Whale Watching Reports from Island Adventures Whale Watching Tours in the San Juan Islands

Orca and Minke Whales Sighted by Island Explorer 3!

Two species of whales sighted today on the Salish Sea! Stay tuned to the Whale Report for details on today's tour from Naturalist Kate Janes!

Teenage Antics (Riptide- J30)

Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes

An Up and Coming Male (Blackberry- J27)
Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes

"It was a double header today with both great visits with a Minke Whale & the Orcas of J pod!! Today we found ourselves in the Strait of Juan de Fuca within sight of the Orcas when a guest spotted a Minke Whale off Salmon Bank!! Watching as this approximately 25 foot whale moved around the boat feeding on the shelf of Salmon Bank that had formed thousands of years ago thanks to the glaciers! After numerous great looks at the Minke we continued just a bit further north to where the Orcas were milling about! The first whale we encountered was Shashi (J19) and her little 3 year old Eclipse (J41). Our guests however spent the most time watching Oreo (J22) and her family move in unison! Traveling with her was her niece Rhapsody (J32), her son Doublestuff (J34), and her daughter Cookie (J38). All 25 members of J pod milled in the waters surrounding the boat, then a decision was made to head north. We also spent time with Blackberry (J27), Samish (J14), Hy'shqa (J37), Suttles (J40) & Riptide (J30). Our guests also enjoyed the company of Rhinoceros Auklets, Pigeon Guillemots, Pacific Loons, Bull Kelp, Pacific Madrone Trees, Common Murres, Harbor Seals, Bald Eagles, Harbor Porpoise, Glaucous-winged Gulls, Canada Geese, Pelagic & Double-crested Cormorants!" - Naturalist Kate Janes

J Pod South of Point Roberts!

"The wildlife met us at the dock today! As Captain Carl was introducing the crew & giving an overview of the Island Explorer 3 a mature Bald Eagle passed just behind him!! This massive raptor with one swift move skimmed the surface of the marina water and came up with a fish in its talons!! We soon were underway and within the first hour had found 8 more mature Bald Eagles!! Needless to say it was the day of the eagle- with a total of 14 throughout the course of our trip! We ventured up the north side of Guemes Island into the Strait of Georgia and set our course towards Point Roberts. The waters were teeming with wildlife as we watched a Harbor Seal finishing its meal at the surface, enjoyed the company of 2 lazy California Sea Lions on a channel marker and watched as Harbor Porpoise moved quickly through the water surrounding the boat! We found the Orcas of J pod in calm waters and under blue skies just south of Point Roberts. With the whales spread out we selected the eastern most group to first visit with. Our guests enjoyed great looks at Riptide, J30, & his younger sister Suttles, J40. At one point all the members of J pod displayed their ability to hold their breath beyond 5 minutes- we were convinced they were deciding whether to go south via Boundary Pass or continue southward through the Strait of Georgia!! Next thing we knew they were up and Blackberry, a 17 year old male was in close proximity to us!! Our guests enjoyed breaches, pec slaps, spyhops, and a surprise pass under the boat by Riptide!! We also saw on this beautiful day Pacific Loons, Glaucous-winged Gulls, 2 pairs of Marbled Murrelets, Pigeon Guillemots, Rhinoceros Auklets, Pelagic Cormorants, Common Loons, & Turkey Vultures!!" - Naturalist Kate Janes

J-pod moving fast off Henry Island

The wind was blowing cold today and we decided to start our trip by going through the inner San Juan Islands for some protection from the wind. As we entered the San Juans the sun broke out of the clouds and we had it for the rest of the trip. Inside the islands we saw a couple of bald eagles. Eventually we found J-pod swimming quickly southward just north of Henry Island. They were moving 8-10 knots at the time and seemed to keep up that pace for the majority of the time we were with them. They were very spread out over a couple of miles, and at times it was hard to keep track of where they all were at. J28, Polaris, came out of nowhere to pay us a close up visit. Later we paralleled Ruffles, J1, for about 15 minutes as his head came high out of the water several times to clear the surface chop. We also saw a couple of orcas breaching off in the distance near the middle of Haro Strait. On our way back to the dock we had more excitement. Many of the animals on Speiden Island were out feeding in the grass. The mouflon rams were hanging out on the eastern point of Speiden Island in clear view. On our way back through the islands we saw about 8 bald eagles. As we went through the cone islands we saw two ospreys hanging out on their nest, and then we were in for a real surprise. A small Columbian black-tailed deer was swimming in the middle of the channel toward Shaw island. We all watched as she finally reached the shoreline at a steep, rocky spot. She slipped at first but on her second attempt she made it up on the shore, and all the passengers cheered! Other wildlife spotted today included harbor seals, turkey vultures, pigeon guillemots, rhinoceros auklets, pelagic cormorants, a great blue heron, and a belted kingfisher. Naturalist - Bart Rulon

Orca Whales Near Henry Island!

The Island Explorer 3 is on scene with J-Pod! Stay tuned for updates from Naturalist Bart Rulon!

