Lauren | M/V Osprey | Wednesday, June 4th 2025 | 12:30 PM
We started our Classic Whale Watch & WIldlife Tour off by taking a left out of Friday Harbor and heading north into San Juan Channel. Our first stop was to McConnell Island to view two bald eagles perched high up on a tree top. We made our way into Spring Passage and then northeast into Presidents Channel. As we made our way towards Rosario Strait we were greeted by gorgeous views of Mount Baker. We then traveled to the northwest point of Patos Island to get looks at the scenic lighthouse. We cruised the south end of Patos, staying close to shore so I could point out the beautiful honeycombed sandstone along the rockface. Honeycombing is a type of weathering that occurs when expanding salt crystals break through pieces of rock, creating a pattern of small holes. After our tour of Patos we headed southeast towards Sucia to catch up with a large group of Bigg’s Killer Whales. Due to the quick photo-identification skills of the Pacific Whale Watch Association (PWWA) fleet, we knew we had members from at least three different families. The T137’s, T124A2’s and T124D’s were identified on sight, and after further photo review, it was determined there were also whales from the T075B’s and T086A’s. A whopping 18 whales total! We watched as these families socialized with each other, witnessing several surface behaviors. They were rolling all over each other, splashing around and smacking their tail flukes on the water's surface! This was one of the largest groupings of whales we’ve seen so far this season. What a treat!