Abby | M/V Sea Lion | April 16th, 2026 | 12:30pm
A truly unforgettable trip today! We had a long journey ahead of us as we headed south in San Juan Channel. The report was over an hour away in the Strait of Juan De Fuca, far southeast of Victoria, BC. The sun was out, so we pushed on! As we traveled closer to the location of the report, we began to see the dorsal fins and exhales of 13 Bigg’s Killer Whales! The individuals were already identified as, or belonging to the families of the T46B’s, T117A, T117B’s, and T172. The report also listed that they were hunting and prey sharing, which is exciting behavior for us to observe. During the time we were on scene with them, we witnessed some incredible behavior from numerous individuals. We watched as they spyhopped, tail slapped, and breached! We did not just see one breach, or two, but three full breaches out of the water! Bigg’s Killer Whales don’t usually travel in groups with 13 individuals, and we also don’t see them be as active on the surface of the water. It was truly incredible and jaw dropping to see this behavior today. Truly a memorable trip! On our way back north towards San Juan Island, we stopped by Whale Rocks to try to view some Steller’s Sea Lions. They were especially smelly today as many of us on board had to plug our noses as we cruised by and watched them hauled out on the rocks. It is always fun to make a stop here on our way to or from Friday Harbor. This is most likely one of my most memorable trips for sure!
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/