J-pod Off False Bay

The sun started to come out just as we began our trip today. Our first stop was at the south end of Lopez Island, and Castle Island. A bald eagle posed for us on a tree as we rounded the southeastern corner of Lopez. Near Castle Island we saw many pigeon guillemots, a few harbor seals, and one black oystercatcher. Soon we passed by Swirl Rocks and saw a couple more harbor seals and another bald eagle perched on the very top of the rock. It wasn't much longer before we found J-pod heading north along the west side of San Juan Island. We took a look at the trailers in the group that were just south of False Bay. J26, Mike, J27, Blackberry, and J2, Granny, were hanging out together today. The trio swam together for most of the time we watched them. At one point either Mike or Blackberry breached for us two times in a row (see picture above). Soon after that all three of these members of J-pod changed their direction and came over to pay us a visit. We had the engines shut down as we watched them swim by. What a treat for everybody. Other members of J-pod did a couple of cartwheels, lots of tail lobs, and a few more breaches today. On the return trip captain Carl decided to take the scenic route back to the dock by going through the calm waters of the inner San Juan Islands. Naturalist - Bart Rulon

Orca Whales Sighted by Island Explorer 3!

A little fog this morning burned-off to sunshine, a few clouds, and J-Pod Orca Whales on the Salish Sea! Stay tuned to the Whale Report for details from Naturalist Bart Rulon!

A Long Trip Proved a Success!

A Happy Youngster

Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes

Yearling (J42)

Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes

The Finale!!

Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes

"Leaving the dock today we had an idea that it may be a long haul to see the Orcas of J Pod! We had perfect conditions as the Island Explorer 3 headed towards Point Roberts where we hoped to meet J Pod as they traveled south through the Strait of Georgia! Our first showstopper of the day was a hauled-out California Sea Lion who waved us farewell after taking the opportunity for a photo shoot! This slightly overcast day with a patchwork of blue skies peering through followed us on our adventure to see whales! At Peapod Rocks we made a slow down to visit with a mature Bald Eagle and over 40 hauled-out Harbor Seals. Throughout Rosario Strait our guests enjoyed feeding & slow moving Harbor Porpoise. In the Strait of Georgia we saw Pigeon Guillemots, Common Murres, Pelagic Cormorants, Harbor Seals, more Harbor Porpoise, a few more Bald Eagles, Glaucous-winged Gulls, and a few Caspian Terns. We were delighted to find J Pod at Point Roberts as they continued heading south. There was one youngster who appeared to be breach happy as it breached 8 times!! The first couple of whales we visited with was Slick (J16) and her year old little girl, J42. Following these two in the distance was Ruffles (J1) as we watched is 6 foot dorsal fin glide through the water! The group he was traveling with began taillobing, pec slapping, and even cartwheeling which sent that youngster to breaching again!! After a great visit with J pod we unfortunately had to end our visit and just as we departed a large female breached!! What a goodbye that was!! Our guests not only enjoyed an extended trip, traveling in one of the most beautiful parts of the San Juan Islands, the Orcas of J pod, Pacific Loons, Pacific Madrone Trees and Moon Jellies!!" - Naturalist Kate Janes

Lunge Feeding Minke Whale!!

Teetering On The Edge (Harbor Seal)

Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes

Air Happy Minke Whale

Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes

After a Lunge (Minke Whale)

Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes

"We started the day with a little of Washington's finest liquid sunshine! It soon passed once we reached the south end of Lopez Island. Our search began in the Strait of Juan de Fuca for cetaceans! We crept in between Castle Rock and Lopez Island to take a closer look at some hauled-out Harbor Seals, Common Sea Stars, a Black Oystercatcher & rafts of Bull Kelp! From there we entered the into the strait to begin our search. Since none of the whales in the area have any tracking devices on them we rely on our eyes and our vast network of other whale watching boats, fishermen, land spotters, and even ferries to keep track of the marine mammals in the area year round. Today we were the ones to find the first whales!! Near McArthur Bank we found 1, possibly 2 Minke Whales feeding among large numbers of Harbor Seals and Harbor Porpoise!! One of the two Minkes gave us some great looks at its sickle-shaped dorsal fin! We then headed back to Colville Island to see at least 60 hauled-out Harbor Seals on the rocky outcropping surrounding the island. Then at Lawson Reef another elusive Minke Whale appeared! This one was much smaller than our first 2 at about 15-20 feet in length, but did it put on a show!! Every 4 appearance at the surface it would lunge out exposing at times its baleen draping down from its upper jaw!! It was a fantastic visit with 2 confirmed Minke Whales, possibly 3!! We ended the day dry with blue skies peering between light cloud cover. Our guest also enjoyed Rhinoceros Auklets, Pigeon Guillemots, Pacific Madrone Trees, a Bald Eagle, Pacific Loons, Harbor Porpoise, and numerous Harbor Seals!!" - Naturalist Kate Janes

J-Pod in Our Backyard!!

"We headed out today with sunny skies and J-pod just 20 mins off the dock!!! As we came out of Guemes channel, J-Pod was entering Rosario Strait from Bellingham channel. The first subpod we encountered was Slick, Alki , Mike and little J42 (now a year old). We stayed with them till they rounded the southend of Lopez Island. They were spread out into subpod in Rosario and grouped up some as they headed around the southend. We caugh up with Granny J2 and Ruffles J1 at the southend of Lopez, they were the leaders. We sat there as all 25 members of J-pod cruised passed. There were several breaches and Granny gave us a great Spyhop!!! After the whales passed we tucked in between Lopez Island and Castle rock were we found 3 immature and 2 mature bald eagles. We also checked out the eagles nest and several harbor seals sunning themselves on the rocks. We again joined up with J-pod now off Iceberg Pt, Lopez Island. We had our grand finale with several breaches and some tail lobs! Our other wildlife sightings included: Pigeon Guillemots, Rhinoceros Auklets, Turkey Vultures, Black Oystercatchers and Purple Seastars." Naturalist Jami Nagel

Beautiful Day with the Orca Whales!!

