October 2, 2026

October 3, 2026 — Leave a comment

Anacortes Whale Watch

Highlights

  • Bigg’s killer whales (T65Bs, T65A3, T19s)
  • Harbor seals
  • Steller sea lions
  • Deception Pass bridge

October 2, 2026 – 1 PM Whale Watch

Wow, wow, wow. What a spectacular day with calm seas, sunshine, and an 8-whale T party!! With rumored reports of the T19s– a family of three Bigg’s killer whales– somewhere in Rosario Strait, we began scanning outside Guemes Channel. It wasn’t long before our friends to the south spotted them, so we turned and aimed for Lopez. We made a small stop at Bird rocks on the way and checked out some seals and lots of cormorants. Near iceberg point, we spotted the T19s cruising west, but they weren’t alone… We counted four, five, six, seven, and eight individuals total, soon recognizing that the T65Bs had joined forces with the T19s! The T65Bs are led by matriarch T65B Chunk, born in 1993. Traveling with her were her kiddos, T65B1 Birdsall, T65B2 Nettle, and T65B3 Rook. Crashing the party was Chunk’s nephew, T65A3 Amir, who has been having himself quite the adventurous summer. This spunky 19 year old has been bouncing from pod to pod and maximizing his social life. Most recently, it seems he’s decided to catch up with his aunt and cousins.

These whales were movin’ and groovin’, at one point separating into a “bro group” (naming rights to captain Tyson), which included all the big boys. (T19B Galiano, T19C Spouter, T65A3 Amir, and T65B1 Birdsall). Meanwhile, our two matriarchs, T19 Mooyah and T65B Chunk, led the way along the Lopez shoreline. Chunks two little ones, Nettle and Rook, followed close behind.

During this T party, we witnessed porpoising, a massive full breach from Spouter, a few baby breaches from 3 year old Rook, tail slaps, and a double porpoising breach from two of the males in the party– absolute insanity!! We hung with this group as they rounded Castle Island, then peeled off to investigate the Lawson reef markers. Here, we witnessed the trials and tribulations of a Steller sea lion attempting to jump onto an already jam-packed navigation can.

To round out our trip, we made a quick stop at Deception Pass, then on the way home we discussed killer whale IDs, family history, and matriarch parenting styles in the Bigg’s killer whale population. Such a stellar day!!

– Amy

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September 30, 2026

October 2, 2026 — Leave a comment

Anacortes Whale Watch

Highlights

•T30 A and C• T37B’s•harbor porpoise•Steller sea lions

September 30, 2026 – 1 PM Whale Watch

We ended September with a wonderful day on the Salish sea. Heading north along the shores of Orcas island as we searched for the ever illusive whales and other wildlife. As we cruised we found many large groups of murres, glaucous wing gulls and cormorants near the outer islands. We ended up at boiling reef just off of Saturday island and immediately got a wonderful look at T30A and his sister T30C. We got a few more looks at these Biggs orcas before they turned back to the north and handed us off to another pod. It was the T37B’S, Harald, Lance, and Slice, all traveling together. We hung out with them for some time and enjoyed the flat conditions they took us into. As with all good things this too had to end and we waved goodbye to travel back to the south, swinging in to Sucia island to scope the shores before stopping at Boulder reef to watch some very playful Steller sea lions. We headed home after that with calm seas all around.
-Tyson

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September 28, 2026

September 29, 2026 — Leave a comment

Anacortes Whale Watch

Highlights

Bigg’s killer whales (T109As)
Humpback whale new to science!
Steller sea lions
Harbor seals 
Common murres & rhinoceros auklets 

