Jordan | M/V Sea Lion | 09/22/19 | 12:00pm
Happy Humpback day! We saw so many humpbacks!
It all started as Captain Sarah, Naturalist Piper and I headed up through the San Juan Channel. Despite the rain, we charged onwards towards an adventurous day! We boated up President’s Channel, past Waldron Island and up towards Sucia Island. Here we saw humpback whales!
There were two humpback whales travelling and searching for food! These gorgeous animals explored the area as they swam and dove, flashing us their huge tails! Each tail is 15 feet wide! Wow! Did you know that no two whales have the same tail? Each whale is special!
We travelled west towards Patos Island where we spotted a lighthouse as the rain cleared and the water seemed to shimmer in a picturesque light.
Suddenly, another whale emerged close to our boat! You could hear the explosive breath as he gracefully swam by, popping up his tail and taking a deep dive beneath our boat!
It’s always incredible to watch the wild animals in their natural environment.
Eventually we turned up towards the north side of Patos and Sucia and found some Steller sea lions! What a pleasant surprise! These massive pinnipeds played in the water as the tides hid some of their favorite rocks from them. They casually looked around for any passing salmon or other fish to chase.
Then, we turned back towards Orcas Island and boated all the way home.
Along the way, we spotted harbor porpoises! These cuties were pretty elusive as they danced through the waves and disappeared under the water. They chased after tiny fish and took advantage of the rushing currents that they love.
Finally, we made it back home. But, what a lovely day!