Sunshine, calm water, and J-Pod!! Stay tuned for details from Naturalist Kate Janes!

Family (Oreo, Doublestuff & Cookie)

Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes

Take Off (Rhinoceros Auklet)

Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes

A Celebrity (Ruffles)

Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes

"Coming around Cap Sante Point the Island Explorer 3 was first greeted by a snow capped Mt. Baker! With clear skies and the brilliance of the mountain just over our shoulder we headed towards the south end of Lopez Island and towards the orcas of J pod! The waters were teeming with wildlife as we navigated Rosario Strait. Guests could catch glimpses of Harbor Porpoise racing through the water, while Rhinoceros Auklets dove deep into the water for bait fish. As we entered into the waters surrounding Castle Rock Pigeon Guillemots swam around the boat, a Black Oystercatcher was searching for its next meal, Harbor Seals were hauled out on rock outcropping, and Eagles were flying high above us while in the company of soaring Turkey Vultures. It seemed that we weren't the only ones enjoying the sunshine!! It wasn't long and we were with the whales! Enjoying some great passes with some youngsters of J Pod we saw in the distance Ruffles! The oldest male of the Southern Residents, Ruffles, gave our guests some great looks at his 6 foot dorsal fin as he moved with ease through the waters a couple of miles just off of Eagle Point. Then an amazing thing happened! A Minke Whale appeared near Ruffles!! Two whale species in one day; that is what we like to call a doubleheader!! The Minke appeared just 3 times and then vanished! We departed and soon was with Oreo's subpod! The appearance of this family made the day of the Brownie Troop that had joined us today! They had appropriately adopted Oreo's daughter Cookie and this was the first time meeting her!! We had an amazing day in the company of J pod as the milled about the Strait of Juan de Fuca, breached, pec slapped & taillobed. We also saw a record number of Rhinoceros Auklets feeding, Pacific Loons having trouble taking off on a full stomach, Glaucous-winged Gulls, California Sea Lions, and Common Murres! It was the picture perfect day." - Naturalist Kate Janes

J-pod off Henry Island

J16, Slick, and her family

We had beautiful conditions today with sunny skies and calm seas. Before any of the passengers boarded the Island Explorer 3 today we had a bald eagle fly right over us at the top of A dock as captain Michael was briefing them about our trip today. Later we headed south around Lopez island and slowed down to look at wildlife around Castle rock. We saw several harbor seals hauled out on the rocks there. We found J-pod just north of the Lime Kiln Lighthouse on the west side of San Juan Island. We spent most of our time watching J16, Slick, and her family J26, Mike, J33, Keet, J36, Alki, and J42 the youngest member of J-pod. They were all swimming in a close group and surfacing together for some great photo opportunities. Later we moved off-shore to check out J1, Ruffles. He was obviously chasing salmon at the surface with many changes of directions and circling back and forth. We shut down the engines to watch him hunting. He was in hot pursuit of fish on two different occasions then he changed directions and came right over to pay us a visit!! He gave the passengers a good look at just how big an adult orca really is. As we waved goodby to J-pod we drove past Speiden Island and saw many of the exotic animals there such as the mouflon sheep, sika deer, and fallow deer. Several bald eagles and turkey vultures were gathered up on the hillside of Speiden in two groups squabbling over a kill of some sort. Other wildlife sighted today included Canada geese, pelagic cormorants, rhinoceros auklets, pigeon guillemots, and harbor porpoise. What a great day!! Naturalist Bart Rulon

J-Pod Sighted Near Henry Island!

Another great day with J-Pod Orca Whales (and J1, Ruffles!) on the Island Explorer 3! Stay tuned for details on today's tour from Naturalist Bart Rulon!

J-pod asleep then playful

The wind was blowing a little today so Michael decided to take a route through the inner San Juan Islands in order to give everyone a smooth ride. Along the way through the islands we saw hundreds of harbor seals hauled out at various spots. With the low tide passengers also got to see lots of ochre sea stars, both purple and orange, exposed on the rocks by the low water. Bald eagles and turkey vultures seemed to be everywhere today. We probably saw about 15 bald eagles throughout the day and even more turkey vultures. We ended up finding J-pod just north of the Lime Kiln Light House on the west side of San Juan Island. When we arrived they were all swimming close together in a sleeping pattern. 15 -20 minutes later J-pod started to wake up, just as they passed the Center for Whale Research building. First there was a spyhop then a couple of breaches, then some porpoising, then a few cartwheels, then several more breaches, and some tail slaps. Our passengers really got to see a great variety of different orca behaviors today. We left the orcas just as they reached Henry Island. We had sunshine all the way back as we traveled through the inner islands again. Just a few minutes before we reached the dock at Cap Sante Marina we had more excitement as a bald eagle swooped down and caught a fish right in front of the boat. Then another eagle came by to try and get the fish. Soon the fish was back in the water and one of the eagles swooped back down to get it. By that time yet another eagle entered the picture and we had three of them at close range. What a great way to end an action packed day on the water!! Other wildlife sightings today included the belted kingfisher, great blue heron, pelagic cormorant, pigeon guillemot, rhinoceros auklet, Canada goose, and the exotic wildlife on Speiden Island. Naturalist Bart Rulon

Labels: A J-pod sprouter male breaching

Good morning! At 6:30 a.m. this morning we spotted Orca Whales at Bird Rocks!The boat is off the dock at noon today. Whale report to follow later today.

