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

One Gray Whale Found in Record Time

Gray whale #21 rolls around for us!

There he blows!

Courting Western Grebes

We found a whale for our passengers in record time today. We had just passed the southern tip of Jetty Island, and I picked up the microphone to tell the passengers that we were now in waters that could have gray whales. Before I could open up my mouth a gray whale surfaced! He came up a few more times then he moved into the shallows where we couldn't get a very close-up look at him. So we decided to look for more whales. Along the way we spotted thousands of western grebes, lots of surf scoters, white-winged scoters, bald eagles and cormorants. At the north end of Hat Island the harbor seals seemed to be everywhere, and we got many close up views of them cruising by us lazily. We circled around Hat Island, but we were unable to spot any other whales, so we headed back to find the first whale. He wasn't very far from where we left him. He was swimming in shallow water and wasn't diving very deeply. He would just lift his head up for a breath and then slowly sink back under time after time. Only on a few occasions did he raise his back out of the water. From the little bit of his back that I did see, it appeared to be #21. He was very consistent in his actions and our passengers could often see him swimming just underneath the surface. Viewing from our upper deck is perfect for looking into the water and seeing whales before they come up. When we finally decided that it was time to head back to the dock, our gray whale started to get very active, giving our passengers a great finale. He raised his head high out of the water, slipped back into the water, sent a bunch of bubbles up, and then rolled over with a big splash giving everybody a great view of his body. Along with ideal weather conditions we had a fantastic day on the water. Naturalist Bart Rulon

Gray Whales off Gedney Island

The Island Explorer 3 is on-scene with Gray Whales, just to the Southwest of Gedney Island, near Everett. Stay tuned for updates from Naturalist Bart Rulon. Yes, we found Patch, #49, quickly after leaving the dock today. He circled around and swam right toward us. Captain Mike turned off the engines and Patch eventually swam very close, giving our passengers great views. Patch also raised his tail flukes in to the air on two different occasions. After watching Patch for about 45 minutes we decided to look for more whales and within five minutes we spotted #22 and watched him for about 20 minutes. He also gave us some very close up views as he circled the boat. Next we cruised north and found yet another gray whale, and were able to watch him for about 15 minutes. I didn't get a very good photograph of this whale, but it looked to me like #21. Other interesting wildlife sightings today included a bald eagle chasing an osprey for 5 minutes, and California sea lions, harbor seals, western grebes, common loons, surf scoters, double-crested cormorants, white-winged scoters, and pigeon guillemots. The conditions were sunny and calm making today's trip ideal for spotting wildlife! Naturalist Bart Rulon

Six Gray Whales Seen!

"Right off the bat we found our first two Gray Whales just outside the marina! This gave our guests a taste of what was to come as we continued on towards a shallow bank at the south end of Gedney Island. There we found our old friend Patch, #49, who was moving slowly along the bank giving us great looks at his dorsal ridge and even exposing the large patch on his right side!! Just before departing Patch made a deep dive lifting his fluke out of the water as he began to turn to his side in order to start feeding at the bottom!! We continued northward towards the north end of Gedney where we found Dubnuck, #44, #21, & #53 cutting their own grid of Gedney's northern bank before peeling off towards Langley! It was yet another great day out on the water with not only 6 fantastic Gray Whales, but also California Sea Lions, Cormorants, Pigeon Guillemots, White-winged Scoters, Surf Scoters, Bald Eagles, and Gulls!" - Naturalist Kate Janes

Rare Opportunity

"The Island Explorer 3 departed once again under a brilliant blue sky and found whales very close to the marina. We actually found our first two Gray Whales within moments of leaving a couple of California Sea Lions at marker #5. The two cruised in the shallows barely exposing their massive backs as they gracefully slid back into the water! After enjoying their presence for a few respiration's we ventured north towards Camano Head where we had heard news that the body of a deceased Gray Whale was located. Often when a marina mammal dies the body sinks never to be seen again, but will nourish other organisms in the watery depths. There are times however when their bodies are washed ashore allowing scientists the opportunity to perform a necropsy. This allows for valuable insight into the life of the individual but also is helpful in understanding the species as a whole. So imagine the knowledge that can be obtained from a Gray Whale that we know died mid-afternoon yesterday. The whale was in tow behind a small boat and will be turned over to Cascadia Research to perform the necropsy to find out the cause of death. After a brief visit Captain Carl spotted 3 Gray Whales near Camano Head moving towards Port Susan. So we went over to visit with #21, #22 & #53 before having to return back to the dock. Our guests enjoyed great looks at the three giants as they swam in close proximity to one another and we even got to enjoy their smelly breaths!!" - Naturalist Kate Janes

Total of 6 Gray Whales Seen Today!

