Lauren Fritz, San Juan Safaris, M/V Sea Lion, 6/8/17, 1pm Tour
Did you know today is World Oceans Day? What better way to celebrate than a whale and wildlife tour with San Juan Safaris! M/V Sea Lion was off the dock today at 1 pm and facing some wet and sloshy weather. Luckily, we're well-equipped out here - we've got rain slickers, snuggly blankets, and a toasty cabin to retreat to when the going gets too wet! Days like these are an adventure, and we soaked up way more than just rain today. There were plenty of good wildlife and whale vibes to soak up as well! We were lucky enough to see some Transient killer whales and a humpback whale out and about on the southwest side of San Juan Island.
The Transients we encountered were the T65A's, a family of five that we've seen quite a bit of these past few weeks. Mom, a 31 year old, was leading her four kiddos in a tight-knit formation past Lime Kiln lighthouse when we met up with them. These whales had probably had a busy morning, as they were taking a breather and looked like they were resting. Slow, rhymtic breaths with a light mist and a hazy overcast sky made this encounter seem like a page out of a storybook. It was mesmerizing!
After we left the Transients, we randomly spotted a humpback whale off of Eagle Cove on the south side of the island. This lone whale was surfacing frequently, and was probably getting some good grub. We stopped for a few minutes to get some good looks before moving on to check out the Steller's sea lions hanging out on Whale Rocks.
It was a perfect way to spend World Oceans Day. This holiday is all about celebrating the ocean and working towards collaboration for a brighter, more sustainable future. Check it out here. Oceans are so, so important to our livelihood. They help feed us, they regulate our climate, they clean the water we drink, they generate most of the oxygen we breath, and they provide limitless inspiration! Today is probably as good a day as any to ask ourselves how we can change just one thing to be better for the planet and decrease our carbon footprint. Let's love this Earth and this ocean as much as they love us. Take some time to consider how the ocean affects you, and you affect it, and then commit to working towards its conservation. Together, we can do this!
Lauren Fritz, Marine Naturalist, San Juan Safaris
