Lauren | M/V Sea Lion | September 14th, 2024 | 12:30 pm
Our Sunday trip aboard the M/V Sea Lion took us about as far as we can go during a 3-to-4-hour whale watching tour out of Friday Harbor. The only whales we knew of were slowly exiting the Puget Sound, heading north-west out of Admiralty Inlet. Captain Gabe and I hoped for the best and headed south in San Juan Channel. We stopped at Goose Island to look at some Double-Crested Cormorant nests and some hauled our harbor seals. We cruised through Cattle Pass and into the Strait of Juan de Fuca. On our way south we passed loads of wildlife; harbor porpoises, a Steller’s Sea Lion, and several birds feeding on a bait ball. But one species stole the show as we cruised by Smith Island… A TUFTED PUFFIN! Smith Island is the only island in the Salish Sea where Tufted Puffins nest. I was ecstatic, as that is the only puffin I have seen all season.
After crossing close to 40 miles of open Juan de Fuca we finally caught up with 5 Bigg’s Killer Whales. The T046’s were traveling with T065A5/Indy, a 10-year-old male who often travels alone or with other groups. We couldn’t have asked for better conditions. The water was flat calm and the reflection of the blue sky and clouds reminded me of a painting. The whales were moving slowly enough where we could just cut our engines and listen to them breathe. What a serene Sunday afternoon.