Captains Log - July 2006

If you have been on one of our tours, we would love to hear from you. Please give: date, tour time, what you saw. If you have photos send them. They could be placed on this page and could win our Photo Contest. One winner for kayaking and one winner for whale watching by boat


July 31, 2006 Monday
Margo reports that they saw all three pods (expect the L-12s that were on the west side of San Juan Island) today up north near Saturna Island. They left them around Turn Point, Stuart Island. She said they were porpoising as if on a mission today. "There were a couple breaches". In the Cactus Islands the tour saw four mature bald eagles with one immature eagle near a nest. That tour also saw several pigeon guillimots and lots of harbor seals.

July 30, 2006 Sunday
All tours saw the orca off the west side of San Juan Island today. They were around the light house area part of the time.

July 29, 2006 Saturday
Sea Hawk went whale watching up north into Canada. Sea Lion saw J's and L's off of the west side of San Juan Island today. A few breaches, but mostly milling around.

July 28, 2006 Friday
The 1:00 tour went WAY up into Canada to Eastpoint (east side of Saturna Island). They did see whales, when many of the other boats did not get to see whales. The Sea Lion is a fast vessel!

July 27, 2006 Thursday
Today the whales were just hanging around False Bay. The 11, 1 &3:00 tours all saw whales on the west side of San Juan Island south by False Bay. Naturalist Anna says they were mostly foraging and milling. Not a great deal of activity today.

July 26, 2006 Wednesday
The afternoon tour saw J pod way north by Canada today. I was on the sunset tour (5:30) and we saw J pod west of Stuart Island. They were spread out mostly feeding. There were a few breaches, a couple of tail slaps and even a long flash of the 'pink serpent'. Had many views of the baby and younger whales, plus a great look at Ruffles. It was a bus man's holiday for sure. Six of the San Juan Safaris staff, not working, were also on board. We had a beautiful sunset coming home. The 6:00 3-hour sunset kayak tour saw WHALES. Big time. J pod was on the west side of Henry Island. Guides Deborah and Grissie said Ruffels came up and exhaled BAD breath!

July 25, 2006 Tuesday
Today both boats went out at 1:00. They saw whales (J pod) on the south side of San Juan Island near False Bay says naturalist Margo. Capt. Pouillon and Brianna said they saw a PUFFIN fly across the bow! There were a bunch of harbor porpoise out today too. It has finally cooled down a bit too, now about 75. Several days of 85 - ?

July 24, 2006 Monday
Jaclyn reports that todays 11:00 tour was on the south end of San Juan Island near False Bay with the L-12 group. They watched them feeding and swimming and by the time they left, the whales were logging or in a sleeping pattern.She mentioned that on the way back north coming home that there were two other whales. The water was like glass today.

July 21, 2006 Friday
Naturalist Jaclyn reports on the afternoon tour they viewed K pod on the west side of San Juan Island south between False Bay and American Camp, they were spread out. She says "two orca came up to the boat at the stern, circled around the boat (the guest were going wild) then swam off to join their group". She says that the K baby was spy hopping, doing tricks and playing. They also saw a sea otter, not a river, but SEA otter! Then if that wasn't enough they saw a minke whale (there are only about 7 living in the islands) swimming along side the orca.

July 20, 2006 Thursday, Brian Goodremont's Birthday!
Traci says K pod was on the west side of SJ Island and they found them down south around Eagles Cove. They stayed near Austin Shore. One whale was coming closer to the stopped boat, stuck his nose out then rolled on his side. Mother and calves K21/Cappucino went by. Breaches by younger animals. " I saw a spy hop,say Traci, but no one else saw it". Traveling leisurely. "At on point they engulfed the boat". Lobo gave the boat a very nice pass and the guests got to see his "maleness". Eagles, common murre, harbor seals were jumping near Jensen Bay like mini porpoising.

July 19, 2006 Wednesday
11:00 Both J's and K's were way up north this am headed south. The J's split off and went back north, so the tour saw K pod. 1:00 Capt. Brian Pouillon (Frenchy) says this am the did see K pod. Said they were off like the horse races - he estimated 7.5 knots. They started seeing them around the south end of Henry Island, just outside or Roche Harbor and kept headed south until Eagles Cove, on the southern end of the west side of San Juan Island. Capt. P is driving the 5:30 Sunset Whale Watching and says they are seeing K pod around Salmon Bank (way south)spread out 3 - 4 miles. He mentioned that he heard J pod was now near Stuart Island.

