Be Optimistic

Transient Orcas in the Haro Strait. Photographed by Mark Malleson of Vancouver, B.C.

Yesterday began without an orca sighting, but this didn't discourage our optimistic guests. They truly understood how unpredictable wildlife can be and we believe it was this understanding and optimism that gave them their sighting.

We began our voyage heading north toward Speiden Island. We saw a few Mouflon Sheep, but there was a dense covering of sea smoke, making wildlife difficult to spot. The porpoises were swimming about, but didn't seem to be in a playful mood. The crew was determined to find our guest whales and darted over to Gooch Island in search of them. Although we saw no whales near Gooch, our guests refused to get discouraged. They had an insatiable desire to learn about our wildlife and we think the whales caught on. As soon as we left Gooch we heard reports that Transients were spotted near Cattle Pass, a few miles south of our position. We booked it down the west side of San Juan Island and showed up just in time for our guests to get some great shots of T-14 and friends. We hung out with the whales and then went back to Friday Harbor via Cattle Pass. On our way we saw some Stellers hauled out on the rocks as well as a few Harbor Seals.

Our experience yesterday proved good things come to those who wait. Until next time...

Whale of a Tale

Below: A group of Transients seen hunting on the 21st near Victoria. Photo by Mark Malleson.

What a perfect day for an adventure! We had a great group of guests come out with us for the perfect April excursion and they were in for a treat. As soon as our lucky friends boarded the boat, Captain Hobbes got word that Transients were hunting near Hughes Pass in Canada. No sooner than we'd given the safety talk we were off towards Canada in search of a small group of Transients.

When we arrived on scene, Hobbes slowed the boat for a dramatic entrance. Guests shouted as they saw dorsal fins on the horizon. We watched them from about 300 yards off and suddenly they disappeared. We searched all around the boat hoping to see something in the distance. Whoosh!!! We all looked in the direction of the noise and six transients popped up about 60ft from our stern! T-14, an adult transient male, was with them and as big and beautiful as ever. (Don't worry all you San Juan Bloggers out there, our motor was off so as not to affect the whales.) Our guests were able to get up close and personal with some of the top predators in the ocean.

Not only did we see transients, but we also checked out some Dall's porpoises, Harbor Seals, Mouflon Sheep, and even saw a Steller Sea Lion hauled out on Green Point! We even had a little River Otter hunting near the docks to greet us when we came in. Our guests got quite a treat today and the season is only beginning! We look forward to our trip tomorrow afternoon at 1pm. Every day is exciting, but today sure took the cake!

(Special thanks go out to T-14 and his family for giving us an incredible show!)

Don’t Blinkey… You’ll Miss the Minke

Dall's riding the bow waves. From the Orca Spotting Network.

What an awesome day for a wildlife trip! Yesterday gave us glassy seas and beautiful sunlight. We began our trip keeping our eyes on the water because the conditions gave us the perfect opportunity for a sighting of some sort. No sooner than we prepared our guests for a sighting, we got word that a Minke whale (pronounced Min-key) was feeding off Saturna Island in Canada.

We sped toward Canada in hopes of some great observations. (We want to observe, not interact with the wildlife.) Sure enough, our Minke friend was just where our Canadian friends said. Minkes are the smallest members of the baleen whales. They don’t have teeth like our orca, but plates that resemble stiff hairs for teeth. They feed on krill and small fish by opening their mouth and swimming through the water. They close their mouth and push the water out through the baleen plates, which leaves their food trapped inside. It’s so funny how such a large creature preys on some of the smallest. The Minke cruised back and forth through the water in a zig-zag pattern. Minkes are a bit more shy than our orca and don’t make as big of a scene when they’re around. We got good views of the Minke’s back and stubbly little dorsal fin. Minkes are bigger than orcas, but their dorsals are quite a bit smaller.

After hanging out with the Minke for a while, we headed to the Haro Strait for some porpoise encounters. Captain Hobbes thought the day was perfect for a playful porpoise and his predictions proved true. We got just off Turn Point on Stuart Island and Dall’s came in to ride the bow waves. Our guests and crew clapped and whistled for them, which only encouraged them to keep playing. (Not all wildlife, however, appreciate noise. Our Dall’s are a bit of an exception.)

