Whale Watching Report

Just a few miles West of Anacortes, our guests are watching Orca Whales breaching and tail slapping, reports Captain Carl! Click here to see where the Orca Whales are from space and stay tuned to the Whale Report for updates from Naturalist Kate Janes!

The Island Explorer 3 is on-scene with the Orca Whales! Click here to see the position of the Orca Whales from space and stay tuned to the Whale report for details on today's tour from Naturalist Kate Janes!

Whale Waterfall (Cappuccino K21)

Photo by Naturalist Kate Janes

Top Photo - A breach photo during our morning trip.
Bottom Photo - J39 breaching during our afternoon trip.














Today's weather was spectacular all day today. The water looked like a lake out there for the morning trip and only a slight breeze by the afternoon, with sunshine all day. Last night J-pod headed north so we headed north this morning to look for them. Knowing we would be going a long way to find them we didn't make many stops along the way. We did stop briefly to watch two bald eagles perched in the trees at the southeast end of Guemes Island. Later in Rosario Straits we saw several harbor seals in the water and lots of gulls feeding on bait balls, including my first Bonaparte's gull sightings of the season. We also saw several harbor porpoise on our way up. We found J-pod just south of Point Roberts angling toward East Point. Faith, L57, was also swimming with J-pod as he has been doing often lately, and we got a good look at him right off the bat when we arrived on the scene. We also watched Ruffles, J1, for a while. Orcas were spyhopping all over the place today it seemed, especially in the beginning of our visit. Next we watched Shachi, J19, Eclipse, J41, and Spieden, J8, Swimming together for a long time. Spieden did a spyhop for us at close range. We also saw several breaches, carwheels, and taillobs during our first trip. Naturalist Bart Rulon

Our afternoon trip started out with a surprise in Rosario Straits. Captain Carl noticed some splashing around. He and I watched to try and figure out what it was. A minke whale surfaced then a few moments later we both said whoa at the same time when the minke whale shot straight out of the water for a breach. We watched this big minke whale for several more surfaces before heading into the inner San Juan Islands on our way to look for orcas on the west side of the San Juans. Through the inner islands we spotted bald eagles and several harbor seals. The word from other boats out there was that J-pod was at the northwest end of San Juan Island heading south. We were heading in that direction, but about 6 miles before we could get there we found some J-pod orcas of our own near False Bay. It was Blackberry, J27, Tsuchi, J31, and Mako, J39. Blackberry gave us many close up looks and he did a lot of changing directions, probably chasing fish. Mako breached for us three times in a row! Later as this small subpod turned around to head north we had a minke whale pop right up in the middle of them. It seemed like this minke wanted to join J-pod because he was swimming right along with them. At one point the minke whale was very close to Blackberry as he picked up speed to catch up with Tsuchi and Mako who had started to porpoise quickly northward out in front of him. Naturalist Bart Rulon

For today's trip we worked our way across Rosario Straits and around the southern part of Lopez Island. We stopped at Colville Island to watch 6 turkey vultures soaring over the island and two adult bald eagles perched on the ground. One bald eagle took flight and landed right next to his or her mate. Many harbor seals were hauled out on the rocks as we passed by slowly. Next we found orcas swimming north along the west side of San Juan Island, just south of Lime Kiln Park. We saw mostly J-pod orcas, but there was at least one L-pod orca swimming with them, L57, Faith. Soon after we arrived on the orca scene many of the orcas were approaching a big bull kelp forest near shore. We saw 6-7 orca spyhops within a few minutes right on the edge of the bull kelp forest. A few minutes later one of the orcas breached out of the water. Later as the orcas swam north of the park, J26, Mike, came over to give us a look. He appeared to be chasing salmon at one point with several changes of direction. Soon we joined Ruffles, J1, as he was swimming up ahead. Not long after we got close to Ruffles he turned completely around heading toward us and chasing a salmon at high speed. We continued to parallel view Ruffles and soon J19, Shachi, joined him. Just as we were waving goodbye to the orcas today Granny, J2, came out of nowhere it seemed and gave our passengers a great close up view. Everybody gasped as she came out of the water at close range because none of us expected her to be there. On the way back to the dock we chose a route through the inner San Juan Islands. We stopped once at Decatur Island to view the bald eagle's nest there with a chick still perched on the nest and one adult parent perched in a tree nearby. The Sun gradually worked its way out by the middle to end of our trip, and the weather conditions were nice all day long. Naturalist Bart Rulon

