Kelly Klein | M/V Sea Lion | June 3nd, 2026 | 2:30pm
What a lovely opportunity for an extended trip on the water! Todays 7 hour private charter proved that more time does often mean more whales. We started our trip with killer whales just a 10 minute ride from our departure location, Roche Harbor. This family was identified as the T99's consisting of:
T099/Bella — female, born around 1984
- T099B/Holly — female, born in 2007
- T099C/Barakat — male, born in 2009
- T099D/Puck — male, born in 2015
T099E/Qwiin qwiin oo quii la — female, born in 2021
Next, we made our way interisland and eventually to the mouth of East Sound. East sound is a narrow shoot that gives Orcas Island it's distinctive horseshoe shape. It's a very unusual place to spot a humpback whale, but that's exactly what had occurred today! We watched this small (likely juvenile) humpback circle very close to Orcas' shoreline. In a shocking turn of events, once surfacing with its mouth open! Flashing us with those accordion like ventral pleats. I have only seen this behavior here in the Salish Sea two other times in my 5 years on the water!
We continued are way around Orcas Island in search of another group of whales. Just past Matia Island we began to see dorsal fins arise from the water! This was a groups of 6 whales that unfortunately we were unable to officially identify. I am fairly sure that we had T124A1 in the group, but when you have no large males, no noticeable knicks/scars, and no telephoto lens on board...it can be very difficult to officially identify a group. None the less, we certainty enjoyed our looks at this family. The standout amongst the group being the tiny calf that would often spring up minutes before the remainer of the family surfaced.
While on scene with our mystery group of killer whales, Captain Gabe spotted a humpback in the distance! As we investigated closer it became apparent that this was no ordinary humpback, this was the most famous humpback in the population, Big Mama! As the sun slowly began to set behind her we watched big mama surface again and again. Our final stop of this tour was Spieden, enjoying stunning looks at the sunset kissed hillsides speckled with mouflon sheep and fallow deer.