Jordan | M/V Sea Lion | 05/08/2021 |5:30pm

Today was one of the most magical trips of the season! And perhaps, my career.

It began just like any other day as Captain Pete and I gathered our guests and headed out of Friday Harbor. But, unlike a typical trip, it was a mere 2 minutes before we found the whales!

There was a pod of 4 Transient whales sleepily swimming up the San Juan Channel. There were hardly any other boats out as the sun sank lower and lower in the sky and cast a...

Jordan | M/V Sea Lion | 05/08/2021 |1:00pm

What a fun day today!

Captain Pete and I excitedly hopped on board with our guests and boated out of the harbor and headed between Shaw and Lopez Island. Continuing on we went through Pevine Pass and out into the open waters of the Rosario Strait.

Here, we found orca whales! By looking at the unique patterns and shapes of their dorsal fins, we identified them as a transient pod of orcas (also known as Bigg’s Killer whales) named the T123s...

Laura | M/V Kestrel | 4/24/2021 | 2:00PM

Today was a most adventurous day on M/V Kestrel!  The skies were quite cloudy with scattered showers, but the seas were glass calm.  Skies like these can increase the possibility of seeing whales, as the darker skies lift whale blows against a backdrop that really makes them pop!  Sometimes the glare from the sun can make it difficult to stare out looking for dorsal fins or exhalations so I was excited to start looking for whales today. ...

Jordan | M/V Sea Lion | 04/24/2021 |1:00pm

What a wonderful day!

As our wonderful guests hopped on our boat, Captain Pete and I headed out of Friday Harbor and south down the San Juan Channel. We boated until we reached the Southern point of San Juan Island where there was a gorgeous lighthouse called Cattle Point Lighthouse!

Around this area, there were huge rocks jutting out of the water that were completely covered with Sea Lions! These huge animals barked at each other, splashed...

Olivia | April 18th, 2021 | M/V Kestrel | 14:00

It felt great to get back out on my first M/V Kestrel trip of the season with Captain Brian, especially since it was warm, calm, AND sunny around the islands. We started the trip with a great group of people excited to get out and see what the Salish Sea had to offer. We departed the dock by heading south towards Cattle Point, stopping mid channel to view a giant bait ball with lots of bird action including a variety of gulls...

Jordan | M/V Sea Lion | 04/18/2021 |1:00pm

Today was one of the most incredible trips of the season! I felt so grateful that all my guests got to experience such a lucky tour.

It began as a normal day as we enjoyed the Sunday sunshine in Friday Harbor. Everyone felt excited but a little nervous about what we may see during the trip. Captain Pete and I hopped on our boat, the Sea Lion, and headed down south towards the southern tip of San Juan.

As we approached Cattle Point lighthouse...

Jordan | M/V Sea Lion | 04/17/2021 |5:00pm

I would call this second Sunset Tour of the season a success! It felt like it was already mid-summer with sunny skies and calm seas.

Captain Pete and I took Sea Lion out of Friday Harbor and headed south down the San Juan Channel, exploring the coastlines until we reached one of my favorite locations in the San Juans: Cattle Point! The beautiful lighthouse on the point sat illuminated by the lowering sun.

We then approached rocks jutting out...

Jordan | M/V Sea Lion | 04/17/2021 |1:00pm

What a fantastic day! It started off incredibly warm and sunny as the bright blue sky promised a great trip no matter what we ended up seeing.

Captain Pete and I jumped on the Sea Lion with our excited guests and boated out towards sea. Heading up the San Juan Channel, we passed Shaw and Orcas Islands and rounded the northern coastline of San Juan. Continuing back around, we headed south down the Haro Strait.

We started to see boats in the...

Jordan Higgins Blogs

Jordan | M/V Sea Lion | 04/11/2021 |1:00pm

What a gorgeous day today! It was the first day of the year where I genuinely felt warm and wore my T-shirt around the harbor! I knew right away that it was going to be a good day.

Captain Pete and I hopped on the boat with our 35 new friends and took off up the San Juan Channel and headed towards Flattop Island. Here we found 3 beautiful bald eagles! Two adults which we presumed were a mated pair and a juvenile bald...

Jordan Higgins | M/V Sea lion | 03/27/21 |1:00pm

Today was a fantastic day out on the water! Captain Pete, Laura and I hopped on our vessel, the Sea Lion, and took off out of Friday Harbor.

We were lucky to begin the tour with reports of Southern Resident whales just a couple islands away! But, before we could even leave the harbor, we found a different wildlife surprise: Steller sea lions! There were three of them lounging in the water, showing off their massive bodies as they...