A Sea of Harbor Porpoise

"As we left the marina the extreme low tide exposed normally hidden treasures on the breakwater. Ochre Sea Stars, both purple and pink in coloration, clung to the wooded pilings as we cruised on by! It was at the end of Guemes Island where we found a hauled-out California Sea Lion lounging on a channel marker. Our guests enjoyed the sleepy giant as he "winked" for the cameras! We decided to head south down Rosario Strait and that is where we first encounter large numbers of Harbor Porpoise! Bait balls were forming under the water thanks to the efforts of the porpoise pushing them higher in the water column! Glaucous-winged Gulls, Cormorants and Rhinoceros Auklets started appearing just to join the feast! We continued on our way into the Strait of Juan de Fuca and found small swells quickly building. Our decision to turn back into flat water was only reinforced when we received a call that J pod was north with an undeclared direction. So we started back north hoping for the best- that J pod would head back south putting them back into our range! It became apparent at this point in the trip that it was the day of the Harbor Porpoise! Everywhere we turned their small dorsal fin appeared in the water and then quickly disappear! At Peapod Rocks we found 20+ Harbor Seals hauled-out, a lone Harlequin Duck, 3 Black Oystercatchers and our second Bald Eagle of the day! Unfortunately as we rounded Orcas Island we heard news that J Pod was heading north. Although we didn't see whales today our guests enjoyed the beauty of the islands along with Black Oystercatchers, Harbor Seals, Pelagic Cormorants, Harbor Porpoise, Pacific Madrone Trees, Harlequin Duck, Bald Eagles, Double-crested Cormorants, Dall's Acorn Barnacles, Rhinoceros Auklets, Pigeon Guillemots, Ochre Sea Stars, Pacific Rockweed, and California Sea Lions!" - Naturalist Kate Janes

J Pod in the Strait of Juan de Fuca!

Swimming by for a Visit (Slick- J16)

Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes

Wait up Mom! (Suttles & Samish)
Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes

Getting Air

Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes

"Today we found the Orcas of J pod milling a few miles off Iceberg Point! The first whale we spotted was Riptide, a young male. It was incredible to see how much his dorsal fin had changed just in a matter of a few months!! Over a period of a few years his dorsal fin will go from about 2 feet to just over 6 feet tall once he reaches adulthood. We weren't with him long when he suddenly changed directions. It soon became apparent why when he reappeared next to his mom, Samish, and younger sibling Suttles. We enjoyed a great pass by Samish's sub-pod as they began swimming almost in unison along side the Island Explorer 3! It wasn't long before the other members of J pod started to come into sight. One young whale was particularly happy as it began breaching repeatedly- we counted 9 breaches total!! We ended our time with J pod with a visit with Slick (J16) and last years calf J42 as they continued heading south towards the highlighted Olympic Mountains!! It was great seeing that little girl and just how much she had grown since the fall!! Just like our little ones, Orca calves grow up so fast! The journey was far from over though. Our guests enjoyed 30+ hauled-out Harbor Seals at Colville Island, 3 Black Oystercatchers, Bald Eagles, one gigantic Bald Eagle's nest, a feeding California Sea Lion, 4 hauled out California Sea Lions, Rhinoceros Auklets, Pigeon Guillemots, Pelagic Cormorants, Double-crested Cormorants, Pacific Madrone Trees, Common Sea Stars, Glaucous-winged Gulls, Bull Kelp, Pacific Rockweed, and Dall's Acorn Barnacles!" - Naturalist Kate Janes

Orca and Minke Whales Today!!

The Island Explorer 3 sighted Orca Whales very close to a juvenile Minke Whale! Stay tuned to the Whale Report for details from Naturalist Jami Nagel! "Beautiful weather in the island's and a double header today with 2 types of whales!! We headed north were we caught up with J-pod heading south at Alden Bank just NW of Lummi Island. We stayed with them as they made their way south in Rosario Strait to the southend of Lummi Island. The subpod we were with was Slick (J16) with her offspring Mike (J26), Keet (J33), Alki (J36) and calf J42. There were several breaches, taillobs and some great porpoising!! We also had a Minke whale join in on the action! This Minke thought he was part of the pod, porpoising along with J-pod!! This is not normal behavior seen by our Minke whales. We had a great pass by Blackberry (J-27) a sprouter male. We refer to the maturing males as "sprouter" because their dorsal fins are being to grow or "sprout". The last group we saw before departing were Samish (J-14) with her son Riptide (J-30) and calf Suttles (J-40). We also encountered several bald eagles including a massive eagles nest on Jack Island, numerous Pigeon Gullimots, Rhinoceros Auklets, Pacific loons, harbor seals and a rather lazy California Sealion on a channel marker."