AM: "Once again we were blessed with another beautiful day out on the water with some incredible wildlife! The morning trip had the unique opportunity to see the area transform with an extreme low tide (12 foot difference!)!! Our first Gray Whale of the day was found outside of the marina. Moments later we found another whale near Gedney Island which turned out to be Patch! He gave us a great look at his fluke right when another whale was spotted at Camano Head! In total we found 4 Gray Whales (#21, #49, #53 and our first whale of the day that we were unable to identify)! Also seen were Surf Scoter, Bald Eagles fighting in air and half a dozen sitting in the intertidal zone of the Snohomish River Delta, White-winged Scoters, Western Grebes, Red-necked Grebes, Cormorants, Caspian Terns, Pigeon Guillemots, California Sea Lions, Harbor Seals & Rhinoceros Auklets!
PM: "Whales everywhere! Our evening trip lead us around the west side of Gedney Island and over top its north end where we spotted a couple of Gray Whales feeding near Mission Beach! We found #53 & #22 in the shallows feeding near some recreational kayaks and one man who was on a surf board!! Uninterested in the people the whales continued south towards the Snohomish River Delta venturing further into the shallow waters! Knowing that we ourselves did not wish to become a permanent fixture on the delta we ventured off towards Gedney Island after seeing a couple of blows from two other whales (#49 & #383). These two allowed our guests some great looks at their huge flukes and they were able to hear the sound of the whales exhalations!" - Naturalist Kate Janes

Tales of Whales! - Saturday, April 25

AM: "It was unbelievable...truly it was. After seeing two Harbor Seals at the dock while Captain Carl was introducing the crew he found a Gray Whale literally right outside of the marina! A new record has been set and the only way to break it would be if a whale were to come inside the marina! We watched as he made is way along Jetty Island slowly sinking back through the water, barely arching due to how shallow the water was! We found some more of his friends- Patch (#49) at the south end of Gedney Island and another whale near the Washington State Ferries terminal at Clinton."
PM: "The summer time conditions spilled over into our evening trip and so did the whales! Our guests enjoyed visiting with Patch (#49), #383 & #22! We found Patch at the edge of the Snohomish River Delta and during one respiration his exhalation produced a rainbow as he set into a deep dive bringing his massive fluke out of the water! Did I mention that this all occurred right in front of the day marker where a mature Bald Eagle was perched?! Truly a beautiful moment!" - Naturalist Kate Janes

An Old Friend Found

"Our guests a day out on the water under brilliant blue skies and amazing wildlife! Our first stop was at a channel marker that held two juvenile California Sea Lions who were enjoying the warmth the rays of sunshine were providing! Less than a mile from the sea lions Captain Carl found our first Gray Whale of the day! Good o' Patch, #49, gave us some great looks as he navigated and feed at the south end of Gedney Island! The sound of his exhalation carried to the passengers who gasped at its beauty. The calm blue waters lead us to another whale who we barely saw! It was a difficult find because of its very shallow rolls- the whale more so sank back into the watery depths than rolled forward- and its small exhalation which was barely visible! We had a wonderful visit with this unidentifiable whale (because there was little exposure of its back) as it remained in very shallow water stirring up mud as it fed. There were a few respiration's where the whale's back was exposed at the surface as it continued swimming forward between exhalations! This was definitely an unique view of the gray giant! We headed back to the marina after one final visit with Patch as he gave us great looks! Also seen on today's tour were Harbor Seals, Western Grebes, Surf Scoters, Forester's Tern, Bald Eagles, Common Loons, Cormorants and Gulls!" - Naturalist Kate Janes

Beautiful weather and four whales

The sun came out just in time for our trip today. We started out watching a bald eagle and some ospreys on Jetty Island then moved on to watch a California sea lion hauled out on a channel marker. Soon Captain Carl spotted our first gray whale. It was Patch, #49, and he gave us a half an hour or more of great viewing. For a while he appeared to be following, at very close range, a seal or sea lion! Next we decided to look for more gray whales and our search paid off when we reached the north end of Hat Island and found three gray whales swimming together. They were swimming against the shoreline and moving pretty fast, but they were pretty active. Many times they would raise their tail flukes hi in the air. We identified #22, #383, and #356 in this group. Other wildlife spotted today included western grebes, common loons, more bald eagles, a marbled murrelet, and surf scoters. Naturalist Bart Rulon

Four Gray Whales Today!

