Laura / M/V Sea Lion / 3/11/2022 / 12:30PM
What a way to kick off the season! As it was my first day out on the water this year, I was thrilled to leave the dock with a Bigg’s killer whale report near McArthur Bank! M/V Sea Lion had 11 enthusiastic and hopeful passengers on board, and Captain Eric made sure we left the dock in a hurry to give us all as much whale time as possible.
We headed south in San Juan Channel and rounded the south side of Lopez Island towards Whidbey Island. After a peaceful and direct drive, we started seeing our first orca blows in the distance! There were 5 Bigg’s killer whales on a hunt! The only other vessel on scene said they witnessed a sea lion in the area and as we arrived, it was clear that these whales just made a kill! The whales were identified as the T99’s, a common family seen this time of year. T99 just gave birth to a new calf in August 2021, so it was so nice to see the healthy calf playing on the surface of the water while his/her older siblings concentrated on the sea lion.
We were able to stay with the T99’s and watched them from the sidelines for well over an hour. Our engines were off, and we were slowly drifting in the calm seas just listening to the hungry gulls and powerful exhalations of these beautiful animals. Each family member took turns diving around the carcass with ease, and pieces of flesh were seen in the gulls’ beaks as they left the water’s surface. They were relaxed and playful, some diving around the sea lion while others started tail slapping, rolling around at the surface, and breaching! The entire boat was able to capture their playful behavior and it was clear that these whales were having fun and enjoying the quiet day. We saw the new calf surf along the surface of the water a few times, each by the friendly push of mom’s head. This behavior always reminds me of a parent pushing their kid on a swing set. We even were lucky enough to see a full body breach! You never know when an activity like this is going to happen, but time seems to freeze like a snapshot photo as you witness these whales jumping freely into the air. This trip was incredible, and a true once in a lifetime wildlife experience.
After we made our way back towards San Juan Island, we found Steller sea lions on Whale Rocks and several bald eagles! It was amazing seeing the variety of wildlife out on the water today and even though March can be a chilly month, the skies were beautiful and created the perfect orca backdrop. Thank you all for the wonderful day and setting a most encouraging precedence for the summer season in the Salish Sea!