Sea Lion off San Juan Island by Ashwin
Sea Lion near San Juan Island
Another calm clear day around San Juan Island. We were able to find most of the Southern Residents heading north past the west side of the island. As we came on scene we found a nice group of about 10 animals traveling together. It was difficult to get good IDs but there was one adult male with the group. We got to enjoy their company for a while as they moved towards Turn Point. They exhibited a nice range of behaviors including porpoising, spy hopping, tail lobbing, and even a...
Whales Map August 9. 2011 Sunset Tour by Victoria BC
Occasionaly our resident orca whales take a day or two sabbatical and go out to the Pacific, likely to survey the trend of salmon coming in (no one really knows why).
Yesterday, boats from Victoria reported the whales were returning and had reached the Jordan River coming east to San Juan Island. For our 1:30 tour the large group of whales had not come far east enough for us to reach.
When departing for the 5:30 trip, Captain...
We went international to observe a pod rumored to be around the Golf Islands of Canada. Shortly after crossing the international boarder and entering the Swanson Channel we saw a group of around fifteen lively orcas. The surface around them was turning with activity as Mickey Mouse ear pectoral fins slapped the surface, full-body breaches created wakes and tails slammed onto the water. There were three mature males within the mix and the two that were traveling closely together...
The black dorsals of J and K pod broke the chop of Haro Straight as we made our way towards Victoria. We then allowed the strong current that had worked against us to now be in our favor as it pushed us towards the west coast of San Juan Island, drifting beside the orcas. We saw Deadhead (K-27), who was named after the singer of the Grateful Dead who passed the year of her birth, and her three-week-old son. The passengers (and the naturalists) gasped as she unexpectedly spyhopped to...
Orca off South West End of San Juan Island Sunset Whale Watch Tour
Last evening I got out from behind the computer and went on the 5:30 whale watching tour. It is the "lighting". I just love it around 7:00 pm when eveyone's faces are warm from the sunlight. The Madrone trees seem firey and the summer grass on the hills glows.
There were many, many whales out off San Juan Island last evening. A guest took a photo and Serena ID'd the orca as Cappucino. The orcas were doing lots of...
Every morning I come in to work, nervous about what the day may hold, but also excited about the prospect of seeing whales. There is a lot of pressure on us as naturalists, captains, and crew to find the whales and keep the passengers happy, which is why we get so very excited when we hear two sweet words...South side!
Gotta love it when the whales are close and we get to spend time with multiple groups. I do love a good drive up north every now and then, but sometimes it is just...
Herb has been out with San Juan Safaris for years now and on so many trips that he is an "honorary staffer". Along with knowing a lot about whales, and I am talking Hawaii to Massacusetts, he has a great eye. He has been very generous this year and in the past sharing all his photos. Here are just a few of the many taken in the past 3 days.
Spy Hop by Herb Hartman
Marine Naturalist Serena by Herb Hartman
Kittiwake aka the adult boat 12 guests, 12 years and older by Herb Hartman
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We headed out of Friday Harbor with some very fun and excited passengers. Our first stop was right around the corner with some harbor seals hauled out on the rocks and we even saw a tiny little pup trying to climb on its moms back while swimming in the current. We continued on through Cattle Pass and quickly found a great group of Orcas near False Bay. As we slowly approached and started watching one group, we saw even more whales in every direction around us. The word from other...
Another beautiful day as we motored south down the San Juan Channel toward Cattle Pass. It was slightly overcast but we could see Mt Baker standing tall to our east. We stopped to look at a juvenile bald eagle sitting atop a rock otherwise covered with seals and had an "awwww" moment when a tiny seal pup surfaced behind his mom, looked at us with his big, brown eyes and then did a crazy little half breach dive.
We rounded Cattle Point and cruised west, toward False Bay. In the...