The temperature was cold outside today but the gray whales didn't seem to mind. Before we left the dock today Captain Mike spotted one gray whale on the west side of Jetty Island. As we motored out to take a look we spotted two California sea lions each on it's own channel marker. Soon we were on scene with the gray whale, and it turned out that there were two instead of one. They were in very shallow water so we weren't able to get very close and they were staying down for longer than usual. So, we decided to look for more gray whales in deeper water, and before long we had spotted two more gray whales swimming in deeper water near the southeast side of Hat Island. Patch, #49, and #22 were swimming our way and we watched them for about forty five minutes as they surfaced a multitude of times close together. They didn't appear to be doing any deep dives. We decided to circumnavigate Hat Island next in order to look for more wildlife. Our plan paid off when we spotted one bald eagle standing on the shoreline and two more bald eagles chasing each other around. To finish off our day we visited Patch and #22 for one last look. It turned out to be our best views of the day as both gray whales swam very close giving our passengers some awesome viewing. Other wildlife spotted today included harbor seals, western grebes, a variety of cormorants, and lots of common loons. Naturalist Bart Rulon

Wildlife Coming Out of the Woodwork!!

"The day began on a fantastic note! As our passengers boarded the Island Explorer 3 an Osprey made a close pass over the bow of the boat giving us great looks at its beautiful markings! Shortly after leaving the dock we ventured towards Jetty Island to take a look at the mate of our early visitor sitting prominently on their nest! Outside of the marina it wasn't long before we noticed some thrashing about in the water towards the Snohomish River we ventured closer to find a California Sea Lion enjoying some brunch as a few Bonaparte's Gulls hoped for a morsel. Then Captain Carl saw the blow...two Gray Whales feeding in the shallow waters of the delta!!! The closest one, #22, gave us some great looks as he ventured off the delta a bit allowing us some great looks! Later in our journey this same whale was feeding in 10 ft of water exposing his pectoral & partial fluke as he wiggled through the silty waters!! We also saw 5 Bald Eagles, Surf Scoters, Harbor Seals, Cormorants, Western Grebes and Common Loons! It was another beautiful day out on the water with fantastic wildlife and incredible summer-like weather!!" - Naturalist Kate Janes

Gray Whale #53 Close to Marina!!

"Our first stop on today's journey was to visit at a navigational marker that was providing the perfect haul-out location for a juvenile California Sea Lion! Just moments later Captain Michael spotted two Gray Whales making their way south in our direction!! The two gentle giants (#53 and a friend we were unable to get a clear photo for identification) made their way to the Snohomish River Delta. After a brief visit to the delta #53 peeled off and made his way towards the south end of Gedney Island allowing our guests the opportunity to hear his exhalations! As we enjoyed the warmest day of 2009 thus far we also enjoyed a chorus of Western Grebes croaking in a huge raft, curious Harbor Seals, an immature Bald Eagle perched on the Snohomish River day marker, Surf Scoters and a California Sea Lion who seemed to be enjoying the beautiful day as much as we were as he floated at the surface with half of his flipper out of the water!!" - Naturalist Kate Janes

Big Day on the Water! - Friday, April 18

"It was a day that will be remember for a long time! We were privileged to have on board the Island Explorer 3 John Calambokidis, of Cascadia Research, accompanied by two interns to observe, photograph and enjoy the Gray Whales along side our guests! And were we all in for a treat! Surrounding the waters of Gedney Island we had not one, not two, not even 3 Gray Whales but FIVE!! Identified were Gray Whale #49, #21, #723, #53 and #44. In the distance we could see more blows (at least one other individual) heading towards the Snohomish River Delta! The whales slowly cruised the waters, at times bringing their huge flukes out signaling a deep dive, and as we followed 3 to the delta a feeding frenzy ensued! Pectoral fins and half flukes were exposed at the surface as the giants wiggled about in the sediment feeding on Ghost Shrimp! The whales weren't the only wildlife that turned out- we had a pair of Bald Eagles fishing near the whales scooping low to the water to snag a fish! Also seen were Osprey on their nest, Surf Scoters, Western Grebes, Harbor Seals and a lounging California Sea Lion!!" - Naturalist Kate Janes

At least three gray whales today

No that's not a rock, it's a gray whale close-up, barnacles and all!

