Transient Orcas

August 23, 2017

Four Families of Transient Orcas Around the San Juans

[Naturalist Erick D., M/V Sea Lion, 8/19/17, 5:30PM] The evening trips aboard the Sea Lion are my absolute favorite. We are coming up on the last week of them, but each time I go on one, it’s just so much more relaxing, there usually are less boats on the water, and less folks on the boat. Oh yeah...Read more
Transient Orcas

August 22, 2017

Transient Orcas (T46B's) Travel & Murre-der Common Murres

[Naturalist Erick D., M/V Kestrel, 8/18/17, 2:00PM] For our second Friday trip, Captain Mike and I took a bunch of folks out. We started by going to see some of the Harbor Seals that like to hang out on the rocks and in the water around Flattop Island. Flattop Island is one of the smaller islands...Read more
Transient Orcas

August 22, 2017

Transient Orcas (T46B's) Travel Through Pole Pass

[Naturalist Erick D., M/V Kestrel, 8/18/17, 10:00AM] Finally Friday! On this day Captain Mike and I headed out on an wildlife adventure with just a few folks in the morning. One of the families (matrilines) of Orcas (Killer Whales) that we had been seeing the past few weeks was spotted pretty close...Read more
Transient Orcas

August 18, 2017

Transient Orcas (T30's) Coordinate Hunt Near Spencer Spit

[Naturalist Erick D., M/V Sea Lion, 8/17/17, 1:30PM] The weather here in the San Juans has definitely changed for the better. A few days ago the wind shifted and blew the smoky haze away, it rained!, and the temperature cooled down again. On this beautiful, cool, and sunny day Captain Gabe, Rachel...Read more

August 15, 2017

Who's Hanging Out by Salt Spring? Rare Orca Sighting of T10's

[Lauren Fritz, M/V Sea Lion, 08/15/17, 1:30 pm Tour] We saw some rare visitors from Alaska today - the T10's! These animals are most frequently seen up north, but they decided to make a surprise appearance in the Salish Sea this week. There was a female with a large nick near the base of her dorsal...Read more
Transient Orca

August 14, 2017

Transient Orcas Toss a Harbor Seal (T18's/T19's)

[Naturalist Erick D., M/V Kestrel, 8/9/17, 10:00AM] On Wednesday, Captain Gabe and I started on the search for families (matrilines) of Transient (Bigg’s) Orcas. While in the Salish Sea this summer we have not seen the Southern Resident orcas much this summer, we have seen many of the Transient (...Read more

August 13, 2017

Double Trouble- Two Transient Orca Families Visit Friday Harbor

[8/12/17- M/V Sea Lion- Kelsey, Naturalist- 1:30PM & 5:30PM] Some days are just so perfect it doesn’t seem real. And when not one, but TWO trips turn out to be beautifully perfect, it’s a pretty surreal day! Both trips saw some transient killer whales (or mammal-eating orcas), but there were...Read more

August 11, 2017

Orcas, Seals, and Birds, Oh My!

[Naturalist Sarah C. 8/11/17 2pm Kestrel] There was wildlife abound today in the Salish Sea! In a lovely continuation of a trend, we've been spotting orcas fairly consistently over the past week. Today's family was especially a sight for sore eyes - called the T65A's after their matriarch (and...Read more

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