It started oout as a beautiful, calm day in Friday Harbor with a boatload of excited guests. We jaunted to the west side of San Juan Island in search of 2 humpback whales. We entered the scene and alas! Two black humps of whales rose above the waterline under 15-foot exhalations. The water was smooth as glass, and each ripple from the whales could be seen around them. These whales were exceptional at showing us their flukes, with their undersides displaying individual characteristic scratches, scars, and white patches as types of “fingerprint” markings.
With our hearts feeling full from seeing these magnificent animals, we departed in search of another group of two humpbacks previously seen up north. We drove through John’s Pass, viewing harbor seals stretched out on rocks to sunbathe, in addition to two bald eagles, one mottled-brown juvenile and the other an adult with its characteristic stunning white and dark brown plumage. We soon reached the smooth waters where whales had been seen, and sure enough, up popped two more large adult humpbacks. Again using their fluke markings, we were able to get identifications on the whales as being “Divot” and “Split Fin”. Split Fin is a 2006 calf of Big Mama. Big Mama was identified after being spotted in 2002 as the first humpback seen in the Salish Sea area after nearly 60 years without their presence. It was incredible and very special to see her young now using the region as a feeding ground after decades had passed without a humpback.
We turned our boat to head home, and we immediately spotted some harbor porpoise just meters from where we were watching the humpbacks. We continued on and saw sea lions frolicking in bull kelp, in addition to Sika deer roaming the hills of Spieden Island. All in all, the day was filled with (literally) tons of wildlife, and we could not have asked for a better trip on this beautiful day in May.