#49, Patch, shows us his tail flukes.

Two bald eagles arguing about something?

A common loon gives us a fly-by.

We started out today with a gray whale swimming in the shallows of the river delta just outside Jetty Island. He was showing us his tail flukes and pectoral fins as he swam sideways to feed. We watched this whale for about half an hour then we cruised north to look for another whale that captain Carl had seen earlier. We couldn't find that whale so we headed back to look at our first whale again but he picked up another whale buddy or two by the time we got there. One of these whales ended up being #49, Patch, and we couldn't tell for sure if he was joined by two other whales or just one. In any event Patch gave us the best tail fluke views as he raised his tail high in the air on a couple of different occasions for us. At one point, Patch, and one other gray whale swam right over to us giving our passengers great close-up views. Other wildlife that we spotted today included California sea lions, Harbor seals, common loons, brant, surf scoters, bald eagles, osprey, double crested cormorants, western grebes, and a red-necked grebe. Naturalist Bart Rulon

5 Gray Whales Sighted

A gray whale pectoral fin and a common loon during our morning trip.

Two gray whales surface together during our afternoon trip!

Captain Mike called in from the Island Explorer 3 to report that our guests are on-scene with 5 Gray Whales. Stay tuned to the Whale Report for details from Naturalist Bart Rulon. Today was a great day to have our first double trips, with one at 11am and one at 3pm. Our first trip started out with very calm seas and filtered sunshine. We spotted a California sea lion hauled out on a channel marker about 15 minutes into the trip. Shortly after that we spotted our first gray whale of the day. It was #49, Patch, and we watched him for about 25 minutes. He gave us many great looks at his signature "patch" on his back. He swam over toward a marker that had four bald eagles perched on it, two adults and two immatures. Next we cruised northward looking for more whales, and we found our second on the north side of Hat Island. This was #22 and he was swimming very close to shore. He was in such shallow water at times that we could see his pectoral flippers and his tail flukes in the air as he swam sideways feeding on the bottom. As he moved into deeper water he raised his tail flukes high in the air on a couple of occasions giving everybody great looks at this tail. On our morning trip we also spotted lots of harbor seals, harbor porpoises, common loons, double crested cormorants, pigeon guillemots, red-breasted mergansers, and surf scoters. On our second trip of the day we started out with two California sea lions on the channel marker that had one on it earlier. Again, soon after that we started spotting whales. We spotted three gray whales near the marker which earlier in the day had 4 eagles on it. As we got closer we could see that they were feeding in very shallow water. They were raising their pectoral flippers and tail flukes as they fed. I was able to identify one of them as #22. This time the marker had two bald eagle perched on it, one adult and one immature bird. The gray whales swam right next to the marker. We watched these three gray whales for about an hour as they gave us plenty of action. While watching them we also spotted two others off in the distance and decided to cruise over to give them a look. #383 swam our way. He was making some deeper dives, and raising his tail flukes high in the air so we followed him for a while. Everybody was thrilled with how many photo opportunities he presented by showing off his tail flukes! Soon it was time to head back to the dock, but we got stuck in more whale traffic, so Captain Mike slowed down to give our original gray whales another look. Other wildlife spotted on our afternoon trip included surf scoters, harbor seals, double crested cormorants, and common loons. We sure had two action packed trips for our passengers today! Naturalist Bart Rulon

Glistening Backs of 3 Gray Whales- Thursday, April 16th

"Our journey today lead us just outside the marina to a shallow bank off the south end of Gedney Island where we found Gray Whale #383 cutting feeding patterns! After some great looks and time spent with him we saw in the distance two more whales! So heading north along the east side of Gedney we caught up with Patch, #49, and #723 affectionately referred to by Captain Michael as "LP" or Little Patch! They made a wide turn about mid-island and quickly made their way towards the very same bank #383 had been feeding at! Also seen on today's adventure included Rhinoceros Auklets, Western Grebes, Osprey, Harbor Seals, and Bald Eagles!" - Naturalist Kate Janes