July 18, 2006 Tuesday
The 11:00 whale watching boat saw whales Battleship to Turn Point J's &K's. The 1:00 tour also saw J's and K's near South Pender Island, Canada (Mout Point)they were still headed north when they left the whales. The 3:00 tour was near Darcy Island when the porpoises started playing with the boat wake. The orcas had bee-lined fast up Active Pass and kept going that the Capt. had to make the decision to not go all the way up north. The sunset 5:30 tour will be departing in one hour. It will be interesting to see if the orca turn and come south or maybe L pod shows up or?? It changes every hour and that is what we love about 'searching for the orca'.

July 17, 2006 Monday
Both the 11:00 and 1:00 saw whales today. Capt. Pouillon on the 1:00 says they saw whales near Leminy St Clair Island. They were headed sw when he left them. There was a breeze earlier today on the water. It made a 2' chop, but it seems to have calmed down tonight for the sunset whale watching tour.

July 15, 2006 Saturday
J's, K's, and some L's near Andrews Bay today in the afternoon. The evening tour went north to active pass to view the whales.

July 13, 2006 Thursday
Today the 1:00 on the Sea Lion reported by Brianna said the guests all saw J pod &most likely K's in the Active Pass (Canada) area.The whales were quite active. She says they also saw lots of harbor porpoise too.

July 12, 2006 Wednesday
Today July 12th, we were with K pod on the west side of San Juan Island. It seems that lately they like going back and forth on the southwest side. We left them at about 8pm traveling south towards South Beach. We had several looks at the new baby K-39. At one point, the K-28 (Raven) had the baby draped over her head sort of pushing the baby to the surface. Not sure what that was all about, but it only happened once while we were there, and I could clearly see the orange tint. I'm also pretty sure that L-79 (Skana) was hanging around with K pod, and I did not see any other L members that I could identify. It turned out to be an absolutely beautiful evening with the whales. There were also some younger animals breaching throughout the time that we were there... Take care, Traci

July 11, 2006 Tuesday
J Pod near the south end of Lummi Island. They had been heading Southbound, but past the bottom of Lummi Island they started milling about in an area with some tide rips. The turned and headed back northbound, slowly. Some were swimming in their matrilines, some singly or in pairs. J1 and J2 were leisurely travelling side by side.

July 9, 2006 Sunday
We started the most beautiful morning heading down the west side of San Juan. Just north of Eagle Point we met up with J &K Pod and they were headed north. We had a very long parade of whales go past us. We had several breaches in every direction! We also had a spyhop! We headed back up north and when we were trying to get to Mosquito Pass, some of the whales were there to say good-bye! J-1 (Ruffles) and J-2 (Granny) were the last whales we saw before we headed home. The water was flat calm and the view were amazing! It was a great trip! (naturlist Traci Walter)

We see whales about 95% of our tours out. I don't always get the reports up from the naturalists. Signed, Colleen

July 5, 2006 Wednesday
The 11 am and 1 pm saw L pod today foraging in the Strait of Juan De Fuca near Hein Bank. Lots of bald eagles and harbor seals too says naturalist Anna.

July 4, 2006 Tuesday
Deborah and Zach's morining kayak tours (3-hour) both saw and hung out with the whales right outside of Roche Harbor this morning. They and their guests came back in SO JAZZED! Deborah says the whales swam up near to them while they were rafted up and began breaching just about 20 yards away.

July 2, 2006 Sunday
Our mornining tour saw K pod on the west side of San Juan Island. Later in the day some of L pod whales up in Canada near Roberts Bank. They were spread out over quite a distance, in all directions, quite far offshore. A male wa observed rolling around in the vicinity of a female, who appeared to have no interest. Then saw J Pod. Ruffles and Granny were in the lead at first, but then decided to check out a container ship being pushed to dock by two tugs.

July 1, 2006 Saturday
Our morning trip J - Pod traveling along past Iceberg Point on Lopez. Guests had a look at Ruffles, J-1, and Blackberry, J-27. They were traveling grouped up with females. Our afternoon tours headed south through Cattle Pass. K's were off of False Bay at 3:00 p.m. traveling north, then south, then north. Food driven they are. Mostly traveling and forging with a few breaches.