Welcome to the Whale Report Blog

Captain Pete, Kayak Guide Jordan, and had a great trip on the M/V Sea lion to kick off the month of April. As we left the harbor we had overcast skies that soon turned into blue sky trying to peek out. We headed north towards a report of orcas just south of Vancouver, and at the edge of our range. Leaving the dock it was our best bet to show our guests whales.

We had about an hour and a half worth of motoring to get up to where the whales had been reported. There is no “usual” travel...

Yesterday the M/V Sea Lion had an amazing encounter with three family of Bigg’s killer whales, also known as transient killer whales, traveling in San Juan Channel. It was such a treat to have such active whales so close to the harbor, and definitely not an everyday occurrence!

Captain Mike, Emily, and I left Friday Harbor with a full boat of guests under sunny skies. We headed north as the whales had been reported earlier in the morning by members of the Pacific Whale Watching...

Friday, March 24th, turned into a fabulous day on the water!  Captain Mike, guests aboard the M/V Sea Lion, and I were hopeful that the cool spring day would turn something up, and we were not disappointed!  During this early season, we usually leave the docks with no reports.  I did not let this fact discourage me, because we are members of the Pacific Whale Watch Association and know of all sightings in the area in real time.  I had my fingers crossed for cetaceans in the San Juans...

Yesterday we had a charter scheduled on M/V Kestrel, our first trip of the season! The weather was March-perfect, with almost blue skies, no rain, and crisp air. To top it off we had a boat full of enthusiastic guests!

We suited up in Mustang Exposure Suits and headed down to the boat. Captain Brian Briefed our guests on the safety of the vessel and then we set out on the search for wildlife. Heading North out of Friday Harbor we set a course for the Canadian Gulf Islands and the...

We had a wonderful early spring day out on the water. Gray skies and a little Pacific Northwest liquid sunshine never stop us from finding wildlife and having a great time. With nine hearty souls aboard the M/V Sea Lion left Friday harbor and headed North.

We spotted harbor porpoises on our way up towards Spieden Island, getting some looks at their well-camouflaged backs and dorsal fins in the small waves.  As we reached Green Point Captain Mike and I were delighted to find some...

We had a wintery day out on the water on Monday. Captain Mike and I headed north into Canadian waters on the search for whales and wildlife! We saw many bald eagles scattered trough the evergreen trees and enjoyed looking for harbor seals hauled out on the shores. We motored around Spieden and Flattop Islands, marveling at how beautiful the greenery of the islands looked under the low clouds.

We continued on our search pattern north into Boundary Pass, crossing over the large...

I often measure time in days, weeks, *gasp* months between whale encounters. In the winter orca encounters are sporadic, but as we creep into springtime there are more and more sightings and less and less time between those sweet moments.

This morning I rolled out of bed, ate some breakfast, took the dog for a walk at English Camp (look at the picture, she’s adorable), and then checked the reports from our Pacific Whale Watch Association member companies. I couldn’t help but grin...

We have had a great start to our 2017 season over the past two weekends, highlighted by a wintertime visit by some of the Southern Resident killer whales on Saturday the 18th.

In the winter we usually expect our Resident whales to be foraging for salmon off the coasts of Washington and Oregon, but, on occasion, they journey inland in search of fish. These winter trips here to the Salish Sea are often fleeting, usually lasting only a few days...

She was my first wild orca. I will never forget that moment as I sat on the bow of the M/V Sea Lion, mere hours after stepping off the ferry, and I was looking at her family. I watched her glossy back break the surface and heard that powerful "kwoof" that instantly became my favorite sound. I took in every detail of her closed saddlepatch and petite dorsal fin with a scallop out of the trailing edge before she dove below the surface.  With a wandering tear rolling over my cheek, and...

After the most recent decline in the Southern Resident Killer Whale population, many supporters are asking “What can we do, TODAY!?” to help conserve this endangered population. 

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