Gray Whale Convention

"We found our first whale of the day moving off the bank at the south end of Gedney Island at a pretty good clip! Gray Whale #383 gave us some great looks as he gracefully moved through the water showing off his barnacles and splotches of sea lice that clustered about his head. After a great visit with him we ventured north where we found Patch (#49) and #723 making a sharp turn southward towards Gedney's southern bank- where #383 had been feeding on. Our guests enjoyed #723 showing off his fluke on one of his deep dives! The two giants eventually synchronized their respiration's allowing our guests the opportunity for some fantastic photos of the two side-by-side! Also seen today were Western Grebes, Double-crested Cormorants, Bald Eagles, Osprey, Harbor Seals, Rhinoceros Auklets and Glaucous-winged Gulls!" - Naturalist Kate Janes

Whales and Spring(?) Weather

"Gray Whales in sight," reported Captain Carl from the Island Explorer 3. Our hearty passengers saw the whales today in a huge variety of weather - a good day for coffee and hot chocolate from the galley! Stay tuned for details from Naturalist Kate Janes. "Under a blanket of gray clouds we found 2 Gray Whales at the south end of Gedney Island. We found Patch, #49, & #723 in the only break in the clouds that allowed the sun to shine through onto the Island Explorer 3! Their exhalations appeared white as the giants slowly rolled through the water exposing their barnacle ridden backs! After some great looks we ventured north along the western side of Gedney Island were we found Western Grebes, Rhinoceros Auklets, a Harbor Seal, and a couple of Bald Eagles soaring high above the water perhaps in search of their next meal! Just past Camano Head it began to hail! Yes, it was hailing but we didn't care for there were 2 more Gray Whales enjoying the massage the hail provided! There were even a few Harbor Porpoise swimming fairly close to their larger cetacean cousins!" - Naturalist Kate Janes

19 Tours In A Row With Gray Whales

The Island Explorer 3 is on-scene with 3 Gray Whales. That makes 19 tours in a row with the whales and 100% sighting success! Stay tuned to the Whale Report for an update from Naturalist Kate Janes. "Happy Easter! Our guests traded egg hunting for whale watching!! We found 2 Gray Whales just moments after leaving the marina! Patch , #49, and #723 were found at the south end of Gedney Island slowly making their way towards the Snohomish River Delta. Gently rolling and occasionally just sinking back down into the water these 2 giants produced some very stinky breath! Captain Carl made sure to give all of our passengers every opportunity to experience it for themselves as we were "treated" to multiple whiffs! After enjoying some great looks we ventured north towards Camano Head where we found yet another Gray Whale (#531) which showed off its fluke a couple of times!" - Naturalist Kate Janes

5 Gray Whales Today!

#49, Patch, and #53 at the surface together.

#531 gives us a wave goodbye as we pull away.

We lucked out on the weather today. Somehow we avoided any rain, and the sun even came out. Captain Shane spotted the first couple of gray whales of our trip at the north end of Hat Island. It turned out to be #49, Patch, and #53. The wind was brisk and the waves forced these two gray whales to raise their heads high out of the water on several occasions when they surfaced to breath. They circled around a couple of times as we watched them, and they gave us many good, close up, views. Next we decided to move northward, where we found three more gray whales just offshore from Langley on Whidbey Island. Another whale watching boat was watching these whales when we arrived. I was able to identify two of the three to be #22, and #531. All three were surfacing very close to each other as they swam slowly toward Camano Island. Just before we left the scene two of the three whales raised their tail flukes high into the air as if to wave goodbye! Next we cruised around Camano Head to look at the bald eagle's nest there, and it looked like the female bald eagle was incubating her eggs. On our way back home we were in for another treat as we spotted gray whales #49 and #53 yet again! We watched them for a few more minutes and then we drove over to look at a California sea lion resting on a channel marker. We circled him once, but he barely seemed to take notice of our 100 foot long boat close by. It was definitely an action packed trip for us today, so much so that we got back to the dock a little later than usual in order to take it all in. Naturalist Bart Rulon

Two Gray Whales Today

#49, Patch, showing us his patch.

#53 and #49, Patch, sufacing together.

