Lauren | M/V Sea Lion | 3.24.2022 | 12:30 PM 

As M/V Sea Lion headed out of Friday Harbor and into San Juan Channel, we were immediately greeted by four Steller’s sea lions swimming near the coast of Friday Harbor Labs. This “stellar” encounter set the mood for the rest of the trip. If having a wildlife encounter within the first 5 minutes of leaving the dock isn’t a good sign, then I don’t know what is!

As we headed north, we stopped in Rocky Bay and got some good looks at a handful...

Maxx K. | M/V Kestrel | 09/16/2021 | 2:00pm

    Kestrel flew out of Friday harbor with purpose this morning: a family of Bigg’s Killer whales had been reported passing through Deception Pass State Park and were now traveling across the Juan De Fuca. We stopped briefly at goose island to observe the cormorants that sat proudly over their neatly stacked nests. A harbor seal passed at the water's edge, diving to forage amongst the Bull Kelp forest that sat between us and the bird Island...

Maxx K. | M/V Kestrel | 09/03/2021 | 2:00pm

    Today was a pretty cold day. Grey clouds covered the sky and seemed to block out the sun as Kestrel raced down the San Juan channel towards the Juan De Fuca. In my time working on boats however, I’ve learned to really value a grey day. I find it’s much easier to spot whales or even simply disturbances on the water when there’s not an intense glare from the sun. A sharp black orca dorsal fin can be pretty hard to miss on a day like...

Jordan | M/V Sea Lion | 08/19/2021 2:00pm

So nice to get out on the boat!

Captain Pete and I grabbed our guests and headed out to sea. We heard whispers of something exciting happening over in Canada so we headed out to find out what the commotion was about.

We headed south and passed cattle point lighthouse as we rounded the southern point of San juan and headed west. Looking at a map, the Canadian border zig zags across the islands so the city of Victoria is actually south west of...

Maxx K. | M/V Sea Lion | 07/15/2021 | 2:00pm

    The wind forecast wasn’t super promising today: 15 mile/hour winds were being funneled into the Juan de Fuca from the west and an ebbing tide meant a very choppy three to four foot sea. When we left Friday Harbor we turned right, south through the San Juan Channel and towards rumors of several families of Bigg’s Killer Whales that had reunited with one another in the middle of the slosh. With our hull pounding against the surging waves...

Maxx K. | M/V Kestrel | 07/12/2021 | 2:00pm

Captain Sarah and I decided to head south this afternoon, trying our luck in finding whales off the various banks that rise up in the Juan De Fuca. After passing Goose Island to admire some nesting Pelagic Cormorants we continued out of the San Juan Channel. 

We then slowed over Salmon Bank at our first baitball, gulls and Rhinoceros Auklets flocking tightly over an unseen ball of fish below. The anticipation built as we waited, hoping...

Haleigh | M/V Osprey | July 3, 2021 | 5:30pm

On this evening’s classic sunset wildlife tour, we adventured southbound towards the junction of many channels. The Strait of Juan de Fuca, Haro Strait, Rosario Strait, and San Juan Channel are constantly intermixing waters rich with phytoplankton and bait fish. The churning at shallow banks makes for especially abundant feeding ground in the ecosystem that can be filled with wildlife. This was our destination for the evening.

As we...

Olivia | M/V Osprey | June 24th, 2021 | 12:30pm

Starting off in search of whales, we always make sure to look where their food is. This means areas of upwelling or currents that are stirring up nutrients attracting small bait fish. This bait fish attracts Harbor Porpoise, Harbor Seals, and Baleen Whales. All of these mammals attract our primary population of orcas- the Bigg’s Killer Whales. Scanning these “hot spots” are like checking out all the mini buffets and gives us an...

Olivia | M/V Osprey | June 24th, 2021 | 12:30pm

Starting off in search of whales, we always make sure to look where their food is. This means areas of upwelling or currents that are stirring up nutrients attracting small bait fish. This bait fish attracts Harbor Porpoise, Harbor Seals, and Baleen Whales. All of these mammals attract our primary population of orcas- the Bigg’s Killer Whales. Scanning these “hot spots” are like checking out all the mini buffets and gives us an...

Olivia | M/V Osprey | June 18th, 2021 | 12:30pm

It was an exploratory day circumnavigating Lopez Island! We set off inner island through Upright Passage and eventually crept between Blakely and Decatur to reach the larger body of water known as Rosario Strait. Just west of Burrows Bay, we began seeing multiple black dorsal fins piercing the water. Slowly making our way on scene, we were able to count 12 individual Bigg’s Killer Whales!

While this ecotype typically travels in small...