Piper | Tuesday, May 14, 2019 | M/V Kestrel | 11:00 AM

Sitting down to write this blog I'm still reeling from what an awesome trip we had today on the M/V Kestrel. It started off so dreary in Friday Harbor today; the rain came overnight and dried up just before I got to the dock to clean up the boat, and luckily it held off the rest of our four hour trip! Captain Gabe and I headed out of the marina with our wonderful guests and pointed the boat south into San Juan Channel. It became...

Erick | Thursday, March 14, 2019 | M/V Sea Lion | 12:00

This Thursday still felt a little bit like winter. It was quite chilly with a grey sky above. Captain Mike and I headed north to go check out a report of Orcas up in Boundary Pass. We traveled through San Juan Channel and headed past Spieden and Stewart Islands into Boundary Pass. Right in Between Gooch Island and Moresby Island we saw some blows up ahead! It was not just one but two families of Orcas. Both of these families...

Erick | Wednesday, March 13, 2019 | M/V Sea Lion| | 12:00 

This Wednesday was one of the first days it really has felt like spring here in the islands. The sun was out and there was only a slight breeze in the air. Captain Pete and I took a good-sized crew out to go see what wonderful wildlife was also out enjoying the sunshine. We headed south after we left Friday Harbor. We rounded Turn Island and just as we made our way into Griffin Bay we saw some blows just ahead in San Juan...

Erick | Wednesday, March 6, 2019 | M/V Sea Lion | 12:00 

This Wednesday, Capt. Brian and I took a small group out on a brisk, cloudy day. It looks like this year winter is sticking around a little bit longer in Washington State. We were on the search for some local wildlife among the many islands of the San Juan Archipelago. We started north into a slight breeze from the northeast and traced our way up through San Juan Channel. We searched from Friday Harbor up through and into...

Erick | February 17, 2019 | M/V Sea Lion | 12:00

'Twas a gloriously bright and sunny winter day in the San Juan Islands. Capt. Mike and I set out with a small and cozy group of folks. We headed south through San Juan Channel until we reached Cattle Pass. Here, where San Juan Channel empties into the Strait of Juan de Fuca, currents swirl around many jagged and bird covered islets. The rocks here are a favorite place for Steller Sea Lions to hang out and sun.  Today there were around...

Leaving the harbor aboard Kestrel with Captain Gabe headed North to check out some transient orcas in our area. Although a bit rainy out, the visibility was good and the sun was already trying its best to shine through. Out of the harbor, we headed north up San Juan channel to later get to Spieden channel where the sighting currently was.  

A smooth ride up to spieden channel, when arriving on scene we could see some dorsal fins hugging spieden island in the distance. Covered by...

Jordan | August 14, 2018 | M/V Sea Lion | 5:30 trip

Today was a beautiful foggy day that made the islands seem extra magical today. As the sun set in the sky, the blazing orange ball made the water sparkle like a painting. Captain Pete, Alexandria and I headed north through the San Juan Channel, boated south of Spieden Island and around towards the coast of Henry Island.

Here we found a group of transient (Bigg’s) whales! The T2Cs were taking deep dives and popping up every so often...

Jordan | August 11, 2018 | M/V Kestrel | 2:00 trip

This afternoon trip was incredibly lovely as the bright blue skies mingled with beautiful wispy clouds. Captain Mike and I jumped on the Kestrel and booked it north through the San Juan Channel in our speedy vessel.

We went around the north side of Spieden Island and checked out a beautiful bald eagle perching perfectly in a tree! At three feet tall and seven pounds, this massive bird surveyed the land and the sea for any food as we...

Jordan | July 1, 2018 | M/V Kestrel | 2:00 trip

On this second trip of the day, we were really lucky that it stopped raining and the sun came out! Captain Mike and I were happy to hear of whales up in Canada, so we sped off north. We wound through Canadian islands until we hit Vancouver Island, then headed north along the west side of Salt Spring Island.

And then we found a pod of whales! We recognized them as the T65As! As one of my favorite pods, they have a tiny baby who is only a...

Guests aboard M/V Kestrel were treated to a fantastic day on the water yesterday, as Transient Orca pods T49A’s and T65A’s all hung out swimming around the south park of Spieden Island.  We saw lot’s of tail lobs from these oras, and even some breaches by some of the smaller kiddo orcas! 

We started out the trip suiting up in our very fashionable exposure suits, and heading down to board M/V Kestrel.  After Captain Gabe talked to us about safety and Kestrel we boarded and began out...