Olivia Esqueda | May 6th, 2026 | M/V Sea Lion | 8:00am

 

Today we were excited to have UW Students joining us on the water as a part of their marine biology course. This is something we do a few times in the spring and the fall as an interactive way for them to learn out in the field. On our way to pick them up from UW Labs, we spotted Bigg’s Killer Whales right outside of Friday Harbor! We popped over to see what direction they were heading, picked up the students and their professors, and headed...

Abby | M/V Sea Lion | May 1st, 2026 | 12:30pm

A beautiful day to be on the water! We turned left out of Friday Harbor and traveled north in San Juan Channel. We rounded the north end of San Juan Island with beautiful views of Roche Harbor on our port side and Spieden Island at our starboard. We were headed to a report that was traveling north along the west side of Henry Island. As we rounded McCracken Point on the northwest side of Henry Island, we could see some other vessels that were on scene...

Abby | M/V Sea Lion | April 26th, 2026 | 12:30pm

The beautiful weather never gets old! Another sunny day with calm waters. As we headed south in San Juan Channel, we had a very quick glimpse of what we think was either a harbor porpoise or minke whale. So many of us on board had a split second before it went under again. It just goes to show how much everyone on board works together to spot things because it can happen so quickly! We turned west to travel along the south end of San Juan Island...

Olivia Esqueda | April 25th, 2026 | M/V Sea Lion | 12:30pm

Continuing our streak of beautiful weather in the Salish Sea, we headed south today past Cattle Point Lighthouse and into the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The water was calm and we were gifted with sharp views of Mount Baker, the North Cascades, and the Olympic Mountains. 

We headed far west today past Victoria, B.C to see one of my personal favorite matrilines of Bigg’s Killer Whales- the T019’s [formerly referred to as the T018’s]. These...

Olivia Esqueda | April 24th, 2026 | M/V Sea Lion | 12:30pm I know we each say this often as the season goes on- and truly, it’s never a lie as people, weather, and wildlife are ever changing- however, today was one of my favorite trips of the entire season. Our whole passenger group was phenomenal, with backgrounds in biology, ties to the island, newcomers who have been waiting and working hard to see whales, and a constant curiosity for not just one thing, but everything. That is what’s...

Olivia Esqueda | April 19th, 2026 | M/V Sea Lion | 12:30pm

Woah! Today was picture perfect. 

The weather, the wildlife, the calm seas- we really felt the warmth of it all. After heading north, we visited Spieden Island, where at least a dozen adult and juvenile Bald Eagles scanned the area from both the treetops, down to the ground itself. We were also able to see two species of Pinipeds! First, we saw Steller’s Sea Lions (the world’s largest sea lion) hauled out on the shoreline at Green Pt, and...

Abby | M/V Sea Lion | April 18th, 2026 | 12:30pm 

We traveled into Canadian waters today along the coast of Discovery Island and Chatham Islands. We had a longer journey today in a larger area of water, so we made sure to keep an eye out for anything that could have popped up along our route. We had a few quick looks of some Harbor Porpoise, as it is always a fun treat to find them. They come and go so quick! We also saw some beautiful birds today, like Pelagic Cormorants and Surf Scoter's. The...

Abby | M/V Sea Lion | April 17th, 2026 | 12:30pm 

Another sunny spring day here on San Juan Island and another great day to explore the Salish Sea. Today we took a right out of Friday Harbor and headed inter island. We crossed San Juan Channel and traveled along the ferry route! We cruised along the south shore of Shaw Island where we could see the shoreline of Lopez Island on our starboard, or right, side of the vessel. As we rounded the north tip of Lopez Island and passed along the Lopez...

Abby | M/V Sea Lion | April 16th, 2026 | 12:30pm

A truly unforgettable trip today! We had a long journey ahead of us as we headed south in San Juan Channel. The report was over an hour away in the Strait of Juan De Fuca, far southeast of Victoria, BC. The sun was out, so we pushed on! As we traveled closer to the location of the report, we began to see the dorsal fins and exhales of 13 Bigg’s Killer Whales! The individuals were already identified as, or belonging to the families of the T46B’s, T1...

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

Navigating inner island was truly something special. With the gray skies, calm seas, and lush, green trees, the Salish Sea wildlife had a way of really “coming alive” today. We headed inner island, spotting many birds along the way including Rhinoceros Auklets, Pigeon Guillemots, adult and juvenile Bald Eagles, Common Murres, Marbled Murrelets, Pelagic Cormorants, and even a Great Blue Heron right as we entered Rosario Strait. With...