Orca Whales Sighted!!

The Island Explorer 3 has just left the dock to show our guests Orca Whales!! Warm temperatures and sushine will make this a great day to be on the upper viewing deck! Stay tuned for updates from Naturalist Kate Janes as we cruise toward False Bay near Haro Strait!

Old Man of the Sea (Ruffles- J1)

Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes

Taillobing (Mike)

Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes

"On days like today the only place to be is on the water! We weren't the only ones enjoying the heat wave as we passed channel marker #5 with one large California Sea Lion hauled-out! With news of the orca whales of J pod being near False Bay we headed towards the southern end of Lopez Island. We then stopped by my favorite place in the islands, Castle Rock for a slow down to check out the geological history of the islands! Not long after Castle Rock we spotted our first whale! The first whale that we saw was Ruffles, J1! At 57 years young he sure does stand out with his over 6 ft tall dorsal fin!! We spent some great time with this local celebrity (you can see footage of Ruffles in the first installment of the Free Willy Movies)! We even were able to hear his exhalations as he effortlessly moved through the water! After a time we ventured over to another sub-pod who was also continuing in a southward direction. To our delight we enjoyed time with Granny (J2, presumably Ruffles' mom), Mike, Slick and one year old J42 (who will be getting named by the Whale Museum this summer)! We also saw during our journey Rhinoceros Auklets, Bald Eagles, while with Ruffles we actually had an Osprey fly overhead (!!), Pelagic Cormorants, Glaucous-winged Gulls, California Sea Lions, Harbor Seals, Bull Kelp, Pacific Madrona Trees, and Pigeon Guillemots!!" - Naturalist Kate Janes

J Pod Just Off Saturna!!

Belly Flop!

Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes

Spyhop Central

Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes

"Blue skies, above average temperatures & the Orcas of J Pod in the islands who could ask for more?! Well, we sure got much more! Departing from Cap Sante Marina we had 3 Turkey Vultures soaring and eventually perching on the point. Then moments later a mature Bald Eagle was soaring high above Guemes Channel as a mob of Glaucous-winged Gulls followed hoping for a morsel of its future meal! We navigated up Rosario Strait watching Harbor Porpoise feeding in riptides and finally entered into the Strait of Georgia and soon after to the whales!! Guests watched as the 25 members of J pod moved along Saturna's shoreline taillobing, pect slapping, and breaching all along the way!! As they rounded East Point it was as if the rush of the current in the new body of water sent them into a frenzy!! Their activity went through the roof with cartwheels, breaching (one pictured above belly flopped!), multiple spyhops, and bellyrolls!! Ruffles (J1) was unmistakable as he swam with his mom Granny (J2) and the majority of the pod! Although spread out the pod was traveling in sub pods! At one point a whale spyhopped in one sub pod just as another was spyhopping a few hundred yards away in another!! We not only enjoyed the sunshine and the whales but also: Rhinoceros Auklets, Pigeon Guillemots, Harbor Porpoise, California Sea Lions, Pelagic Cormorants, 5 Bald Eagles, and fishing Harbor Seals!!" - Naturalist Kate Janes

J-pod off Eagle Point

We finally had a hot, sunny day today as promised by the weather man. We started off our day with a California sea lion hauled out on a green channel marker in Guemes Channel. While we were watching him an immature bald eagle flew right over us. Next we headed around the south end of Lopez island and stopped at Swirl Rocks to view several Harbor Seals hauled out on the rocks. As we headed over Salmon Bank we saw lots of rhinoceros auklets and 6 pacific loons. Near Eagle Point, on the west side of San Juan Island, we found J-pod spread out over a couple of miles. The first orca we saw was J1, Ruffles, and soon he joined his mom Granny, J2. They were obviously chasing fish with lots of quick direction changes at the surface. Later we moved closer to shore and watched J14, Samish, J40 Suttles, and J30 Riptide. They were pretty active showing us a breach and several spy hops. J40 was playing around doing numerous tail slaps, and at times just holding her tail straight up in the air. Later Riptide looked just like a high jumper when he jumped sideways right over a large log that was drifting around!! I've never seen that before. Unfortunately I was on the microphone talking at the time, and missed that photo opportunity. Riptide also did a spyhop right in the middle of a floating raft of Bull Kelp. The picture shown for today is J30, Riptide doing another one of his spyhops. Other species seen today included harbor porpoise, pigeon guillemots, pelagic cormorants, double-crested cormorants, turkey vultures, and a black oystercatcher. What a great day!! Naturalist, Bart Rulon

Orca Whales in Sight!!

The Island Explorer 3 is heading toward J-Pod and Orca Whales! The Orca Whales were sighted yesterday as well so that's a great sign that they're settling into their normal May pattern! They passed right in front of Anacortes this morning!! Stay tuned for updates from on board Naturalist Bart Rulon!!

Whales in Our Backyard!!

