Aly Liu | M/V Kestrel | July 4, 2026 | 2:00 pm
We left the dock at Friday Harbor and followed the perimeter of San Juan Island north into Haro Strait, following reports of killer whales hanging around Saanich Inlet in Canada. Captain Brian and I used our magic powers to ask these whales to head east into Haro Strait rather than our opposite direction, and we were indeed successful. The bumpy (and fun) transit across Haro was worth it, as we were able to spend time with a matriline of six Bigg’s killer whales! After safely and respectfully approaching the scene, we spent time with the following matriarch and her kiddos:
T109A/Frio/Runaway — female, born in 1990
- T109A4/Garrett— male, born in 2012
- T109A5/Argyle — born in 2014
- T109A6/Riley — female, born in 2018
- T109A7/Wieland — male, born in 2021
- T109A8/Weiss — born in 2025
This was my first time meeting these guys & girls; saying hello to a new family is always a poignant experience. I could not believe how big Garrett is at only 14 years old! These teenage years for males are what we call their “sprouting” era, in which that dorsal fin begins to grow tall and strong. Garrett is clearly not struggling to eat enough of those marine mammals!
We saved enough time to cruise to Spieden Island, the largest privately owned island in the San Juans. We spotted both a juvenile and fully grown bald eagle, and too many Mouflon sheep to count! These 4-legged animals were imported from an island off the coast of France in the 70s during Spieden’s historic “Safari Island” era.
Kestrel really lived up to its designation as the adventure tour today in the waters of the Maple Leaf. Captain Brian and I extend our thanks for choosing to spend the day with us on the water! I hope you all left with a new favorite whale fun fact and/or an unforgettable memory in the Salish Sea!
Want more information about the Pacific Whale Watch Association? See https://www.pacificwhalewatchassociation.com/
Want to see more photos from our trips? Visit our SmugMug page at: https://sanjuansafaris.smugmug.com/