Elle | M/V Osprey | 8/11/2022 | 5:30 PM

This evening's sunset cruise enjoyed glassy waters and beautiful pink clouds around Mt. Baker (also known as Koma Kulshan) as we searched for wildlife in the Salish Sea. We departed from Friday Harbor and headed north at full speed, following rumors of some larger cetaceans. On our way towards Canada, we encountered plenty of birds, including common murres, rhinoceros auklets, and a few different varieties of gulls. We also encountered several...

Haleigh | M/V Osprey | August 11, 2022 | 12:30 pm

For Thursday’s classic whale watch tour, we departed southbound to scan the open waters of the Strait of Juan de Fuca to find any whales and wildlife lurking about. Our search began scanning the shallow banks where nutrients pool at the surface due to topographically-associated upwelling. As the nutrients collect near the sunlight, photosynthesis occurs sparking massive phytoplankton blooms. What comes afterward is a reaction...

8/10/22 // MV Osprey // 12:30pm // Helena 

As we boarded MV Osprey we could hear booms of thunder in the distance. It was a chilly grey August morning as we waiting for a storm in the southern Strait of Juan de Fuca to blow east. Once we had our final numbers and confirmation of safe weather, we left Friday Harbor with our teeth chattering (okay, maybe just me because I mistakenly wore shorts!). 

The crew decided to head north up San Juan Channel as there were reports of orcas near...

Kelly | M/V Osprey | 8/9/22 | 12:30pm

There was a pleasant cool breeze in the air as we left Friday Harbor on this tuesday afternoon. It was a wonderful departure from the hot weather we’ve been experiencing. We had just received a report of Biggs Killer whales in the south and were excited to travel inter-island to get to their reported location. As we weaved through islands on our journey south, a small group of harbor porpoise surfaced quickly as we passed by the mouth of...

Kelly | M/V Osprey | 8/1/22 | 12:30

It was a picture-perfect summer day as we left Friday harbor and headed north in San Juan Channel. After quickly cruising up the channel, we stopped at Flattop Island. This island was bustling with wildlife! Multiple bald eagles soared over head as harbor seals lounged along the shoreline. A solo bald eagle was perched along the shoreline with its talons dug into a carcass. We watched as the impressive raptor pulled apart the animal’s flesh with...

Haleigh | M/V Osprey | July 31, 2022 | 12:30pm

As we headed off the dock on a beautiful warm day, we received an early report of Bigg’s Orca Whales… but they were running away from us. The T37A’s were making a run for it out the Strait of Juan de fuca, towards the open ocean. The only question was, could we get to them before they escaped? Captain Gabe yelled, “Full speed ahead!”, cranked the accelerator and the quest was afoot. 

We made our way through the bottle-necked channel...

Elle | M/V Osprey | 7/29/2022 | 5:30 PM

This evening was full of baleen whales here in the Salish Sea! After travelling south past Cattle Point Lighthouse we settled our boat in shallow waters at the top of Salmon Bank. We were surrounded by birds at the surface, hunting the smaller fish below, in what’s known as a bait ball. These bait balls on top of Salmon Bank are a favorite hunting area for minke whales, a smaller baleen whale with a reputation for being elusive. After patiently...

Elle | M/V Osprey | 7/29/2022 | 12:30 PM

Today was a lucky day! Just about 15 minutes after leaving Friday Harbor and heading north, we encountered a group of Bigg’s killer whales, and turned around to accompany them south. We spent some time watching this majestic family, the T37As travelling through San Juan Channel. The whales followed a bait ball, a big group of fish under the surface which attracts tons of birds and smaller marine mammals like seals and porpoises which are prey...

7/26/22

MV Osprey

Helena

12:30pm 

The crew was anxious to get out into the cool breeze of the Salish Sea on this hot Tuesday afternoon. Our sweaty faces were met with the cool air of the San Juan Channel as Captain Gabe picked up speed. We headed north into Spieden Channel following reports of humpback whales entering the Haro Strait. Humpback whales are one of our migratory cetaceans we see in these waters. Traveling from the coasts of Maui and Baja Mexico, these humpbacks journey...

7/20/2022

MV Osprey

Helena

12:30

This Wednesday MV Osprey and the crew departed the harbor around 12:30pm hungry for adventure! We journeyed south down San Juan Channel into Cattle Pass. Our fantastic mountain ranges gave spectacular backdrops as we took in Cattle Point Lighthouse. In the mid-1800s, cattle off-loaded from ships by Hudson Bay Company gave Cattle Point and Cattle Pass its name. Beneath the vessel we began to feel the colliding currents of the Haro Strait, The Strait...