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Transient Orca Family Hunts Near Saltspring Island (T49A's)

[Sunday – 4/8/18 – 12:00 – M/V Sea Lion – Naturalist Erick]

 

            This Sunday was another cloudy and misty day here in the Pacific Northwest. Captain Brian, Rachael, and I headed out with a group of excited passengers. We headed north to go in search of whales and other exciting wildlife as well as avoid some of the spring winds that were blowing out of the south. We made it all the way up to Swanson Channel. Just around Moat Point we started to see some blows in the distance...

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Bigg's Orcas

Bigg's Orca Whales Hunt in front of Friday Harbor

[Friday, 3/16/18 - 12:00 – M/V Sea Lion – Naturalist Erick]

     We have been experiencing a long sunny break from our normal drizzly spring weather and it seems to be bringing out all the natural spring activities in full force. Flowers are blooming, there are little lambs running around everywhere, and the birds have started to migrate back north. On this lovely, sunny day Captain Mike and I took our small group of guests out to search for some fun wildlife. We headed north towards...

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J Pod Jumping

Big Group of Breaching Bigg's! (Say that five times fast!)

M/V Sea Lion – 12:00 Noon – Tuesday, March 13, 2018

Just as the first sprinkles fell from the sky the M/V Sea Lion departed from Friday Harbor carrying Captain Mike, Sarah, Erick, myself and an awesome group of kids and kids-at-heart! Heading south along San Juan Channel towards rumors of a large group of orcas in the open waters of the Salish Sea south of San Juan Island. As we closed in on Cattle Pass, we were met with a small group of harbor porpoises swimming in the ripping...

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Adult Male Bigg's Orca

Close to Home: Bigg's Orca Whale Family, T2C's, Hunt Near Friday Harbor

[Sunday – 3/11/18 – 12:00 – M/V Sea Lion – Naturalist Erick]

            Today, we luckily got another super sunny day! It almost felt like summer, but it was still a little cool outside. Captain Mike, Piper, and I took a great group out with us as we went on another search for some whales and other fun creatures in our waters. Early this morning, most of our team was out on M/V Sea Lion to practice safety drills and saw some orcas then, so at noon we headed in that direction to try...

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Transient Orcas off Sidney and - Surprise! - a Humpback!

Saturday, September 16 – M/V Sea Lion – 1:30 PM Charter

The Sea Lion motored up to Roche Harbor to pick up today’s charter guests—a wedding party! And a party it was. After everyone was loaded up Captain Gabe gave the Coast Guard-mandated safety talk and we were off! We headed north, cruising between Sentinel and Spieden Islands, and spotted a group of harbor seals hauled out on Sentinel! The little rock sausages were sprawled out, taking in the heat from the sun. Continuing past...

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Transient Orca

"T-Party" - Transient (mammal-hunting) Orcas Spotted!

[7/3/17 - M/V Kestrel - 2:00PM]  On July 3rd Captain Mike and I headed out with a full boat of great passengers aboard the M/V Kestrel to go look for some exciting wildlife! We headed south through San Juan Channel and first stopped at Shark Reef along the shore of Lopez Island to look at some hauled out Harbor Seals. Going in between Shark Reef and Lopez Island is going through a pretty skinny but ultimately pretty deep channel but it’s a cool experience seeing people hiking on...

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Transient killer whale in the Strait Georgia

Bigg's Killer Whales in the Strait of Georgia - April 1, 2017

Captain Pete, Kayak Guide Jordan, and had a great trip on the M/V Sea lion to kick off the month of April. As we left the harbor we had overcast skies that soon turned into blue sky trying to peek out. We headed north towards a report of orcas just south of Vancouver, and at the edge of our range. Leaving the dock it was our best bet to show our guests whales.

We had about an hour and a half worth of motoring to get up to where the whales had been reported. There is no “usual” travel...

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Transient Orca

Steller's Bane: T37A's & T65B's Orcas and Humpback Whales!

Yesterday was another wonderful day on the water. Fall still has amazing wildlife to show off here in the San Juan Islands. We headed north to start the search for whales yet again. We went all the way up into the Canadian Gulf Islands which are still beautiful but in a different way. As you move north into the Southern Gulf Islands of Canada the islands become taller and closer together crating these beautiful narrow passageways that we got to motor through yesterday. We went...

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