Stay tuned to the whale report as Naturalist Kate Janes reports from on board the Island Explorer 3 as they enjoy Orcas under blue skies! "Rosario Strait lead us southward around Lopez Island and into the Strait of Juan de Fuca where we would later find a portion of J pod!! We first saw and visited with young Mike (J26) with his rapidly growing dorsal fin he is really hard to miss! Nearby his mother Slick (J16) was closely being followed by little J42, who is the youngest member of J pod being just over one year old! Slick's other offspring, Keet & Alki, remained in the vicinity milling about. All five whales showed off their ability to not only to hold their breath for long periods of time but also their capability to change direction quickly. We watched as they zigged and zagged coming off island only to cut back towards shore minutes later. After a great visit with this very active subpod we made our way towards Anacortes stopping by Swirl Rocks, Blind Island, and Castle Rock at the south end of Lopez Island. It was there we found Harbor Seals nursing their pups, Pigeon Guillemots, a Bald Eagle perched on the rocks and a Turkey Vulture soaring above us! When we returned to the Straits of Juan de Fuca for our evening trip the whales were almost exactly where we left them!! We met back up with Slick and her family. We found J42 quite some distance from mom exploring waters away from her subpod and then quickly porpoising back to her mothers & older brother Keets side!! We watched with excitement as she rolled about and then triumphantly breached!! Mike was farther south with sibling Alki and we watched as they turned and headed north for a period to meet back up with Slick, Keet & J42. Once all together the family continued southward. They swam in a close proximity to one another and then after one long respiration Mike, Alki and J42 reappeared nearby as if they were interested in a little people watching of their own!! After a great visit with Slick's family we caught up with Samish, Riptide, Hy'shqua & Suttles and our guests got to enjoy yet another family of J pod Orcas! We ended a beautiful day at the south end of Lopez Island enjoying one of the most spectacular passes the San Juan Islands has to offer!" - Naturalist Kate Janes

Click here to see the position of the Orca Whales from space and stay tuned to the Whale Report for an update on "Lots of Orca Whales!" from Naturalist Kate Janes! "The inner islands welcomed us as we entered through Thatcher Pass with a Bald Eagle perched high in a tree! The protected waters lead us pass Upright Head and south towards Cattle Pass where we entered the Strait of Juan de Fuca finding not only blue skies but also the Orca Whales! Just north of Eagle Point we met up with Blossom's (J11) subpod! Blossom lead Blackberry, Tsuchi & Mako northward up San Juan Island in tight formation! Trailing behind Spieden (J8) enjoyed a tasty salmon after an eventful chase! As we turned for home we received an unexpected visit from young Doublestuff who apparently wanted to do a little people watching of his own!! He circled the boat giving our guests multiple opportunities for some great photos above & below the water!! His white portions shone green as we watched him swim by!! We left the Orcas just north of False Bay as they continued northbound! We returned home wrapping around the south end of Lopez Island stopping to see Harbor Seals with their pups hauled out on the rocks, Black Oystercatchers, Common Sea Stars and Pigeon Guillemots surrounding Castle Rock! On our evening trip we returned to the inner islands which provided not only a scenic backdrop for our cruise but also great wildlife opportunities. On Blakely Island we found an Osprey perched atop a conifer tree overlooking a quite bay! This is considered a rare sighting since Bald Eagles dominate the islands making it difficult to be an Osprey living in the islands. As we ventured near Orcas Island we watched as our state ship the Lady Washington sailed our same waters! And nearby a pair of Marbled Murrelets swam in search of food!! We found some members of both J & L pod of Orcas between Morsby Island & South Pender Island! The whales gently rolled through the glass calm waters! We watched as the whales spyhopped, taillobes, cartwheeled,a whale even breached near the shoreline of South Pender Island and listened as the whales exhaled at a rate of 100 mph!! We made our way back through the inner islands as the sun was setting over the San Juans! Throughout the day we also saw Rhinoceros Auklets feeding, Pigeon Guillemots, Heereman's Gulls, Glaucous-winged Gulls, Harbor Porpoise, and 2 more Osprey as we returned on our evening trip on Orcas Island ending a picture perfect day!!" - Naturalist Kate Janes