Before we left the dock today I was able to spot two gray whales swimming close to Whidbey Island. As we left the dock we saw a pair of osprey at their nest, and three bald eagles, one immature and two adults, all on Jetty Island. By the time we reached the area where I originally saw the whales, they had moved, but we eventually found them between Hat Island and Camano Island. It was #49, Patch, and #53. They spent most of their time swimming in big circles as we watched them. The water was very calm today making it easy to spot wildlife on the surface. We saw lots of harbor seals in the water today, and hundreds of western grebes too. Naturalist Bart Rulon

Circumnavigation of Gedney Island- Thursday, April 9th

"Our guests were in for a special treat as Captain Carl had spotted a mature Bald Eagle feeding close to shore on Jetty Island. Deciding to take a closer look we ventured in and found out the Eagle was feeding on the carcass of a Harbor Seal!! Nearby we had the chance to visit with a pair of Osprey sitting on their nest! Then it was onto the whales! We found Patch #49 & #723 feeding at the south end of Gedney Island. After some great looks and getting a whiff of their breath we wrapped around the north end of Gedney and found to our delight another whale (#53)!! As he traveled gracefully through the water he rolled fully through a couple of times exposing his massive fluke! Also seen today were Western Grebes, California Sea Lions, Rhinoceros Auklets, swimming Harbor Seals, Cormorants, Red-necked Grebes & Pigeon Guillemots!" - Naturalist Kate Janes

Visits with 3 Gray Whales!

"Moments outside of the marina two Gray Whales were heading towards Mukilteo's Ferry terminal. Shortly after arriving on scene our guests had the privilege of experiencing the stinky smell of a Gray Whales breath! Patch, #49, and his buddy #53 slowly maneuver through the water rising effortlessly up and then down. After some great looks we ventured North as Captain Carl had found us another whale. Presumably it was "Ziggy", a whale we nicknamed a couple of seasons ago for his notorious zigzagged movements for he was quite sporadic!! It wasn't long before another whale (#22) was sighted near the Snohomish River Delta and our guests were able to enjoy some great looks as #22, #53 & Patch at the end all joined up! Also seen on todays trip included Western Grebes, White-winged Scoters, Osprey, Rhinoceros Auklets, Pigeon Guillemots, Pacific Madrone, 5 Bald Eagles, and Harbor Seals!" - Naturalist Kate Janes

Patch Feeds On Snohomish River Delta

"Yet another beautiful day out on the water as the Olympic & Cascade Mountains glistened as the sunshine hit the fresh snow! Shortly after leaving the marina Captain Michael found a California Sea Lion hauled out on a channel marker which resulted in finding a Gray Whale! The giant emerged from the watery depths exposing its side and letting us all know that it was Patch, #49!! We watched as he slowly moved towards the Snohomish River Delta where his behavior switched from travel mode into feeding! We traveled further north and visited with a mature Bald Eagle on its nest before returning to Patch mid-meal! This 45 foot whale was in the shallow waters on his side partially exposing his fluke & his pectoral fin! Also seen today were White-winged Scoters, Pigeon Guillemots, Pelagic Cormorants, Harbor Seals, Western Grebes and Osprey!" - Naturalist Kate Janes

Taste of Summer!

Eagle Looking Over Snohomish River Delta

Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes

Reentry (Gray Whale #531- the days "Mystery Whale")

Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes

"The wildlife was coming out of the woodwork today even before our passengers boarded the Island Explorer 3! There to greet them dockside were a pair of mallards, a couple of Canada Geese, our friend Norman the Harbor Seal, and a feeding Pigeon Guillemot! The trend continued as we found our first Gray Whale (#21) of the day just moments after leaving the marina feeding in the Snohomish River Delta. After enjoying some of his feeding activities we ventured further north where we found Patch (#49) and a mystery whale, who upon closer examination turned out to be #531. The pair gave us a great show from displaying some feeding behaviors and produced a few deep dives resulting in them sounding their flukes!! Also seen today were a number of Bald Eagles, a pair of Ospreys, Cormorants, Harbor Seals, California Sea Lions, Western Grebes, Red-necked Grebes, and Surf Scoters!" - Naturalist Kate Janes

100% Whale Sightings for 2009

The Island Explorer 3 is on-scene with Gray Whales in Possession Sound. Stay tuned to the Whale Report for an update from Naturalist Kate Janes and click on the satellite link to see the position of the whales from space. "Our quest to find Gray Whales lead us up into Port Susan where we found #21 & #22! After arriving on scene we witnessed a behavior change as they moved closer into shore were their feeding commenced! Massive movements from their caudal peduncle moved the giants through the murky waters where their tasty ghost shrimp were residing! Later we found yet another Gray Whale, #383, who appeared to be heading towards #21 & #22 to join in on the feast! We also saw a mature Bald Eagle, California Sea Lions, Harbor Seals, Western Grebes, Cormorants, Pigeon Guillemots, & an Osprey!" - Naturalist Kate Janes

