Welcome to the Whale Report Blog

Haleigh | M/V Osprey | June 16, 2021 | 5:30pm

Sunset is my favorite time of day. We depated from the harbor and into the warm, golden sunlight reflecting on the calm waters in San Juan Channel. Guests spotted the shiny, chocolate chip-shaped dorsal fins of harbor porpoise gliding through the surface as we traveled northbound along San Juan Island and into Haro Strait. As we approached the Northern tip of Stuart Island, we recognized the distant dorsal fins of reported orcas! We...

Maxx K. | M/V Kestrel | 06/16/2021 | 2:00pm

    We had a full boat today as we set out of Friday Harbor, heading northbound gourds murmurings of orca on the west side of the island. Almost immediately as we turned left into the San Juan Channel we spotted a Bald Eagle, perched atop a tree on our left. From where we sat just above the water, the eagle seemed small though we know in reality that this was a massive bird. Mature bald eagles can reach over three feet tall when sanding...

Olivia | M/V Osprey | June 16th, 2021 | 12:30pm

Another clear day graced us with the presence of Mount Rainier beaming high atop the Puget Sound to the south. We set off with the volcano guiding our way, passing Harbor Porpoises swimming outside Upright Channel. Passing Cattle Point Lighthouse and keeping it on our starboard side, we continued around Salmon Bank aiming for False Bay off San Juan Island. 

Not only did we catch a Bald Eagle chasing after a Rhinoceros Auklet upon...

Maxx K. | M/V Kestrel | 06/16/2021 | 2:00pm

Today was yet again, another prime example of how unpredictable and serendipitous a whale watch can be out here on the Salish sea. Kestrel left Friday harbor heading north. We weaved between Jones Island and veering right to pass between Orcas and Waldron following reports of a humpback just north of Sucia island. 

We stopped only once to observe a shoal of harbor porpoises as they slowly circumnavigated us. After a few moments we continued...

It was an awesome wildlife day in the Salish Sea! After a smooth exit out of Friday Harbor, we began our search for wildlife southbound in San Juan Channel. Our first stop was at Whale Rocks to look at two kinds of Pinnipeds: Steller Sea Lions and Harbor Seals! While the Harbor Seals were peacefully hauled out, the hefty Steller Sea Lions splashed around the shallow waters and roared fiercely. Observing pinnipeds cohabitating helped us distinguish their differences in size...

Jordan | M/V Kestrel | 06/13/2021 2:00pm

What an adventurous day! Captain Brian, Captain Erick and suited everyone up and headed out in the rain! I was very impressed with everyone as we faced the rain and headed up full speed to Canada.

As we approached the border, we saw a lone transient orca whale! He was in Canada so we were not allowed to approach closer but eventually he turned and headed closer towards our direction! It was amazing to watch him gently swim through these...

Olivia | M/V Osprey | June 13th, 2021 | 12:30pm 

It was a rainy day leaving the dock. We could smell it in the air even if we could not feel it on our skins just yet. One thing I’ve learned is that being in nature feeling all the elements in addition to watching wild animals go about their day, is an entirely different feeling that is truly something special. That is exactly what we got this Sunday afternoon. While there was a Humpback Whale and calf duo in Spieden Channel just north...

Jordan | M/V Kestrel | 06/13/2021 10:00am

Today was so amazing! Captain Brian, Captain Erick and I took off out of Friday Harbor and headed north towards the Canadian border.

As we approached Sandy point on Waldron Island, we saw an orca whale! On closer investigation we saw that he was a transient whale named T124C. He is a huge male with a six-foot-tall dorsal fin born in 1992. We watched as he gracefully travelled through the glassy waters.

The sea was incredibly calm as we...

Haleigh | M/V Osprey | June 13, 2021 | 5:30pm

Our sunset trip began traveling south through San Juan Channel. Visibility was great with the surrounding landscape crisply defined. We could see Koma Kulshan (Mount Baker) off of our Port (left side), Mount Rainier straight ahead down through the channel, and the Olympic Peninsula’s jagged mountaintops following down our Starboard (right side) out towards the Pacific Ocean. 

A Gray whale was sighted traveling south along San Juan...

Olivia | M/V Osprey | June 12th, 2021 | 12:30pm

Every day is a complete surprise on where we travel around the Salish Sea depending on where whales and wildlife are being spotted. That means, often we head off in one direction and end up turning a different way. Today was one of those days where we initially pointed south down San Juan Channel and immediately got a report of a Gray Whale picked up just north of Friday Harbor. By the time we got on scene, the baleen whale was on the...