Olivia Esqueda | March 15th, 2026 | M/V Sea Lion | 12:30pm
Today was my first trip on the water for the 2026 season, and what a fun time it was! We even had sunny weather with snow capped views of the Olympic and North Cascade Mountain ranges, including Mount Baker (aka Koma Kulshan- the closest volcano to the San Juan Islands).
We headed south out of Friday Harbor through San Juan Channel until we came across Goose Island, where there were not only heaps of birds (including Pelagic and Double Crested Cormorants), but also a huge haul out of Harbor Seals on the small beach. Cattle Point Lighthouse was the perfect backdrop to this wildlife filled island, before we dipped into the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Traveling southwest towards Victoria, B.C., we were on the lookout for two Bigg’s Killer Whales spotted earlier that morning. After searching south of Middle Bank and extending that search north into the Haro Strait with distant views of Lime Kiln Lighthouse, we caught word through colleagues in the PWWA that there were around ten orcas spotted just outside of Friday Harbor- for the FIRST time today! This just proves we never know where or when different wildlife will appear, making every day and every hour very unique.
Since we were nearing the three-hour mark of our tour and heading back anyways, this was lining up perfectly to sneak in a view of these large, marine mammals socializing in Griffin Bay. Through photo identification and working with other members in the PWWA, we were able to identify these matrilines as the T100’s, T046’s, and T046B1’s- which included multiple full-grown males- their dorsal fins grow to be six feet tall! This was such a enjoyable way to spend our Sunday, especially with the good folks on board that worked hard with airport delays to make it here in the hopes of seeing the culture unfold within these complex family dynamics. Grateful for fun passengers, breathtaking whales, and the PNW spring rain that waited until the end of trip to tie up our time together.
Wanting to see more photos from our trips? Visit our SmugMug page at: https://sanjuansafaris.smugmug.com/
More information about the Pacific Whale Watch Association: https://www.pacificwhalewatchassociation.com/