Whale Watching Report

Captain Carl reports on scene with Minke Whales and Transient Orca Whales that stealthily appeared near the boat! Next tour today at 3:30PM.
A.M. Trip: Fantastic day aboard the Island Explorer 3! Leaving the dock provided us another opportunity to show our guests this beautiful area during the search for wildlife. First stop was Colville Island, where several dozen harbor seals had hauled out, taking advantage of the low tide. Four bald eagles perched on the top of the island provided the dramatic back-drop for a fantastic photo opportunity. Soon after we spotted our first whale of the day! A minke whale was cruising from Iceberg Point southbound rather quickly. After a couple of nice looks, we got a call from another captain only a few miles away. Orca whales close! We quickly made our way to Cattle Pass, seeing blows and dorsal fins from afar. T-40, aka Captain Hook, was traveling with two other whales. We visited with these whales for awhile, as they moved with the heavy current pushing through the pass. A quick burst of red in the water indicated a possible kill, always an exciting prospect. Making our way home we discovered quite a few harbor porpoise in Rosario Strait, working the current lines while feeding. Great trip!

P.M. Tour: Leaving Anacortes for an afternoon trip provided our folks with an excellent tour of the San Juan Islands. Our first encounter was with a California sea lion hauled out on a navigational marker in Guemes Channel. We traveled west through the heart of the Islands on our way to the US/Canada border, where our whales were cruising. Calm water awaited us, where T-40 and crew did not disappoint our passengers. This massive whale spy-hopped for us at least five times! Each event was a slow-motion maneuver, giving everyone plenty of time to enjoy the view. After over an hour of viewing these whales, they changed behavior quickly. Another kill followed by several tail slaps from the juvenile highlighted our visit! We had the chance to see four bald eagles on our way back to the dock, capping off another great day!
Other wildlife seen throughout both trips included rhinoceros auklets, pigeon guillemots, Pacific loons, and cormorants.
-Michael Colahan