September 28, 2026 – 1 PM Whale Watch 

Double header! We enjoyed an incredible amount of wildlife diversity on today’s adventure, including sightings of killer whales and a humpback new to science. 
Kulshan was out and sporting a fresh dusting of snow after last week’s storm, guiding us out of Cap Sante at the start of our adventure. Hearing reports of activity in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, we let the Olympics guide us south as we scanned the waters of Rosario Strait. Common murres swam past in pairs, flocks of Heermann’s gulls gathered at current lines and the occasional harbor porpoise rocketed through the light chop. We slowed at Colville to visit with a dozen harbor seals that were hauled out and sunbathing, some harlequin ducks around them amidst the flowing bull kelp forest. As we continued west across the banks we passed white-winged scooters, more murres and a mixture of gulls and cormorants. 
At Middle Bank, a young humpback was traveling west. It graced us with some looks at its flukes, which allowed us to compare them to known whale IDs via the HappyWhale database. It turns out, this whale is new to science! That’s not a very common occurrence in the Salish Sea these days, as most of our humpbacks are returnees who have fed in the area before. Welcome to the region little one! What’s more exciting, thanks to the quick work of our friends at HappyWhale, this whale has already been given a new scientific designation: HW-MN0510951. We’re happy to have been able to contribute some ID photos to this whale’s new bio. 
After waving farewell to our humpback friend, we angled back to the east. We crossed Salmon Bank and slowed at Whale Rocks, a bustling haul out site for Steller sea lions. They were out in full force today, and busy vying for the most favorable spots on the islands. Their growls carried easily over the water, and so did the smell…
We made our way to Griffin Bay next, first cruising through the turbulent currents of Cattle Pass. The T109A family of orcas was working the coastlines, scoping out the shallows for pinniped prey. We arrived in time to witness a very dramatic attempted predation, where all six whales encircled an exposed reef covered in dozens of harbor seals. It was a tense several minutes as the whales flushed the seals from their rocks, but we never could confirm if they made a successful hunt. The photos offered a unique perspective of the size of these apex predators, as they were so close to the rocks we could measure their dorsals against the height of the glaucous-winged gulls and pelagic cormorants in the pictures from the encounter. Eventually the pod moved on, spooking common and pacific loons as they traversed the coastline of the bay. Oh, and we had some lovely looks at a flock of rhinoceros auklets here as well! 
We enjoyed a scenic cruise through the heart of the islands on our journey east, taking Upright Channel and Thatcher Pass. The gentle cloud layer that hung above the mountain peaks when we left this afternoon, had gradually sunk lower, foretelling the storm to come later that night. By the time the crew had finished washing down the boat that evening, it looked as if you could reach up and touch the clouds, which had taken on a wave-like texture. The golden hour lighting played off the formations in the most spectacular fashion. Another reminder that the dynamic weather conditions here are part of what make the Salish Sea such a stunning region. 
– Sam

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September 26, 2026

September 27, 2026 — Leave a comment

Anacortes Whale Watch

Highlights

Bigg’s Killer Whales: T49A2 & T49C
Steller Sea Lions
Harbor Seals
Marbleled Murrelets 
So many birds!

September 26, 2026 – 1 PM Whale Watch 

It was a stunning September day out on the Salish Sea. Sunny skies, placid seas and so much rich biodiversity right in our backyard. Our adventure started with a slow cruise north up Bellingham Channel. It was hard to pick up the pace with all the life showing itself! Bird mills gathered along the southern Cypress shorelines, and the calls of common murres rang across the still sea. Dainty marbled murrelet pairs dotted the coast from Cypress Head to Toehead Island, their little white tails contrasting the emerald waters beneath them. A flock of gulls showed off fish-laden bills in the currents off Cypress Head and belted kingfishers flitted from branch to branch above them. Harbor seals expertly camouflaged themselves against the rocky shoreline of the Cone Islands, with Pacific Madrona tree branches hanging above them. As we moved toward the reefs around Sinclair Island, harbor porpoises’ dorsal fins broke the surface and the rowdy vocals of Steller sea lions carried towards us. Four Stellers were actively vying for position on the navigational marker, and their interactions were quite heated. Biting, growling, and shoving—all were intent on getting out of the water, as if they knew Bigg’s lurked nearby…
A mile or so away, Bigg’s duo Jude (T49A2) and Janet (T49C) were working the shoreline of Orca Island. We arrived in time to see them make quick work of a meal and celebrate with a dramatic spyhop that showed off the immense pectoral flippers of these grown males. They proceeded to lead us up and around Point Lawrence, and along the breathtaking and rugged shoreline of northern Orcas Island. The fall foliage and the steep stony cliffs, combined with the brilliantly illuminated blows of the orcas, made for some truly memorable visuals. What’s more, Jude showed off two more spyhops! 
Our cruise home was scenic, Captain Carl took us towards the slopes of Lummi Island and along the forest-rich shores of Vendovi Island. Here we found a mated pair of bald eagles, a rare sight at this point in the season when so many eagles have moved on with the salmon runs. It was a lovely finale to our incredible afternoon spent exploring the Salish Sea. – Sam

