September 28, 2026

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 27, 2026

Anacortes Whale Watch

Highlights

Bigg’s killer whales (T19s & T65A3)

Humpback whale (BCY1553)

Bald eagle 

Harbor seals 

Mouflon sheep 

September 27, 2026 – 1 PM Whale Watch 

Report coming soon! 

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September 26, 2026

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 25, 2026

Anacortes Whale Watch

Highlights

Bigg’s killer whales (T37Bs, T37A, T37A2)

Steller sea lions 

Common murres

Stunning mountain views!

September 25, 2026 – 12 PM Whale Watch 

Report coming soon! 

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September 23, 2026

 Anacortes Whale Watch

Highlights

Bigg’s Killer Whales (T137A, T36’s)
Gray whale
Stellar Sea Lions
Cormorants
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

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

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

Anacortes Whale Watch

Highlights

T123’s (Sidney, Stanley, Darcy, Lucky)
Brandts and Pelagic Cormorants
Stellar Sea Lions
Harbor 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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September 18, 2026

Anacortes Whale Watch

Highlights

Bigg’s killer whales –
T65B pod
Huge herd of Sika deer
Fallow deer
Beautiful weather

September 18, 2026 – 1 PM Whale Watch

We headed west this afternoon toward reports in Haro strait. Making our way through the San Juan islands we passed a few groups of harbor porpoise before slowing down in Pole Pass. We continued west from there passing many large groups of common murres before reaching Kelp reef and joining the T65B pod of Bigg’s killer whales. They were traveling south and at one point Birdsall T65B1 gave a lazy breach and looked to be playing in the kelp a little. We waved goodbye to the orcas after that and headed up to Spieden island where we found a fallow deer to start things off. Suddenly a herd of Sika deer came charging out of the forest and we followed them along the island. They passed a few feeding turkey vultures and many groups of mouflon sheep. It was pretty amazing to see such a large grouping of these deer, especially mid day. We headed back to the east after that and enjoyed a wonderful cruise back to the dock.

-Tyson

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September 17, 2026

Anacortes Whale Watch

Highlights

T65B’s (Chunk, Birdsall, Nettle, Rook)
Harbor seals
Stellar sea lions
Pelagic and Brandt’s cormorants
Great Blue Herons

September 17, 2026 – 1 PM Whale Watch

Sunny September days are a well-kept secret in Washington – and this afternoon was nothing short of breath-taking. Cerulean skies and warm breezes beckoned as we departed Cap Sante Marina and headed into Guemes Channel. Glass calm seas greeted us as we made the turn into Bellingham channel, up the coasts of Guemes and Cypress Island. We basked in the sunshine at slow speeds, scanning the coastlines for madrona trees and nesting bird species as we slowly made our way north. Spying an occupied red channel marker up ahead, we slowed to visit with three snoozing stellar sea lions, one of whom perked up with a pose as we gently approached. The thermoregulating trio managed to fit on the marker with no trouble, as they were juveniles and not fully grown yet! At the top of the marker, Pelagic Cormorants and a lone Brandt’s
Cormorant (showing off its brilliant blue throat) tended to their nests. Making a turn to the south just past Sinclair Island, we sailed by peapod rocks, which were filled with harbor seals! Every corner we turned, a new group appeared on the rocky pilings.

As we passed the last of the peapod rocks, we spied the blows and dorsal fins of some early morning reports just ahead of us! Slowly catching up to our fellow whale-watching vessels, we fell into line to visit with the T65B’s family of killer whales. The family was tightly grouped together, swimming in travelling mode with frequent surfacing and decreased down-times. Chunk, the matriarch, led the family, and Birdsall, Nettle, and Rook followed close behind their mama. Mount Baker loomed majestically in the backdrop, with not one cloud covering the foothills. Stunned by the scenery, glassy seascape, and sunshine, we followed the pod as they slowly crossed in front of the mountain. Towards the end of our encounter, the pod appeared to be hunting and prey-sharing, with quick changes of direction and increased surface activity.

Deciding we wanted to enjoy this stunning September day for a bit longer, we made the turn and headed south to Deception Pass. The pass was as serene and still as could be, with brilliant green waves and nearby lounging harbor seals inviting us through. Learning about the history of the area as we slowly cruised, every passenger joined us on the deck to admire the coastlines and the looming 180-foot bridge. Several Great Blue Herons soared alongside us, with impressive wingspans hovering just above the water surface. The journey home brought us into Burrows Bay and back into Guemes Channel. What a beautiful way to spend one of the last days of Salish Sea summer!

-Juna

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