Logan Stecker | M/V Kestrel | August 3rd 2025 | 2:00 pm
Today we had an amazing outing finding all sorts of wildlife in the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
After a direct boat ride, we got to reported Killer Whales along the Whidbey naval air station. These whales were a group of 5, the T065As led by their mother Artemis. As we first got on scene, we were surrounded by a large group of Harbor Porpoise that we stopped for before we met up with one of the larger sons in the group seen alone. After a couple minutes, he quickly changed direction and swam at full speed back towards the rest of his group. We followed and eventually got to see the entire family perusing the coast. We got to see this group for quite a while before we started our trip home. It is always so special to watch these beautiful whales live their lives.
On our way back, we stopped at the kelp bed north of Smith Island. This wonderful place is not often visited on our trips due to the distance but is a birder’s heaven. We got to the shore and immediately spotted Tufted Puffin among the gulls. This island is the only reliable spot to find puffins in the San Juans. We were extra lucky today because we got to see Horned Puffin as well! This rare outlier is normally living in the high Pacific (Alaska and Bering Strait) but an individual has been repeatedly seen on this island this summer according to eBird report. This bird is unique in its eye markings that are described as “horn-like” but to me look like dramatic mascara. Such a lucky and amazing find!
Our last stop at Whale Rocks gave us a fiesta of energetic and loud Steller’s Sea Lions fighting over space on the rocks. I have never seen them hop and jump as much as on this trip. Some were even going from ocean to land repeatedly!
What a crazy trip! The Salish Sea is an amazing place to spend time discovering wildlife!