Backdive

Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes

Blackberry Waves (J26)

Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes

Free Ride

Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes

"Hello J Pod!! Just 20 minutes off the dock and we were visiting with the Orcas of J Pod. Arriving on scene we noticed that they were in a playful mood! It was as if they were as excited to see us as we were of them!! We ended up hanging out with Blackberry (J26), a 17 year old male, and Doublestuff, a 10 year old male! Surprising us all Blackberry breached not once but twice creating one HUGE splash!! It seemed every few minutes a whale would spyhop and at one point we witnessed a triple spyhop!!! We also enjoyed tail lobbing, cartwheels, pectoral slaps, back dives, belly rolls, and even porpoising!! After some great time spent with J Pod we ventured ahead of the pod towards the south end of Lopez Island to check out more wildlife!! The liquid sunshine broke as we visited with a Black Oystercatcher and 6 Bald Eagles!!! All of the eagles were closely perched and within a stone's throw of one massive nest!! As we emerged from visiting with the eagles J Pod was rounding the southern end of the island for one last farewell!! We ended with a great note with 2 breaches!!" - Naturalist Kate Janes

4 Pacific White-Sided Dolphins!!

Moving (3 Pacific White-Sided Dolphins)

Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes

Creating "Footprints" (3 Pacific White-Sided Dolphins)

Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes

"Our wildlife adventure began with our first wildlife sighting just outside the marina! In the water a Pigeon Guillemot swam while high above perched on a conifer was a mature Bald Eagle! We entered into the calm waters of Rosario Strait turning south towards the southern end of Lopez Island. Nearing Castle Rock our guests enjoyed close looks at Bull Kelp and a very close encounter with 3 Black Oystercatchers as they flew just over the bow pulpit! Continuing north we came across some hauled out Harbor Seals on Swirl Rocks! During our search for whales we received a call that there were Pacific White-Sided Dolphins near San Juan Island! At first we thought there were 3 of these rare cetaceans visiting our waters, but there were 4!! Guests enjoyed this rare opportunity to visit with these dolphins as they slowly played in our wake and swam just under the surface of the water! Perfect conditions followed us throughout our journey as we spent time with Rhinoceros Auklets, Pacific Loons, Cormorants, Glaucous-winged Gulls, hundreds of Harbor Porpoises, a total of 5 Bald Eagles, and hauled-out California Sea Lions!! Unfortunately the whales did not make a guest appearance, thus making the Pacific White-Sided Dolphins the real showstoppers!" - Naturalist Kate Janes

A Wildlife Welcome!

Brown-eyed Land Sausages

Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes

Baby Harbor Porpoise in Rosairo Strait

Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes

The Popular Hang Out

Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes

"We left the dock and shortly after received a call that the Orcas of J Pod were just north of our northern most range and were heading south! We set course and kicked it into gear hoping that they would continue in our direction. As we passed Guemes Island we found 3 mature Bald Eagles perched high in conifers, Pigeon Guillemots fishing in the surrounding waters, and Rhinoceros Auklets swimming along in pairs. News came that as the tide was turning so were the whales and in the wrong direction! We decided to play our odds and head south into the Straits of Juan De Fuca where Transient Orcas & Minke Whales had been seen in recent days since J Pod was now out of range. Rosario Straits produced hundreds of feeding Harbor Porpoise, 2 more Bald Eagles, and many feeding & hauled-out Harbor Seals! At the south end of Lopez Island we tucked in near Castle Rock for some close looks at Black Oystercatchers, more hauled-out Harbor Seals, Purple Sea Stars, and an enormous Bald Eagles nest!! We then made our way into the straits searching in a grid pattern for whales. Although today ended our whale streak (now 44 out of 45 tours have seen whales) our guests enjoyed amazing water conditions, Surf Scoters, Glaucous-winged Gulls, Loons, California Sea Lions, and the most Harbor Porpoise of the year!! Our guests will however get the opportunity to come out with us for free with their Fluke Pass!" - Naturalist Kate Janes

First 2008 Tour from Anacortes May 10th!

Our 2008 Everett Gray Whale Program was the best yet! We had Gray Whale sightings on 44 out of 44 tours and saw lots of activity! Our guests saw fluking, spyhops, and breaches! We also had Minke Whale, and a juvenile Humpback Whale sightings, Sea Lions, Dall's and Harbor Porpoises, Eagles, Seals, and numerous other wildlife sightings!! Tomorrow, May 10th, we will be searching for Orca Whales! We have had reports of Orca Whales in our area today and we can't wait to show our guests lots of Whale and wildlife sightings tomorrow as we tour through the San Juan Islands!!

Everett Gray Whale Program 100%!

Jetty Island was full of bald eagles and osprey as we slowly left the dock this morning. Caspian terns circled overhead as we headed over to check out a California sea lion hauled out on a green channel marker. Later we moved south and found our first gray whale just north of Mukilteo. He wasn't surfacing very often in between long dives so we headed northwest toward Camano Island to look for more whales. As we neared Camano we spotted three gray whales along the shores of Whidbey Island just south of Langley. It was #21, #22, and #383. They were all swimming very close together at a slow pace, and we watched them for a while before we peeled off to check out the eagle's nest on the south end of Camano Island. We saw three eagles there with one perched in the trees and two soaring above the island. Next we headed back to find our three gray whales again, and they were right where we left them! They were all still swimming and surfacing together and they slowly made their way toward Hat Island as the sun broke out of the clouds for good finally. When they reached Hat Island the whales started to feed near the shoreline and they raised their tail flukes several times. They gave us a great show. Later as we headed back toward the dock we found yet another gray whale. What a great way to end our two month stay in Everett, with a 100% whale sighting record. Other wildlife sighted today included western grebes, rhinoceros auklets, barrows goldeneyes, double-crested cormorants, brant, canada geese, and harbor seals. We moved the boat back up to Anacortes tonight after our trip. Stay tuned for more whale reports from Anacortes. Naturalist Bart Rulon

Gray Whales & Dall's Porpoise in Saratoga Passage!

