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pc: San Juan Safaris

A family of Big Boys! Bigg's Killer whales the T69's Swim Through Sidney Channel

Kelly | M/V Kestrel | Monday, June 30th 2025 | 2:00 PM

Another hot summer day! Perfect for zooming around the islands in our high speed vessel the M/V Kestrel. Our first stop of the tour was at White Rock, a known hot spot for harbor seals. Today was no exception, the rocks were peppered with the pinnipeds. There is a big distinction between seals and sea lions, the most prominent difference being their skeletal structure. Sea lions also are MUCH more vocal, if anyone has every spent time around...

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dorsal fins

Two Near Identical Killer Whale Families Just Outside Friday Harbor!

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...
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pc: Olivia Esqueda, May 2025

Killer Whales on the Treadmill in Speiden Channel

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...

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pc: Lauren Tschirhart, San Juan Safaris

First Tour of the Season Brings Surprise Whales!

Kelly | M/V Sea Lion | March 10th, 2025 | 12:30pm
 

Excitement was in the air as we left the harbor on our first tour of the 2025 season! The sky was an overcast grey but at least the forecasted rain was holding off. No whale reports just yet…so we were fully in scanning mode. Our first wildlife encounter was almost instantaneous. A bald eagle soaring overhead suddenly took a nosedive entrapping an unlucky fish in its talons. Gulls swarmed around the commotion as the massive raptor flew off and...

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