Our trip concluded with a trip to Speiden to see the Mouflon Sheep and Fallow Deer as well as some Stellers hanging out at Green Point. The Stellers really impressed our guests with their massive bodies and loud roars. We even had some Bald Eagles looking down on the Stellers, which only added to a great day of wildlife viewing. These waters are teeming with life and every day is truly a safari!

Spying on Speiden

Photo of a Bald Eagle by our guest Dan Konopacki

Yesterday was a fun group in that we took five people out for an intimate trip around the islands. We began our orca search by heading down the east side of San Juan Island so we could high tail it to Victoria if they spotted whales. Unfortunately, there was no whale chatter over the radio and Captain Hobbes decided to turn around and head back towards Speiden because the water was very choppy. (We this these waves contributed to our lack, and everyone's lack for that matter, of seeing whales.) We took our guests to Speiden in hopes of catching something unique and exciting.

The excitement built as we parallelled Speiden because we saw a Bald Eagle kill! There was an adult and a juvenile feeding on a baby Mouflon Sheep carcass in plain view of our boat. We believe the baby died shortly before we got there, perhaps it was a still birth, and the eagles were taking advantage of the opportunity. Our National Geographic experience didn't end there. We also saw two juvenile male Mouflon Sheep headbutting each other. This "play" behavior eventually becomes more than a game when they are old enough to fight for females. They would rear up on their hind legs and crash their heads together with a force so great we could hear it echo!

We left Speiden with great photos and incredible memories and headed out into the Haro to look for porpoises and of course, orcas. We saw a few Dall's, but the waves made it difficult to keep an eye on them so Hobbes took us back around Stuart Island to check out some Harbor Seals and Bald Eagle nests. The trip came to a close as we came around the north side of Speiden, but the excitement was far from over. There were five male Steller Sea Lions hauled out on Green Point. Our guests had seen them swimming in the water earlier, but it's hard to comprehend how huge they are when you just see their heads in the water. These guys were huge and stood up nice and tall for our pictures.

Although we didn't see orca, the trip was a success. We may not be able to guarantee the whales, but we can guarantee fun and a great opportunity to see wildlife being just that... wild.

Steller Party

Yesterday's trip was another international, educational journey. We had a group from Japan as well as a group that was well-informed about our Eagle population. One lady on our trip worked to rehabilitate juvenile Bald Eagles. She was especially helpful with identifying the Bald Eagles, something that can prove difficult from a distance since they tend to resemble Turkey Vultures. Bald Eagles do not get their adult coloring until they are five years old. In the meantime, they look like a big brown bird, which can easily be mistaken for a vulture without a good pair of binos.

Our trip took us down the Haro Strait along the west side of San Juan Island. Captain Hobbes chose this route because there were few boats out yesterday and no reported whale sightings. He thought maybe we would catch them in the Haro Strait down near Victoria. Our guests got a great look at the island from the water including Lime Kiln State Park and American Camp. However, there were no orca sightings... thankfully the Harbor and Dall's Porpoises were frolicking about. Although there were no orca, Captain Hobbes saved the best for last.

We were able to observe a Steller Sea Lion Party near Race Rocks in Cattle Pass (the Southern end of San Juan Island). There were around twenty males and a lucky female hanging out on the rocks. They were exceptionally noisy, but their Harbor Seal neighbors didn't seem to complain. We have another trip going out this afternoon and will keep our eyes out for the orca.

Bird Lover's Heaven

Below: Osprey are quite clever and turn their prey face forward when in flight so as to improve their aerodynamics. Talk about a bird brain!

Yesterday began nice and sunny, but as soon as we got on the water the wind picked up. The water was quite choppy and made it difficult to see marine life. However, it was the best day for birds we've had yet this year.

While we were on Speiden we observed the Mouflon Sheep and Fallow Deer, but while we were searching for Stellers, we received quite a show from some local osprey. Two osprey were darting back and forth around the south side of Speiden. They would come together and fly a while and then land on the ground near the sheep, which gave them a bit of a fright. Their behavior was incredibly entertaining and we speculated that we could have witnessed a mating display. Not only were osprey on the island, but a Bald Eagle was perched on a tree not far from shore, giving our guests another great photo opportunity. We also saw Pigeon Guillemots, Oyster Catchers, Harlequin Ducks, Turkey Vultures, and various gulls. We saw a few Dall's in the Haro Strait and then went back to Stuart Island to view the old Cormorant nesting site... which might be revived in the near future because we saw three Cormorants hanging out on the rocks on the west side of Stuart.