A Patchy Head (GW #49)

Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes

"We started our day with our old friend Patch, #49, just off the south end of Gedney Island. He gave us some great looks as guests captured him slowly rolling through the water exposing his large white patch on his side! Another whale was spotted close by heading towards the Snohomish River delta! The extreme low tide of the day left the delta bottoms exposed. Guests spotted at a distance several Bald Eagles sitting in the mud enjoying stranded critters!! Then in the distance yet another exhalation from a third Gray Whale!! We met up with #531 in the waters of Port Susan. With a short visit with him we turned our attention to a pair of Bald Eagles and some curious Harbor Seals! The day just continued getting better by the minute. We rounded Camano Head and as we entered Saratoga Passage we found two more Gray Whales; a total of 5 for the day!! At first we identified #44 and enjoyed the sounding of his flukes! Then as we moved across the channel towards #383 we encountered Dall's Porpoise mid-channel!! Their slow dives quickly changed as they picked up speed creating huge rooster tails as they cut through the water! Our guests not only enjoyed 5 Gray Whales, Dall's Porpoise, Western Grebes, Bald Eagles, Pigeon Guillemots, Harbor Porpoise, Caspian Tern's, Osprey's, Glaucous-winged Gulls, and Cormorants!! " - Naturalist Kate Janes

Whale Soup!!

Showering Luck

Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes

Balancing Act (great spot David!)

Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes

Third Wheel

Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes

"It's a bird, it's a plane...no there really is a bird and a plane!! And there were Gray Whales on the horizon!! Departing the marina Glaucous-winged Gulls, Bald Eagles, Caspian Terns, and Cormorants were flying about while high over head 3 planes could be seen (two of which were commercial crafts and one a small island hopper)!! Our focus remained on the water as we ventured toward Gray Whales #383 & # 21!! Shortly after two more whales that were farther north started moving south towards us!! It sure seemed like whale soup as #49 & #22 came south and it looked like all four whales were going to join up. To our surprise these two pairs stayed separated but in close enough proximity that we could enjoy both groups!! After enjoying the company of #383 & #21 we said our goodbye's to identify and introduce #49, Patch, & #22 to our passengers! It was on this encounter that our guests enjoyed the "all-day" breath of the Gray Whale (their "morning breath" seems to last all day)!! All four whales treated us to an array of behaviors from deep dives producing a glimpse of their flukes to feeding behaviors! Before long our journey took us to Camano Head where a young passenger spotted something in the water!! A log!! But not just any log this log had a passenger of its own. A young Harbor Seal pup had found refuge from the cold waters on this "make-shift" island!! Then out of the waters yet another Gray Whale appeared!! Gray Whale #44 was our fifth whale of the day!! We then visited with a pair of Bald Eagles at home near their nest! It was another incredible day in the sound with fishing Great Blue herons in the shallow waters of Jetty Island, feeding Pigeon Guillemots, hauled-out California Sea Lions, soaring eagles, croaking Western Grebes, and fast flying Surf Scoters!!" - Naturalist Kate Janes

Sunscreen Needed!

"It was a day of soaking up the sun while in the company of wildlife! Leaving the marina we spotted a juvenile & mature Bald Eagle perched on Jetty Island. As we departed towards a hauled out California Sea Lion, a Harbor Seal seemed to follow the boat enjoying our slight wake! It wasn't long and our first 2 Gray Whales of the day were seen heading towards the river delta! The calm water conditions made it possible to follow the whales movements through their footprints (what I call fluke prints)!! If one looked closely just moments before #22 and his companion (whom I was unable to identify) broke the surface of the water bubbles could be seen!! In these calm and clear conditions you can actually see the whales starting to exhale just below the surface as they ascend towards fresh air!! As the two whales moved further into the shallow waters another whale appeared in the distance towards Gedney Island. We departed the two in order to spend some time with the 3rd whale, who turned out to be Patch, #49!! Effortlessly Patch moved with grace proving our guests with great looks and even fluking!! On our journey we visited a Bald Eagle's nest, listened to the croaking of large rafts of Western Grebes, saw Surf Scoters fly by, watched as Rhinoceros Auklets dove for their next meal, witnessed a Harbor Seal feeding at the surface and enjoyed the company of three Gray Whales all on a brilliant May day!" - Naturalist Kate Janes

Humpback and Gray Whales on Today's Tour!!

