September 3, 2023

sanjuanwhales

Sep 4

Anacortes Whale Watch

10 AM Highlights

Bigg's killer whales
Steller sea lions
Harbor seal eating an octopus!
Nesting birds

September 1, 2023 -- 10 AM Whale Watch

What an awesome morning on the water! It was action-packed from the start, arriving at Lawson Reef to find three Bigg's killer whales: Whidbey, Chainsaw & Sam. They were spread out and scouting when we arrived, all traveling south with equal distance between them. At one point, Whidbey surfaced from a deep dive and wowed us all with a close pass. Next, we visited with Sam (T46C2), just in time to watch her find some prey in a floating kelp patty. She must have sent out a call, because both T65 and T63 came racing over to join her, helping to finish off the kill. So wild to witness these apex predators in action.We left the group to finish their meal, turning north for Bird Rocks. We crossed paths with a couple of Steller sea lions on a navigational buoy, then continued on towards the National Wildlife Refuge. Here cormorants were on their nests, several species of gulls were gathered, harlequin ducks swam the shoreline and a harbor seal was just eating an octopus in the bull kelp!!! We watched as the arms of the octopus were draped across its face. a serious score for this hungry pinniped.We cruised north up Bellingham Channel, entering Bellingham Bay. Here we met up with a second group of Bigg's, the T99s! Little T99E stole our hearts, as she always does, and the family led us around Portage Island.It was an incredible morning on the water, and a great way to spend the holiday weekend.-Sam

3:30 PM Highlights

Bigg's killer whales
Steller sea lions
Harbor seals
Bald eagles
Harbor porpoises

September 1, 2023 -- 3:30 PM Whale Watch

Fall is here! It truly felt like a shift in the seasons this afternoon. Light rain showered us as we left the marina, misty clouds hung low along the forested coasts, and the seas were so glassy that every ripple from the rain drops was visible. It was like Mother Nature was breathing a sigh of relief, some needed respite from the heat and smoke.Our journey took us north, up the eastern Guemes coastline, past Sinclair and into northern Rosario Strait. We stopped at a channel marker to visit with five Steller sea lions cuddled up against the rain, and at the Sisters to visit with California gulls and crows. At Puffin Island, we found some very soggy bald eagles (the few remaining in the islands at this point in the year) and dozens of hauled out harbor seals!Just offshore of Matia, we met up with the T99 family. They were exhibiting rhythmic breathing, sticking close together as their dorsal fins sliced through the gray mirror that was the Strait of Georgia. We traveled with them for some time, watching as the occasional salmon kept around them, and harbor porpoises surfaced in dangerously close proximity. As we neared Patos, the pod seemed to wake up, traveling more quickly and exploring the current lines.The pod continued west and we turned back to the east, exploring the inside passage of the outer islands as the rain continued to fall around us.It felt like a classic Pacific Northwest afternoon, and the crew was stoked to have some mist and rain back in the islands.-Sam