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September 23, 2026

September 24, 2026 — Leave a comment

 Anacortes Whale Watch

Highlights

Bigg’s Killer Whales (T137A, T36’s)Gray whaleStellar Sea LionsCormorants Gulls

September 23, 2026 – 1 PM Whale Watch 

Today was a wonderful reminder of Mother Nature’s unpredictability and commitment to constantly surprise us! We set off out of Cap Sante Marina and pointed into Guemes Channel, immediately on the search for some reports that had been made over two hours prior. Within 5 minutes of being on the water, we got a call from the Guemes Island Ferry captain, who let us know there was indeed a larger cetacean nearby!! We followed his directions and held our breath as we waited for our first sighting – and there it was!! We spent the first two surfacings attempting to identify which larger baleen whale species we were visiting with (placing bets in the helm), and when the animal surfaced a third time we had our answer. It was a gray whale! We spent a little while alongside this curious creature, one of the lone Grays left in the Salish Sea at this point in the year. This was a new gray to this region, not yet given a scientific ID or nickname!Soon, we waved goodbye and ventured out of the channel and into Rosario Strait, headed west towards some newer reports. We travelled quickly, and south of San Juan Island in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, we spied our second blows of the afternoon! We met up with a pod of Bigg’s killer whales – with a surprise guest! Jack, T137A, had joined up with the T36’s (Flapjack, Tattertip, Bhotia, Greenfelder, Auk, and Maple) for the afternoon. The group displayed some impressive surface activity in the churning currents, wowing us with breaches, spyhops, and porpoising activity. At one point, 2-year old Maple (T36B1A) darted away from the rest of the pod, and had to be chased down by her mother Bhotia (T36B1).A last tail slap was the whales’ wave goodbye as we turned and headed east once again. On the way home, we slowed by Whale Rocks for some stellar sea lion time – and whew, the rocks’ aroma was ripe today! Dozens of sea lions were hauled out on the rocks, thermoregulating in the first of the fall sunshine. We made the journey home through Rosario Strait and back into Guemes channel towards the marina! What a wild, fantastical day on the water!
  -Juna

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September 22, 2026

September 24, 2026 — Leave a comment

Anacortes Whale Watch

Highlights

  • Bigg’s T37Bs & T37A + T37A2
  • Fog
  • Great birding in Swinomish Slough
  • Seals and shorebirds at Seal Rocks
  • Harbor porpoises

September 22, 2026 – 1 PM Private Whale Watch Event

Autumn is here, and today’s adventure was rich with fall colors, crisp air, and some moody fog to really set the mood. As we angled west in Guemes Channel, a thick fog bank greeted us. We watched Washington State Ferries dramatically emerge from the swirling mist as the banks slowly crept over both Fidalgo and Cypress Islands. Once we entered the blanket, our visibility was limited to 100-200 yards until we passed beneath the Deception Pass Bridge. Yes, we could not even see the bridge until we were nearly beneath it! It was a such a wild and unique experience, that left us with much appreciation for mariners and seafarers in the age before Radar and GPS…

Fortunately, once we were east of the bridge, the fog cleared and blue skies greeted us. We enjoyed beautiful color pops of fall foliage along the shorelines of Whidbey and Hope Islands, and truly placid conditions all the way south to Saratoga Passage. We’d slowed at Seal Rock to visit with dozens of these darling pinnipeds and were delighted to encounter a large murmuration of dunlins/western sandpipers (one of the two, or possibly both in the mix)! The little shorebirds mesmerized us with their coordinated aerial display, while flocks of double crested cormorants swam in the waters beneath them.

As we neared the Cama Beach State Park, blows appeared on the horizon. There were five Bigg’s killer whales spread across the channel. The trio of the T37Bs (Harald, Lance, and Slice) were working the Camano Shorelines and successfully executed two hunts while prowling the shallows. Mother-son duo “Volker” and “Inky” (T37A & T37A2) were spread out and seemingly searching for prey of their own near Whidbey Island. The autumn colors reflected beautifully on the still waters of the pass throughout the encounters.

The fog still had not burnt off by the time we made it back north, so we opted for an alternative route back to Cap Sante. The high tide allowed for us to traverse the Swinomish Slough and enjoy a lovely scenic cruise complete with views of the Skagit River Delta, Goat Island, and the Skagit Valley. We spied bald eagles, great blue herons, belted king fishers, cormorants and gulls as we made our way through this birding hotspot. We enjoyed passing beneath the iconic Rainbow Bridge and then the Twin Bridges, completing our circumnavigation of Fidalgo Island.

Sam

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September 21, 2026

September 23, 2026 — Leave a comment

Anacortes Whale Watch

Highlights

  • triple header!
  • Humpback WA park
  • Minke Partridge Bank (Trotsky II)
  • T49A1 eastern bank area
  • Stellers in bird rocks, harbor seals, birds

September 21, 2026 – 1 PM Whale Watch

Triple Header!

