Olivia Esqueda | March 15th, 2026 | M/V Sea Lion | 12:30pm

Today was my first trip on the water for the 2026 season, and what a fun time it was! We even had sunny weather with snow capped views of the Olympic and North Cascade Mountain ranges, including Mount Baker (aka Koma Kulshan- the closest volcano to the San Juan Islands).

We headed south out of Friday Harbor through San Juan Channel until we came across Goose Island, where there were not only heaps of birds (including Pelagic and Double...

Kelly | M/V Sea Lion | March 14th, 2026 | 12:30pm

All we had was a whale report very far away and a prayer! Captain Gabe and I, along with our 24 visitors aboard the M/V Sea lion, took a right out of Friday Harbor and wasted no time heading south. The report was currently out of our range, but we crossed our fingers that the whales would turn our direction and close the gap. As we dipped into the straight of Juan De Fuca, we couldn't help but ogle at the Olympic mountain range in the distance...

Kelly | M/V Sea Lion | March 13th, 2026 | 12:30pm

Light rain and the low hanging grey clouds kissing the evergreens made for a classic PNW backdrop as we left Friday Harbor and pointed south down San Juan Channel. All we had was a loose report of some type of whale coming out of Deception Pass, a long haul for the ole M/V Sea Lion, but with no other reports to investigate,  it was our best bet. We quickly departed Cattle Pass and made our way south east. Not too long after pointing that direction...

Kelly | M/V Sea Lion | March 8th, 2026 | 12:30pm

Truly an unprecedented winter day here in the San Juans. Not only was the weather near perfect- sunny skies and calm water, we also had a report of killer whales right in our backyard! A person on shore at Cattle Pass (the narrow passage between San Juan and Lopez Island) had spotted killer whales heading north into San Juan Channel. We turned the corner out of Friday Harbor aboard the M/V Sea Lion and pointed south toward the report. After...

Kelly | M/V Sea Lion | March 7th, 2026 | 12:30pm

     First tour of the 2026 season! I was beyond thrilled to get back out on the water and explore the Salish Sea. This time of year is considered to be our shoulder season, not because the whales aren't here, but because they are harder to find. We work within the Pacific Whale Watch Association (PWWA), a large network of other whale watch companies and local research groups. In March, we have significantly less eyes on the water, therefore less...

Lauren | M/V Sea Lion | Friday, August 1st, 2025 | 5:30 PM

Sunset tours are my absolute favorite. There’s just something about the beauty of golden hour that can’t be beat. Today had been a rough one for the fleet, with very few whale reports in the region. The reports that did come in were mostly out of range for the Friday Harbor boats, but as we know with whale watching, things can change in an instant. Right before boarding the M/V Sea Lion we got word that the first killer whales of the day...

Lauren | M/V Osprey | Wednesday, May 21, 2025 | 12:30 PM

Today is what whale watch dreams are made of. This was my first tour of the 2025 season that I’ve seen two different species of whale in the same excursion. We left Friday Harbor and headed north in San Juan Channel. Our first stop was to Green Point on Spieden Island to view some Steller Sea Lions. Four Steller’s were hauled out on the coastline, while several more swam around in the bull kelp. We left the point and headed up the Stuart...

Lauren | M/V Sea Lion | Friday, April 11th | 12:30 pm 

Today’s Classic Whale Watch and Wildlife Tour was filled with diverse wildlife, seeing many different species during our 4-hour tour. Immediately as we exited Friday Harbor we were greeted by a group of foraging Dall’s Porpoise! Although not rare, we are not greeted by the presence of Dall’s all that often, making it an extra special tour every time we have an encounter. Dall’s Porpoise are often dubbed, the second coolest black and white...

Lauren | M/V Osprey | Wednesday, April 9th | 2:00 pm

Today was our first tour aboard the M/V Osprey, our largest vessel in the fleet. A fully booked tour on our largest vessel can mean only one thing… Summer is coming! We boarded our eager passengers and headed out of Friday Harbor. We had a report of an animal south of Lopez Island, but with the report being pretty far away, we had no time for prior stops. We cruised south in San Juan Channel and through Cattle Pass, taking looks at the Olympic...

Lauren | M/V Sea Lion | Monday, April 7th | 12:30 pm

Our Classic Whale Watch & Wildlife tour left the dock and headed north in San Juan Channel. Rain was in the forecast, so we prepared for a wet ride, but thus far the skies above looked clear. Our first stop was to the Cactus Islands to view some hauled-out harbor seals. We love seeing harbor seals out here. Their thriving population is a product of the 1972 Marine Mammal Protection Act. Before 1972, many pinnipeds were killed for their pelts...