Aly Liu | M/V Osprey | June 14th, 2026 | 12:30 pm
I hope everyone wore their sunscreen today, as it was a beautiful sunny day out on the water! M/V Osprey departed from Friday Harbor and took San Juan Channel northwards. We made a pit stop at a small island southwest of Waldron Island covered with rock sausages, AKA Harbor seals!
After rounding the corner around Waldron, three blows were seen in the backdrop…it was three Bigg’s killer whales! Their movements were pretty variable today, so we kept our heads on swivels and did the “whale shuffle” on the deck, with truly jaw-dropping views of Mt. Baker (Koma Kulshan) and the North Cascades in the background. We spent the afternoon with the T100 matriarch and two of her offspring:
T100 “Hutchins” – female, born around 1979
- T100C “Laurel” – male, born in 2002
- T100F “Estrella” – (?), born in 2014
At the same time, we observed a Harbor porpoise swim right next to this group of marine-mammal-eaters…bad place to be a porpoise! Although porpoises and dolphins look quite similar, they are two distinct families with defining characteristics.
After getting some good looks at this fast-traveling family, we departed the scene south down President’s Channel with gratitude and wished them safe travels, wherever that may be.
Huge thanks to all who joined our adventure today! There’s nothing better than sharing beautiful moments such as those from today with you guys.
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/