Olivia | M/V Sea Lion | September 3rd, 2024 | 12:30pm
We are officially running our daily classic tours aboard M/V Sea Lion which tends to be a favorite vessel of our naturalist staff. Starting off the day, it sure felt like fall as we headed south into the fog. After a brief stop at Goose Island to check out some Harbor Seals thermoregulating on the shoreline, Double Crested Cormorants nesting on top of the island, and Pelagic Cormorants drying out their wings, we headed into the Strait of Juan de Fuca in search of whales and more wildlife.
Weaving through the fog between a few shallow banks with swimming Harbor Porpoise, we came upon a matriline of Bigg’s Killer Whales known as the T036’s. This is a three generational matriline consisting of grandma [T036, born <1970] traveling with her second born daughter [T036B, born in 1998] and her three grand-calves [T036B1, T036B2, and T036B4, born in 2009, 2013, and 2024]! They were separated by about a mile for much of our time with together, lazily swimming north. However, right as the fog lifted exposing the entire southern coast of San Juan Island, we watched as all five met up together to continue you their slow travels northwest. It always feels a bit magical watching, listening, and admiring the sharp contrast of their black bodies against the all-encompassing white/gray surroundings in completely calm waters.
Puttering back through salmon bank, we slowed down and shut off our engines near a giant bait ball and listened to the feeding frenzy among us. Shortly after, we saw not one, but two Minke Whales feeding among the fish buffet! This was a heartwarming continuation to our whale watch before we slowly left scene to catch a glimpse at the world’s largest sea lions- Steller’s Sea Lions- hauled out on Whale Rocks. Great people, beautiful whales, calm waters, and warm weather- what an all-around Tuesday tour and great start to September!