Wow! A Humpback Whale in May? You never know what nature will show you each day!! Stay tuned to the Whale Report for details on the sighting of two species of whales from Naturalist Jami Nagel! "Our 11 am trip we headed out finding our first gray whale feeding in the river delta just east of Hat Island. We watched him feed for awhile and then headed to the south end of Whidbey Island. That is where we encountered a juvenille Humpback whale!! We had our first double header (2 diffent types of whales) of the season! The humpback was feeding in a tide line just SE of Whidbey. We also saw bald eagles, western grebes, harbor seals, California sea lions and a large raft of Pacific Loons!" " Our evening trip was treated to some sunshine and 3 gray whales! The first 2 were in shore just north of Everett. We watched them for awhile then headed north to our third whale in Tulalip bay just off Port Susan. After leaving this whale we headed over and checked out several bald eagles and the eagles nest at the south end of Camano Island. As we headed back toward Everett we encountered our fourth Gray whale, #49 Patch. "

Breaching Gray Whale!

Mirror Image (GW #383)

Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes

Another great day on calm water and our guests got to see a Gray Whale Breach! Stay tuned to the Whale Report for an update from Naturalist Kate Janes! "What a day, what a day! We were all enjoying a lazy afternoon watching #22 & #383 feeding in the shallow waters of the river delta when they decided to move into deep waters!! I should have seen something remarkable coming since both of these whales have spyhopped on different occasions this year! Then next thing we know a 45 foot, 30 ton whale BREACHES out of the water!!! This is our first breach of the year!! Not only was the breach amazing, but the splash resulting from the whale coming crashing back into the water was incredible!! We continued to enjoy the feeding activities of both #22 & #383 when two more Gray Whales came to join in the smorgasbord!! One of the new comers was good old Patch, #49. At one moment we had all 4 Gray Whales with pectoral fins and half flukes exposed at the surface as the rooted around in the sediment for ghost shrimp!! After a time we departed from the Gray Whales and headed north towards Camano Island. On our travels we enjoyed looks at Harbor Seals, Surf Scoters, and Western Grebes. On Camano Island we were treated to 3 mature Bald Eagles!! We witnessed one eagle collecting material for a nest expansion and as it flew along the treeline we heard its call from across the water!! What an amazing day! We also spent time with Brandt's Cormorants, Double-crested Cormorants, Osprey, Pigeon Guillemots, California Sea Lions and 4 talkative Caspian Terns!!" - Naturalist Kate Janes

5 Gray Whales Rolling Around in the Shallows

We started out our day sighting at least one gray whale before we even left the dock, thanks to Mark's steady hand with the binoculars. A few moments later we saw three immature bald eagles on Jetty Island, and two California sea lions hauled out on their favorite green marker. We made our way toward two gray whales hanging out together west of Jetty Island. One of the whales was Patch, #49. They were both heading toward the shallows. Once they got there the whales turned on their sides to feed, exposing their pectoral flippers and their tail flukes at the same time with lots of splashing around. We watched for a long time as they fed continuously while large flocks of western grebes, surf scoters, white-winged scoters, and Glaucous-winged gulls watched close by. Later we saw three new gray whales heading in our direction, and decided to give them a closer look. As we approached one of the whales did a big spyhop. I was able to identify one of the grays as #22. The three grays joined our first group of two and soon all five were rolling around in the shallows feeding. As the sun broke out we headed north to take a look at the bald eagle's nest on Camano Island. The female was in the nest, and we saw two other bald eagles nearby along with a red-tailed hawk. On the way back we revisited our large group of gray whales. They had moved in closer to land with the rising tide, and they were still feeding in very shallow waters. What a treat to see 5 gray whales hanging out so close together! Naturalist - Bart Rulon

Whale Watching Report

Saturday, May 31, 2008

Orca and Minke Whales Sighted by Island Explorer 3!

Friday, May 30, 2008

J Pod South of Point Roberts!

Thursday, May 29, 2008

J-pod moving fast off Henry Island

Orca Whales Near Henry Island!

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

J-pod Off False Bay

Orca Whales Sighted by Island Explorer 3!

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

A Long Trip Proved a Success!

Monday, May 26, 2008

Lunge Feeding Minke Whale!!

Sunday, May 25, 2008

J-Pod in Our Backyard!!

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Beautiful Day with the Orca Whales!!

Thursday, May 22, 2008

J-pod off Henry Island

J-Pod Sighted Near Henry Island!

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

J-pod asleep then playful

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

A Sea of Harbor Porpoise

Monday, May 19, 2008

J Pod in the Strait of Juan de Fuca!

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Orca and Minke Whales Today!!

Saturday, May 17, 2008

Orca Whales Sighted!!

Friday, May 16, 2008

J Pod Just Off Saturna!!

Thursday, May 15, 2008

J-pod off Eagle Point

Orca Whales in Sight!!

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Whales in Our Backyard!!

Monday, May 12, 2008

4 Pacific White-Sided Dolphins!!

Saturday, May 10, 2008

A Wildlife Welcome!

Friday, May 9, 2008

First 2008 Tour from Anacortes May 10th!

Thursday, May 8, 2008

Everett Gray Whale Program 100%!

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Gray Whales & Dall's Porpoise in Saratoga Passage!

Monday, May 5, 2008

Whale Soup!!

Sunday, May 4, 2008

Sunscreen Needed!

Saturday, May 3, 2008

Humpback and Gray Whales on Today's Tour!!

Friday, May 2, 2008

Breaching Gray Whale!

Thursday, May 1, 2008

5 Gray Whales Rolling Around in the Shallows

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