Working as a Naturalist, I have become accustomed to going with the flow (pardon the nautical idiom.) This is often an acquired skill for people, as wildlife has a way of constantly thwarting our wishes to watch them in their natural setting. With a world now filled with zoos, aquariums, and Sea Worlds expectations are often high to have wildlife cooperate with our desires, even ones outside these man-made settings. The orcas have started coming back into this area very frequently -...

You will be a hit in this hat, made in the USA

Only $19.95 and made in the U.S of A! Soft and light. Mails easily and does not break!

What do you do when there are no reports of whales?  Which way do you go so that you are in the best position in case whales are spotted?  How do you predict where whales are going to be?  The answers are - wildlife tour, any way you want and you don't.  The hardest part about being a Marine Naturalist when there are no whales, is convincing people that no one else is seeing whales either and that when it comes to our orca whales, it is impossible to predict when and where they will...

Many of the islands in the San Juans were named for the Spanish explorers who first recorded coming across them. Like those explorers, we felt gratified in circumnavigating our 15 by ten mile island that we call home. We left Friday Harbor and headed south. The water was smooth like a mirror and our new naturalist Casey looked for wildlife while I entertained our guests with facts about the islands. Soon we came across rocks covered in harbor seals about to burst. Pupping season is...

This group of 27 flew up on Kenmore Air, spent about one hour looking around Friday Harbor
then headed off to sea. They have a catered gourmet lunch and desert aboard and are all wearing
their new San Juan Safaris T Shirts.  They all work for Ferrero Roche Chocolates in the German office.

Today was a great day; sunny and calm with a strong flood current pushing us north. With no reports of Orcas we headed north to East Point on Saturna Island to seek out Harbor Seals and Steller Sea Lions. When we flew passed three magnificent Steller Sea Lions swimming in the water, without any time for our passengers to take a look, I went into the wheelhouse to check in with the captain. Transient Orcas had been found even further north off of Mayne Island in the Strait of Georgia...

The Cameras Are Rolling! NestCam season is still going strong! We are happy to report that the Eastern Bluebird eggs have hatched four little nestlings. Note and an aside: Here in the San Juan Islands BLUE BIRDS are being re-introduced. It is a BIG deal to all us islanders. The Barn Owl chicks have also hatched, which should provide more entertainment. In addition, we are still watching our Great Crested Flycatchers, Peregrine Falcons, Wood Ducks, and Eastern Phoebes, with Chimney...

Saturday evening I attended My Fair Lady at the San Juan Island Community Theatre.

Was I pleasantly surprised!  I was expecting well, not what I got.  I was delightful: costumes, acting and singing voices. If you are going to be on island, I would most definatly include this performance in your plans.

$18 and well worth it.

I had an appointment off island yesterday and was observing folks, dogs, ferriess and cormorants at the Anacortes ferry landing.

Great weather yesterday, today too and suppose to be the same for tomorrow - Mother Days (you remembered her, right?)

Cormorants. Ya gotta love them.

I noticed SO MANY cormorants carrying sea weed and eel grass to their

nests perched on PILINGS!  Fits the bill perfectly (no pun intended, ok, maybe a little tiny pun)

This works even better than cliffs. Dependable. Uniform...

Capt. Mike and I saved the day aboard the M/V Sea Lion today.  There have been no orca sightings for several days despite all of the companies being out and scouring the watery countryside.  We were taking our place amongst them and heading out on a northwest wildlife tour when out of the blue, literally, popped an orca fin!  What, an orca fin?!  Yes, an orca fin!!  I, maintaining professionalism and decorum at all times, proceeded to run around the boat yelling and effusing.  San...