Something magical happens when two very different worlds collide and are able to coexist with each other in harmony, even if just for an hour. The human world aboard M/V Kestrel had a chance to link up with the mesmerizing orca world of the Transient killer whales today off of Green Point on Saturna Island. I've always loved orcas, and have always appreciated their cunning, intelligence, and constant ability to keep us whale-watching humans guessing. But before today, I'd never seen...

Happy Memorial Day! Today's whale watch and wildlife tour took off just as Friday Harbor's Memorial Day Parade was ending, and our introduction was punctuated by rifle blanks firing and finished up with a canon fire! How much more of an exciting start to a tour could you ask for?

As we turned away from the dock, the sun on our skin and the crystal calm waters stretching below us, we were happy to be notified about a group of transient killer whales moving south off of Point Roberts...

Sea Lion had some grand adventures today! But, don't we always? Today was unique in that we saw two very different, solitary whales. One lone humpback, which is not an unsual sight, was seen cruising through the Strait of Juan de Fuca near Hein Bank. Humpbacks are typically solitary creatures; they don't hang out with their squad at the local bars or bond with their families over lunch. So, it was expected that we see this massive baleen whale chilling on his or her own several miles...

You know it's going to be a good day on the water when you have three naturalists, but it's an even BETTER day when you also have three TRANSIENTS! Naturalists Sarah, Sarah 2, and Rachel set out on the water today with the wonderful Captain Pete in pursuit of the best wildlife that the Salish Sea had to offer today. What started out cold and rainy quickly turned sunny, bright, and calm to boot as we approached the north side of our neighboring Orcas Island. In a few short minutes...

That’s just how the cookie crumbles.  When my granny bequeathed to me this idiom, I understood that sometimes you’re unlucky, and sometimes you win big.  Whereas yesterday’s guests rode wild seas and saw zero whales, today’s guests experienced placid waters and a once-in-a-lifetime whale sighting. 

East of Orcas Island, the M/V Sea Lion glided beside a group of approximately eight transient killer whales.  The light was ideal for photography as Captain Mike set us up to enjoy the sun...

Today on M/V Sea lion we left the dock with no whale reports and rain in the forecast.  This is not an uncommon start for our pre-season tours; however, today our expectations were exceeded as the day continued.  We left Friday Harbor with plans to go to the Canadian Gulf Islands in hopes of finding some transient orcas.   We quickly got reports of transient orcas near Matia Island, on the North side of Orcas Island.  We headed towards the area and saw a large pod of harbor porpoises...

Yesterday the M/V Sea Lion had an amazing encounter with three family of Bigg’s killer whales, also known as transient killer whales, traveling in San Juan Channel. It was such a treat to have such active whales so close to the harbor, and definitely not an everyday occurrence!

Captain Mike, Emily, and I left Friday Harbor with a full boat of guests under sunny skies. We headed north as the whales had been reported earlier in the morning by members of the Pacific Whale Watching...

Today we had the rare opportunity to view four different family groups of transient killer whales. When we pulled away from the dock, reports of killer whales in the Strait of Juan de Fuca brought us south of San Juan Island. On our way down, we encountered all sorts of wildlife, including Steller sea lions, harbor seals, cormorants, harbor porpoises, and even a minke whale!

When we arrived at where the orcas were last reported, we noticed that the group consisted of nine different...

It appears that fall is here, as the weather is constantly keeping us guessing. Rain? Shine? A combination of both within the space of 10 minutes? Sure, why not. That's what we love about our island home. And, staying true to the theme of San Juan Safaris (always embracing adventure and the beauty and unpredictability of nature!) we left the drizzly harbor this past Saturday with a decision to search for our whale friends down south. 

We cruised down around whale rocks, checked out...

Is fall finally arriving to the San Juans? Seems like it! We had our first big rainfall in several weeks today, which is great, because we've had a very dry summer, and I'm sure our plant life could use some love! We felt like absolute royalty on Kestrel in our big, protective exposure suits, especially with all of the wet weather. But even though the sky might've been a bit gray and ominous, the sea conditions were great, and a little rain wasn't going to stop us! Plus, there were...