Welcome to the Whale Report Blog

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. 

#1 Support Organizations Protecting Orcas and Salmon

                Many regional non-profit organizations support healthy watersheds, salmon, and orca conservation initiatives. Choose to donate monetary funds, or volunteer your time. Computer, writing, and/or trade skills will be put to good use! Non...

Last night, San Juan Island recieved it's first meausrable snow fall in two years. It's been magical, quiet, and so much fun. Becuase Western Washington and San Juan Island has a temperate climate and is located on the sea, it's very uncommon to recieve any measurable snow. But alas, we now have snow in Friday Harbor, San Juan Island.

 Enjoy the photos!

Ready. Set. Sloooow. 

San Juan Island is magical all year around, but especially so in the winter months. Travel to San Juan Island in the slow season for few crowds, storm watching, holiday activities, and migratory wildlife. Located just 90 miles northwest of Seattle, San Juan Island is an easy day or weekend get away from the hustle and bustle of the big city. 

Have San Juan...

For Immediate Release

November 29, 2016

Company: San Juan Safaris

               San Juan Island Outfitters

Contact: Brian Goodremont

Phone: 800.450.6858

Email fun@SanJuanSafaris.com

Committed to Conservation – Local Whale Watch & Wildlife Tour Companies Donate $24,000 to Orca and Salmon Conservation

Friday Harbor, WA – San Juan Safaris and San Juan Island Outfitters, two local whale watch and sea kayak tour companies, are giving back to killer whale and salmon conservation and...

The days are a little cloudier as we delve deeper and deeper into Autumn, but that doesn’t slow us down nor the whales! They live in water so cloudy or rainy days don’t bother them and the mists that float in from the ocean here help the isles show their true colors.  This is what the islands usually look like. The greenest evergreens scrape the low lying cloud train all while the calm waters of the Salish Sea reflect the diffused light of the terrestrial world. But no worries there...

While May through September tends to be peak season for spotting killer whales, also known as orcas, here in the San Juan Islands, we are in the midst of a second peak in whale sightings right now. From about September into November we have our peak sightings of humpback whales. These past weeks have been just spectacular for spotting these beautiful creatures.

A Background on the Mighty Humpback

Humpback whales are regarded to be the fourth or fifth largest whales in the world...

We see whales most days and they are super! But some days we have an extra special day. Today we went north and motored through some of the outer islands north of San Juan Island. We first stopped around Flattop Island to look at some really cool Harbor Porpoises surfing in the windy chop south of the island. After we checked out their silly antics we continued north and saw quite a few majestic Bald Eagles and as we approached East Point on Saturna, one of my favorite places in the...