After seeing all the birds and a few Harbor Seals, we finally found the Stellers swimming around off Green Point. We have another tour going out this afternoon, so keep your fingers crossed for orca!

Baby Season

Our trip yesterday was truly a spring trip. We took our guests to Speiden Island where they saw Mouflon sheep and their lambs frolicking on the hillside. We also saw what appeared to be some Harbor Seal pups lounging on the rocks at a distance. However, the highlight of this "baby trip" was the Dall's Porpoise and her calf that we observed in the Haro Strait off Turn Point. Dall's reach sexual maturity at around 7 - 8 years of age. Their gestation period is about one year and calves are 3.5 feet long and weigh about 55lbs at birth. Calves are generally born in the summer, with some occurring in the spring. Being a mammal, they nurse their calves. However, unlike people (or most people), they nurse their calves for around two years. The Dall's we saw were pretty active, but not in an overly playful mood as they did not come in to ride the bow. (This is likely due to the calf that was traveling with them.)

We did receive a report of Transient Orcas hunting off Victoria, however they were two hours from our location by sea when we got the news. Unfortunately, we could not make it to them given the vast distance between us. Our guests were better for it because we found out that the water was extremely choppy where they were hunting with over 8ft swells. Either way, our trip gave us a great opportunity to see porpoise calves, lambs, Bald Eagles, and even some Steller Sea Lions hunting off Green Point.

Today is another beautiful day on the island and we look forward to another wildlife trip this afternoon.

International Encounter

Yesterday we were privileged to have a group of tourists from Germany explore with us. They were thrilled to visit the Pacific Northwest, much less see some of the wildlife here. Some of our guests even taught our Naturalists how to say whale in German, "Wal." However, pronouncing such a misleadingly easy word is quite another story.

The day began with no confirmed orca sightings and so we headed up to Speiden to check out the Stellers that were hauled out on Green Point. After viewing the Speiden fauna, Captain Hobbes took us out to the Haro Strait in search of porpoises and orca. We were able to get a look at some shy Harbor Porpoises and a few Dall's at a distance, but they weren't in a very playful mood. The crew decided that since we had a smaller group, we could ask them what they wanted to do next: 1. Go around Stuart Island in search of Eagles, Seals, and more Stellers, or 2. Head down the west side of San Juan Island in search of Orca. They decided to try to find more orca and get a beautiful view of Lime Kiln Lighthouse and British Camp. Although we didn't see orca, we saw more Harbor Porpoises, Eagles, and the nesting sites of Cormorants and Gulls. Our guests were able to get some awesome pictures of Stellers hauled out on the rocks in Cattle Pass (the southern end of the island) with Eagles perched on the rocks next to them. They posed perfectly as we oo'd and awe'd at their size and the Eagle's regal appearance. We even had a little American History chat about how Ben Franklin wanted the National Bird to be a Turkey... thank goodness he was outvoted!

All in all the trip was successful. We saw an abundant array of wildlife, learned some German, and our guests had the chance to chart their own course. It is important to remember that seeing orca is a 50/50 chance this time of year and will become more likely as the season progresses. Although the orca may be the star attraction to these waters, the Steller Sea Lions and Eagles are fast becoming guest favorites. There is no shortage of wildlife here in the Salish Seas for you to enjoy! Auf Wiedersehen!

Transient Encounter

Below: Transient Orca male named T-14. This photo was taken by Dave Ellifrit of the Center for Whale Research team on June 23, 2007. To view more information on the Center's encounter with this same whale please visit their site at http://www.whaleresearch.com/thecenter/Encounters_030_2007.html

