's pace, eyeing from left to right for any oncoming boats or logs. Eventually, we exited the fog and could pick up speed towards the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Earlier reports of a humpback whale traveling out that way led us on our path. Within a...

MV Kestrel | Naturalist Alexandria | Monday, July 5th Today was an awesome day out on the water! Captain Sarah and myself were very excited to get out on the water today and knew it would be an awesome day full of great wild life but we had no idea how awesome our orca encounters were going to be!   We left Friday Harbor and headed north, knowing that it was a bit windier of a day and wanting to ensure that our guests stayed as comfy as possible!  Throughout the trip we were able...

Olivia | M/V Kestrel | July 4th, 2021 | 14:00

We left the dock as quickly as possible today knowing that the Bigg’s Killer Whales we saw at the very end of our first trip were aiming for Canada. With Covid-19 restrictions still in place, this means we would be unable to view once they crossed that border. We aimed straight for Battleship Island, finding 13 orcas playing around together in U.S. waters. These families included the T034’s, T037’s, and T065A’s. 

 

These mammal-eating...

Olivia | M/V Kestrel | July 4th, 2021 | 10:00am

Setting out this holiday morning, we were one of the first vessels in the Pacific Whale Watch Association to leave the dock in search of whales and other wildlife. Making sure to scan as many bodies of water around the salish sea as we could, including inner waterways, our travels first took us to New Channel where the Cactus Islands sit. We immediately stumbled upon an amazing experience I have never witnessed before. Over a dozen...