Kelly | M/V Kestrel | June 23nd 2025 | 2:00 PM

Best Kestrel tour ever? I'll say it!

We started the tour heading north in San Juan Channel, stopping briefly for a stoic bald eagle perched in the evergreens. We made our way past the scenic Finger Islands off Sucia's shoreline, and into the Straight of Georgia. Slowly dorsal fins arose in the distance! This group of 8 whales were identified as the T046B's made up of:

T046B/Raksha — female, born in 1988

• T046B2/Akela — born in 2008
  • T046B2B/Takaya — born...

Lauren | M/V Osprey | Thursday, June 19th, 2025 | 12:30 PM

Although Bigg’s Killer Whales usually just travel in their individual matrilines (mom and immediate offspring). We will occasionally see multiple groups gathering together for mating and socialization. These groupings can last a few hours, a few days, and sometimes even a few weeks. For the last several days, the T065B’s and the T075B’s have been seen traveling together. These two moms, who are both in their early 30’s have been traveling...

Kelly | M/V Kestrel | Sunday, June 22nd 2025 | 2:00 PM

June-uary was in full force as we left Friday Harbor and took a right in San Juan Channel. The sky was an overcast grey but that certainly didn't stop the wildlife from making an appearance! Our first stop was a small rocky area just off San Juan's eastern shoreline. These rocks were crawling with harbor seals. We have around 300 of these known harbor seal haul out areas in the San Juan's. Having a fused pelvis does come with limitations...

Kelly | M/V Osprey | Tuesday, June 17th 2025 | 12:30 PM

We started our trip with a right turn outside Friday Harbor and pointed south down San Juan Channel. Not long after departing, we began to slow the boat, 8 Killer whales we reported essentially in our backyard! This group was identified as the T75B's and T65B's including:

• T065B/Chunk — female, born in 1993
• T065B1/Birdsall — male, born in 2011
• T065B2/Nettle/Corvis — born in 2019
• T065B3/Rook — male, born in 2023

• T075B / Pebbles — female, born in...

Olivia Ellman | M/V Kestrel | Monday, June 16th, 2025 | 2:00 PM

Our afternoon trip was full of wildlife as we traveled among many of the San Juan Islands. After stopping to view some harbor seals on one of the Wasp Islands, we continued traveling along the western side of Orcas Island through President’s Channel. We suddenly saw a bald eagle dive into the water, and begin swimming to shore! Once the eagle emerged from the water, it revealed its catch of a large salmon. The eagle hauled the salmon...

Kelly | M/V Kestrel | Monday, June 9th 2025 | 2:00 PM

Whales were reported not too far away from us at the mouth of East Sound on Orcas Island. We quickly made our way in that direction, stopping for looks at a bald eagle. We watched as the powerful bird of prey pulled his talons out, dived toward the water and scooped up a small fish. A successful hunt! A rare sight, bald eagles are known for mostly scavenging here in the San Juan's. We made our way on scene with a group of 4 killer whales known...

Olivia Ellman | M/V Kestrel | May 31st, 2025 | 2:00 PM 

This afternoon’s Adventure Whale Watch left Friday Harbor in high spirits as the skies cleared and gave us a beautiful, sunny cruise up San Juan Channel. Our first stop was at White Rocks, where we saw two bald eagles and a number of harbor seals! We got great looks at the many varieties of colors of the seals, and even saw a few swimming in the water around the island. We then continued our travels north, past Waldron Island and towards...

Kelly | M/V Kestrel| Tuesday, May 27th 2025 | 2pm

It's days like to today that truly feel like the Salish Sea is just teaming with marine life. We were treated to almost non-stop wildlife on today's Adventure Tour. We took a right out of Friday Harbor only to instantly have a guest point out a bald eagle on Turn Island. We quickly realized there were 3 bald eagles in the area, two adults and one juvenile.  One of the adults was right on the waters edge, picking away at a fish with his razor sharp...

Kelly | M/V Osprey | Sunday, May 18th 2025 | 12pm

My very first Adventure Tour of the year was filled with incredible wildlife encounters! We started the trip with a stop in Rocky Bay for some harbor seals. A rocky cluster hosted over 50 harbor seals, lounging on the rocks or swimming in the shallow water close by. Guests loved seeing the wide variety in coat patterns unique to the Salish Sea!

Next stop, killer whales! Only about a 5 minute cruise north, a group of killer whales identified as the...

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...