4 Gray Whales Sighted Today

Captain Carl radioed in a report of 4 Gray Whales near Hat Island. The water is flat calm and the sun is shining. Stay tuned for a full report on today's tour from Naturalist Kate Janes. "Our guests were able to enjoy witnessing the feeding activities of four 30-45 ton whales eating in the shallow waters surrounding Gedney Island! After half an hour we knew who we were visiting with (#21, #22, #53 & #383). The four thrashed about exposing their pectoral fins and half of their flukes while stirring up the muddy, silty waters! Also seen on today's adventure were Western Grebes, Pigeon Guillemots, California Sea Lions, and Harbor Seals!" - Naturalist Kate Janes

Gedney Island Grey's- Friday, April 3rd

Asking the important questions (male mallard hybrid)

Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes

Sizing the Giants Up
Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes

Double Fluking
Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes

"It was quite the start to the day! Our honorary security guards, a pair of mallards, welcomed the last of our guests staring up at them inquisitively as they boarded the boat! Once off the dock we visited with a couple of California Sea Lions before making our way to Gedney Island (a.k.a. Hat Island). It was in the shallow waters along Gedney that we found not one but THREE Grey Whales feeding very close together! At one point all three were on their sides feeding in the shallow muddy waters exposing their pectoral fins and half of their flukes as they wiggled about! They then headed off shore towards us before circling back for another bout of feeding! They visited the "Gedney Island Ghost Shrimp Buffet" 3 times as we listened to the sound of their exhalations carry across the still water! We weren't alone in the enjoyment of witnessing their feeding activities by the time we left a group of people had congregated on the beach with a couple of dogs curiously watching the water! After some great looks we headed north in search for more wildlife and to see if we could find any of their friends. We did find a raft of Western Grebes, a couple of swimming Harbor Seals and a group of Surf Scoters before we returned to visit with Grey Whales #21, #22 & #383. Our second visit found the whales digesting their meal in deeper waters and producing deep sounding dives that brought their flukes high in the air! Another amazing day out on the water visiting with spectacular wildlife as the sun shone down upon us!" - Naturalist Kate Janes

No Foolin' We Found Patch! - Wednesday, April 1st

Patch #49

Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes

"Happy April Fools Day! The crew was not foolin' around today in our quest to find a whale! We found Patch, #49, at the north end of Gedney Island heading towards Saratoga Passage. Our guests soon discovered the origin of his name, that he was given 17 years ago! With some great looks at the gentle giant he switched directions, apparently not quite certain which population of ghost shrimp he wanted to snack on! The light wind allowed our guests the unique opportunity to see Patch cut through the waves with his immense body!" - Naturalist Kate Janes

Whale Watching Report

Thursday, April 30, 2009

One Gray Whale Found in Record Time

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Gray Whales off Gedney Island

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Six Gray Whales Seen!

Monday, April 27, 2009

Rare Opportunity

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Total of 6 Gray Whales Seen Today!

Tales of Whales! - Saturday, April 25

Friday, April 24, 2009

An Old Friend Found

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Beautiful weather and four whales

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Four Gray Whales Today!

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Wildlife Coming Out of the Woodwork!!

Monday, April 20, 2009

Gray Whale #53 Close to Marina!!

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Big Day on the Water! - Friday, April 18

At least three gray whales today

Saturday, April 18, 2009

5 Gray Whales Sighted

Friday, April 17, 2009

Glistening Backs of 3 Gray Whales- Thursday, April 16th

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Gray Whale Convention

Monday, April 13, 2009

Whales and Spring(?) Weather

Sunday, April 12, 2009

19 Tours In A Row With Gray Whales

Saturday, April 11, 2009

5 Gray Whales Today!

Friday, April 10, 2009

Two Gray Whales Today

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Circumnavigation of Gedney Island- Thursday, April 9th

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Visits with 3 Gray Whales!

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Patch Feeds On Snohomish River Delta

Monday, April 6, 2009

Taste of Summer!

Sunday, April 5, 2009

100% Whale Sightings for 2009

Saturday, April 4, 2009

4 Gray Whales Sighted Today

Friday, April 3, 2009

Gedney Island Grey's- Friday, April 3rd

No Foolin' We Found Patch! - Wednesday, April 1st

Previous Posts

Archives