Welcome to the Whale Report Blog

Lauren Tschirhart | August 12th, 2026 | M/V Kestrel | 2:00 pm

There was lots of action out in the Salish Sea today. The whale reports were coming in from several locations around Friday Harbor. The majority of these reports were south in the Strait of Juan De Fuca, so we decided to head that way. Just a few minutes after departing Friday Harbor, I spotted an unreported humpback whale traveling north in San Juan Channel. This humpback, later identified as BCX2077 “Graphite” was taking short dives...

Aly Liu | M/V Osprey | Wednesday, August 12, 2026 | 12:30 pm 

After leaving the dock in Friday Harbor, M/V Osprey booked it south through San Juan Channel towards reports of a T-party, or three families of Bigg’s Killer whales, in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. As we approached the scene, I had no idea that this was about to be my favorite encounter of the season thus far, and it is safe to say the entire crew shares these sentiments.

This afternoon was special for multiple reasons: 

• Large T-parties...

Olivia Ellman | M/V Kestrel | August 9th, 2026 |10:00 am and 2:00 pm 

Another exciting adventure day on Kestrel! As is usual with our 10 am tour, when we departed the dock we didn’t have many sightings to work off of so we began heading north. Soon into our travels we heard of a shore report in Active Pass and the Strait of Georgia of possible Bigg’s Killer Whales, so we zoomed in that direction with the hopes of catching up. Luck was on our side because another vessel picked up the whales about...

Levi Vandebunte | M/V Osprey | August 11th, 2026 | 12:30pm

We started this tour with a visit to a nearby kelp bed near Turn Rock to search for a Sea Otter that tends to frequent that spot. Just as we began searching we noticed him swimming towards the kelp from deeper water! It appeared that he was eating something small, perhaps a clam from the sea floor below. We watched him enjoy his lunch for a few minutes before departing and moving North up San Juan Channel. We were lucky enough to have a...

Aly Liu | M/V Sea Lion | Sunday, August 9, 2026 | 5:30 pm 

Cruising through the San Juans during golden hour during the summer isn’t exactly a terrible experience. Especially when there are killer whales. The opportunity to spend time with these animals in the evening is a special experience, as the Salish Sea is quieting down and the evergreen trees blanketing the islands are a glimmering golden orange. 

We usually say that our first looks are never our best looks as approaching a wildlife scene...

Levi Vandebunte | M/V Kestrel | August 10th, 2026 | 2:00pm

This day was a little breezy, and was a bit cooler than the past few had been. It almost felt a little bit like fall, which I personally love for whale watching! We pointed North out of town and moved up San Juan Channel, the wrapped around the top of the island and entered Haro Strait. This is the huge body of water directly West of San Juan Island. We moved down Haro for a few minutes before encountering the absolutely massive black...

Kelly | M/V Osprey | August 10th, 2026 | 1:30pm

We began our journey north in San Jaun Channel, cruising quickly into Spieden Channel and enjoying fantastic looks at both Mount Baker and Turtleback Mountain along the way. We cruised over the top of San Juan Island, eventually making our way into a bigger body of water known as the Haro Strait. As we approached the Canadian border we began to spot exhales in the distance, two adult male orcas known as:

• T060D/Onca — male, born in 2004
• T060E/Lynx —...

Levi Vandebunte | M/V Osprey | August 9th, 2026 | 12:30pm

We left the dock with reports of several families of Bigg's Killer Whales moving South towards the San Juan Islands. We pointed North out of Friday Harbor and began our transit to hopefully see them. We made one stop on the way up to admire White Rock which on this day featured tons of Harbor Seals, Cormorants, and Glaucous-Winged Gulls. We then continued North and wrapped around the East Point of Saturna Island. After making the turn we...

Levi Vandebunte | M/V Sea Lion | August 8th, 2026 | 5:30pm 

This tour left from Friday Harbor and decided to head East through the inner islands. We quickly were surrounded by many bird species including Rhinoceros Auklets, Common Murres, and Cormorants. We turned South and began moving down Lopez Sound towards a whale report. We exited the bottom of Lopez Sound and cruised to the bottom of Rosario Strait. The whales were just beginning to wrap around the bottom of Lopez Island and move North up...

Aly Liu | M/V Osprey | Friday, August 7, 2026 | 12:30 pm 

Today’s classic wildlife tour was full of large splashes, killer whale bellies, and even some...lustful displays. We followed reports east out of Friday Harbor between Shaw and Lopez Islands and through Peavine Pass to Rosario Strait. As we arrived on scene, Captain Gabe told the boat to quickly look outside, as he spotted large splashes off the bow. From these initial looks, we wondered if these two Bigg’s killer whale siblings, Neftali...