Today’s trip lucked into encounters with three different whale species: a humpback, minkes and a Bigg’s killer whale. The fun started as we rounded the coastline of Washington Park and crew spied an exhalation amidst the current lines. It was such a small blow, we weren’t initially sure what caused it… until gorgeous flukes lifted high above the ripples and sunk gracefully back beneath the surface. No mistaking that for anything but a humpback! It turned out to be a new visitor to the area, a little two-year-old humpback first sighted in Glacier Bay Alaska in 2024 by the name of SEAK-2782.

Hearing reports of more activity to the south, we let the Olympic Mountains guide us towards Partridge Bank. Conditions were glassy and the sun was shining bright, so bright that a minke whale’s exhalation was brilliantly illuminated as it plowed through a bird mill. That gave us pause, it’s rare to see that notable of an exhalation from a minke, but sure enough it was none-other-than beloved minke “Trotsky II”, a whale who has been returning to the Salish Sea since at least 2013. They were zigzagging all over the place amongst hundreds of common murres and gulls, making their movement a bit difficult to track, so we continued on our search for other reports nearby.

Our guests were on it today with the whale sightings, and before long they’d spied a tall dorsal fin on the horizon. It was Bigg’s killer whale “Noah” T49A1. This lone male seemed to be behaving erratically at first, but the longer we watched it became clear that there was a definite pattern to his unique swimming style. Noah would surface several times in a tight circle, allowing for looks at every angle of his impressive dorsal fin. He would then face northwest and take several rhythmic breaths before diving down and booking it onward (as evident by the rapidly forming fluke prints). This pattern repeated itself every five minutes or so throughout the encounter and left us with so many questions about what was going through his mind. We also caught a brief glimpse of a second minke whale while on scene with Noah.

The cruise home was scenic and smooth sailing. We passed bird mills and harbor porpoises as we worked our way towards the towering peak of Kulshan. We made a finale wildlife stop at Bird Rocks, where we found black oyster catchers, black turnstones, cormorants, gulls and many dozing harbor seals. We’d heard growling while viewing the west side of the islands, and upon rounding the corner we found the source of the noise. Several Steller sea lion bulls were hauled out and drying in the sun. Unfortunately, one clearly had a flasher stuck in its mouth, so we reported the gear to our local marine mammal stranding response team in hopes that they might be able to help the pinniped.

What a memorable afternoon on the water.Sam

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September 20, 2026

September 21, 2026 — Leave a comment

Anacortes Whale Watch

Highlights

T123’s (Sidney, Stanley, Darcy, Lucky)Brandts and Pelagic CormorantsStellar Sea LionsHarbor Seals

September 20, 2026 – 1 PM Whale Watch

Warm, sunny skies…rapidly disappearing fog bank…AND whales in our backyard? Luck was on our side today! We ventured out of Cap Sante Marina and headed to the backside of Guemes Island, towards some early-morning reports. Up ahead, we could see the edge of a fog bank that had been the gossip over the radios all morning. Fog can make boating conditions difficult, and increase the challenge of spotting far-off wildlife. But as we continued to approach, the fog receded, until we realized it had nearly vanished! We slowed by a red channel marker to visit with its tenants – four stellar sea lions! Three were snoozing out of the water, and one circled the can, searching for a spot to sneak in. We heard many impressive grunts from the three up top, declaring the can was full! Brandt’s and Pelagic Cormorants roosting in the marker watched the scene from above.

Just north of Sinclair Island, we met up with the T123’s pod of killer whales! A very well known family in the Salish Sea, we watched as Sidney, Stanley, Lucky, and Darcy cruised below Mount Baker, while demonstrating multiple behavior patterns. We witnessed these whales in travelling mode, with slow and rhythmic surfacings. Towards the end of our encounter, we witnessed some distinct splashing and surface activity, with quick direction changes and a spread among the group. A hunt very likely occurred below the waves, and appeared to be successful as the family once again resumed their rhythmic travelling.

After spending over an hour with these whales, we waved goodbye and headed to Peapod rocks, where we spent time with dozens of lounging harbor seals, unphased by the rising of the tide and the receding of the coastlines. On the way home, we realized the T123’s were just around the corner from Guemes Channel, so we journeyed to visit them one last time! Yet again swimming below the majestic peak of Mount Baker, we watched as the family engaged in yet another (theoretical) hunt below the water, and then bid them farewell as we pushed off into Guemes Channel and back home!
-Juna

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