Captains Log - October 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

October 28, 2006 Saturday
Hey everyone.. well.. I decided last min to go out on the boat for the last official trip for San Juan Safaris... I'm glad I did!! We had one of the best days with Humpbacks imaginable! Just before we got on scene just past victoria.. the whales went nuts!! We had mom and calf and another adult breaching, spyhopping, and cartwheeling for about 15-20 min straight! It was unreal!! I'm sorry most of you were not able to see it.. but here are some pics.. Poullion, BG, and myself were on the boat... on the way back we also had many playful dall's porpoise!

We have had an amazing week-end with whales.

October 8, 2006 Sunday
We were with J pod orcas by Eagle Cove, south end west side San Juan Island. They were lively. There were at least 20 sea lions (2000 pounders) near cattle point at the southern most end of San Juan Island and lots of sea birds.

October 7, 2006 Saturday
We went out twice and between the two tours we saw: the same 2 humpbacks, mother and young one. We also saw at lease 6 maybe 7 or 8 minke whales, very difficult to distinguish one whale from another (and you probably know, there are only 7-8 minkes in the San Juan Islands) and over 20 stellar sea lions. There were numerous bait balls and it was attracting sea birds far and near. The sky was just filled with these birds. Plus pacific loons, surf scooters, common murres, 1000's of gulls. There were many many dalls porpoise, cavorting, racing back and forth and riding our wake. We saw harbor porpoise, harbor seals (these seals were not near shore but way out in open ocean probably due to the bait balls).

October 6, 2006 Friday
we were out east of Victoria (that is a long trip) with 2 humpback whales, mother and probably a one year old. On the way out, we saw numerous stellar sea lions, dalls porpoise and harbor porpoise, loons, surf scooters and a lot more.

October 5, 2006 Thursday
It was a birders paradise today.
Naturalist Traci Walter popped in to tell us all the wonderful birds she and guests saw today. American Oyster Catcher (not the usual Black Oyster Catcher), Harlequin Ducks, Pacific Loons (lots and lots of them in the Strait, Western Grebe, Herring Gull, Heermann's Gull, Surf Scooter, White Winged Scooter, Bald Eagle, Great Blue Heron, Rhinoceros Auklet. The common Murres were out in numbers and were dress anywhere from breeding plumage to full winter plumage.
She mentioned that there were lots of 'bait balls' today too. They saw numerous Stellar Sea Lions. One popped up right next to the boat and gave them a start!
We do have some space open on the 1:00 Friday, have opened a 2nd tour at 3:00 on Saturday and some space at 1:00 on Sunday.

October 3, 2006 Tuesday
The Sea Lion was chartered in the early am. The group saw J pod and possibly some of K and L. The weater and water were perfect.
We weren't really planning on going out again, but at 12:30 pm five delightful Brits showed up, chartered the boat, and off Captain Cal and I went! We had a lead on Transients out near Pender Island and took off in search of them. When we arrived on the scene, we were the only boat. We searched the shore lines to no avail. Headed back to the US towards Henry Island because we had heard reports of resident whales. Sure enough, in between Henry Island and Stuart Island was all of J pod and what looked like a few L's. The guests were delighted. They were from British Airlines had an extra 24 hours and wanted to make the most of it. The sue did!!

October 1, 2006 Sunday
Beccas 3 hour kayaking tour saw whales AGAIN today. This time they were headed out. Becca says she and her group were just rounding McCraken Point, near Battle Ship Island, she kept hearing a noise like whales exhaling, but thought, no, that cant be whales, not in this area. They kept paddling and just after they turn the corner, sure enough, it was J pod! She says they were playing in the kelp bed, breaching and tail lobbing and even making surface vocalizations. They saw several mature bald eagles on that tour too. (But with all the mega fauna. . . .)