Olivia Esqueda | May16th, 2025 | M/V Osprey | 2:00pm

What a quest we had today viewing Bigg’s Killer Whales in Canada! We started out searching north of San Juan Island and into Boundary Pass. With no other confirmed sightings in the area and one report coming in from the Saanich Inlet, we decided to start making our way in that direction hoping the whales would decide to venture a little further east. We weren’t sure if we would make it that far, but since we left the dock about 15 minutes early...

Lauren | M/V Kestrel | Friday, May 9th | 2:00 PM

Today we had a special encounter with Humpback Whale BCX1057, also known as Divot. Divot is a 22-year-old female North Pacific Humpback from the Maui breeding population. Divot is the first (presumed) calf of the legendary BCY0324 “Big Mama.” Big Mama has been observed in the Salish Sea for the past 20 years. Big Mama was one of the first humpbacks that reclaimed this region as viable for migration and feeding post whaling era. Commercial Whaling...

Olivia Esqueda | May 11th, 2025 | M/V Osprey | 12:30pm

It was a fun adventure out on the water today heading southwest almost all the way to Deception Pass, which bridges Fidalgo and Whidbey Islands! We were able to find the T100s, a matriline of Bigg’s Killer Whales. While this matriarch has a few other calves, this afternoon we saw T100 [Hutchins, female born in 1979] traveling with two of her calves, T100C [Laurel, male born in 2022] and T100F [Estrella, born in 2014]. We watched as they...

Lauren | M/V Osprey | Wednesday, May 7th | 2:00 PM

Today’s whale watch felt like a Hallmark Movie, or a game winning Hail Mary pass. The odds were stacked against us, but we prevailed. We left the dock knowing that no boats from Friday Harbor had found killer whales during their morning tours. It was crickets out there. The M/V Osprey decided to head north, aiming for Speiden Island. We slow cruised by the historic “Safari Island” looking at loads of wildlife. We viewed Steller’s Sea Lions...

Olivia Esqueda | April 28th, 2025 | M/V Osprey | 2:00pm

Despite the PNW spring rain, today’s trip turned out to be so much fun! We were able to spot many birds as we traveled down San Juan Channel into the Strait of Juan de Fuca, admiring Cattle Point Lighthouse along the way. After searching through the misty backdrop, we spotted the T065B’s- a matriline of Bigg’s Killer Whales. 

This ecotype of orca feeds on marine mammals and is commonly found in the greater Salish Sea area. We are very...

Lauren | M/V Osprey | Saturday, April 26th | 12:30 PM

Today’s tour was a testament of how much can change in an instant in the world of watching whales. Out here we are at the will of the wildlife, and although we prefer it that way, the whales have a funny way of humbling us humans and our plans.

We left the dock with a report of two Bigg’s Killer Whales by Moresby Island. Moresby Island is a Canadian Island located just northwest of Turn Point Lighthouse on Stuart Island. Turn Point is famously...

We began our journey today heading south down San Juan Channel. We observed some Harbor Seals hauled out along the shoreline of San Juan Island. These pinnipeds come in varying colors and can also frequently have speckles across their bodies. Not long afterwards we came across another pinniped that lives here in the Salish Sea, the Steller Sea Lion! Hauled up on Whale Rocks we found over a dozen of these mammals above the water line thermoregulating. This was a great way for us to...

Lauren | M/V Osprey | 6.18.2022 | 12:30 PM

It was my first day back to work after a week-long vacation and I had whales on my mind. I truly miss them when I’m gone, and I felt especially eager to show our guests all the San Juans has to offer. As M/V Osprey left the dock, we got word that Bigg’s killer whale family the T123s were in the area. The T123s are “frequent flyers,” or should I say swimmers, here in the Salish Sea. They are one of the families I’ve seen the most thus far...

Olivia | M/V Sea Lion | May 6th, 2022 | 12:30pm

Leaving the dock at the start of a trip is not only normal for the shoulder season, but for peak season as well. With no whales tagged in these waters, everything is found on visual sight. Today we left the dock and decided to take a chance heading north while other vessels in the Pacific Whale Watch Association were searching down south. This worked in our favor because about 20 minutes into our trip, another vessel spotted not one...

Olivia | M/V Sea Lion | April 28th, 2022 | 12:30pm

Leaving the dock today, we were elated with the weeklong streak of sunny weather. Cool winds and warm skies guided us inner island towards Rosario Strait, passing heaps of bait balls and feeding Rhinoceros Auklets. Kissing the southern end of Lummi Island, we spotted black dorsal fins seemingly hugging the shoreline.

In my opinion, Lummi Island is one of the most breathtaking islands within the San Juan’s. The lush green, cliffy...