Is fall finally arriving to the San Juans? Seems like it! We had our first big rainfall in several weeks today, which is great, because we've had a very dry summer, and I'm sure our plant life could use some love! We felt like absolute royalty on Kestrel in our big, protective exposure suits, especially with all of the wet weather. But even though the sky might've been a bit gray and ominous, the sea conditions were great, and a little rain wasn't going to stop us! Plus, there were...

At long last, the mysterious K-pod has returned! It's heartwarming to see those familiar dorsal fins and saddle patches gracing our inland waters once more, because we really didn't see them at all at the start of our summer season. While L and J-Pod would meander through the Salish Sea, K-pod seemed to remain out in the open ocean, perhaps seeking salmon. Whatever the reason we didn't see them in June and July, we sure are happy that they are here now! M/V Kestrel had a wonderful...

It's been an absolute fabulous few weeks to watch our transient killer whales here in the Salish Sea. These marine mammal eaters are frequently seen hunting their favorite meal - harbor seals - along with harbor porpoises, minke whales, and dolphins around our islands. Males need to intake about 450 pounds of food a day to satisfy their appetities, while females need a bit less. These incredible hunters take down their prey in a cooperative manner and share their kills, and any...

What better way to start your weekend than with a confirmed sighting of orcas within the reach of a whale watch tour? Today we left the dock and headed north to the Canadian Gulf Islands to watch some transient killer whales that were reported swimming around that area.

We made a beeline for their last reported location, just off Saturna and the Pender Islands in British Columbia. We arrived on scene to a bunch of splashing, fins, and flukes – we were in the midst of watching...

I do not take top five lists lightly. If I say a trip is easily in my top five of all time, you can be certain that it is truly special. Today was one of those days.

Captain Mike and I had an amazing day with our guests up in the Strait of Georgia and Boundary Pass watching Bigg’s killer whales and a lovely humpback whale as well! We started the day of encounters with the T123s traveling east in the Strait of Georgia. This family, consisting of three individuals (Mom T123 and kiddos...

Whale, whale, whale! Today was another fun day out on the water with a delightful charter group! I have really been enjoying the guests we have hosted lately, especially on our charter trips when I can really sit down to get to know people.

Today Captain Brian and I set out on the M/V Kittiwake’s first trip of the 2016 season, and what a trip it was! We left Friday Harbor and headed north up through San Juan Channel past Yellow Island, Jones Island and Waldron Island. We also got a...

What a day! We had two amazing trips with yet another beautiful San Juan Island day. The waters were calm and glassy, making it look like the orcas just glide through glass. Today was a particularly special day for me because I had a couple of my college professors out on our afternoon tour with us. If it's one thing I know, it's the orcas out here. It was amazing to be able to educate them, and the rest of the guests aboard, about the social structure, culture, anatomy, and family's...

L pod was near False Bay (on San Juan Island) today.
L pod is one of the three pods that make up the Southern Resident Killer Whales. Southern Resident killer whales were listed as an endangered species in the united states in November of 2005. There are a number of threats to these animals, but two declining fish populations and contamination are the largest contributors.

Today we were able to identify L-78, Gaia, a male. We also saw a breach by what appeared to be a youngster...