Our day began yesterday with no sightings of orca in the area. As usual, we let our guests know right away, but informed them that whales are wild animals and can choose to appear on a whim. This information proved to be true as we observed Steller Sea Lions rafting in the water off Speiden Island. Captain Hobbes got word from our fellow Canadian vessels that a lone orca had been spotted off Mandarte Island in Canada. Our trip quickly turned international as we darted over to the island to get a closer look. We told our guests to keep their eyes of the horizon for any exciting wildlife, hoping the surprise of a whale would make their trips even better. As soon as the blows and dorsal were spotted, our guests erupted in excited chatter. Since there was just one orca in the area it was clear to our crew that we were viewing a Transient orca. Transients are different from our Residents in that they eat seals, sea lions, dolphins, porpoises, and even sharks. This difference in prey requires different hunting techniques. They tend to hunt in much smaller groups from 1 - 6 animals, make less chatter in the water, and exhibit more serious behaviors (less play). We also learned the individual we were observing was named T-14. ("T" designates him as a Transient and 14 is his individual ID number.) T-14 has an interesting story because he was captured in 1976 with the intention of being sold to a marine park. Luckily for him, the tides were changing in Washington and whale captures were frowned upon. He, and a female named T-13, were marked with radio transmitters and subsequently released. The full story and pictures of the capture can be viewed at the Center for Whale Research by clicking on the following link: http://www.whaleresearch.com/thecenter/Captures_050076_T13_T14_000.html.

It was clear that T-14 was on the prowl for seals and after multiple lunges through the water we saw the oil slick drift in the current across the water towards our boat. The oil we saw was not from a tanker, but it was a small scale "spill" nonetheless. When seals are killed, oil is released from their coats and into the water. Our guests were witnesses to a story straight out of a National Geographic Special as T-14 trashed about with his prey. We spent about 1/3 of our time with T-14 and then made the trip back to America to see more animals like Harbor Seals, Mouflon Sheep, Fallow Deer, and Bald Eagles. Once again, our trip was a unique learning experience for our guests. Although we didn't see the Residents, we did see a different type of orca showcasing his magnificent hunting abilities.

An Intimate Trip

Below: male Steller Sea Lions hauled out on the rocks

Yesterday was an intimate trip for San Juan Safaris. We had a few guests from Thailand and Australia come along for a wildlife trip. The small group allowed for one on one attention to each passenger and their questions. Our trip began with no orca sightings, so we went straight to Speiden to see the Mouflon Sheep and Fallow Deer (no sightings of the Sica Deer yesterday). Not only did we see Bald Eagles, Turkey Vultures, and the regular Speiden fauna; we also got to see sixteen male Steller Sea Lions hauled out on Green Point (the eastern point of the island). Steller Sea Lions are exciting for our guests and crew to see because they are in fact endangered... meaning that there aren't many left in the world. Stellers are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which forbids the killing, harming, or harassing of any marine mammal, as well as the Endangered Species Act. With this federal protection, there is hope for the recovery of the Steller Sea Lion population. It's always fun to see them hunting in the water for fish and squid, however seeing them on land is quite a different scenario. When in the water, you really only get a good look at their head. When on land, you get to see just how enormous they are. Adult males can reach upwards of 2,400 lbs and 11ft in length. These guys were a bit smaller than that, but our guests were still in awe of their size and got some great pictures. Because the wind was blowing in our direction, we could even smell them! (They smell like fish for those of you who are curious... they could probably benefit from some baths.)

We went around Speiden to see some porpoises in the Haro Strait. They weren't as active today, but still came around the boat so our guests could get a good look. We saw a nice mix of Harbors and Dall's. We continued around the north side of Stuart Island and got some great looks at the Bald Eagles, Harbor Seals, and the fascinating real estate.

Because we enjoy developing relationships with our guests, we will have more intimate trips available this season on our boat called the Kittiwake. We will only take up to twelve people on a tour at a time, with no junior crew members (kids) allowed on these strictly adult tours. If you would like to book a small group for the Kittiwake, you can begin reserving now. Those trips will begin in June, when the weather and the orca are a bit more reliable.

You Can't Predict Wildlife...

We always tell people that each wildlife trip is unique and yesterday’s trip truly proved that point. Once again, we began without a confirmed orca sighting. We headed to Speiden Island to view the sheep, deer, and to hopefully see some Steller Sea Lions. We saw numerous Mouflon Sheep and just as we were about to head to Haro Strait, our Steller Sea Lion friends popped up. To our excitement, and our guests’ cheers, a Steller began thrashing about in the water nearby in attempt to dismantle a large fish (that appeared to be a salmon). Because they don’t have hands like us, they have to literally beat the fish to pieces in order to eat it. The gulls, of course, love this and do what they can to get in on the action. Steller Sea Lions are so large, that when they expel air after a dive it sounds like a whale blowing. Everyone was fascinated by the Steller’s behavior so we spent more time than usual watching multiple males hunting on the southeastern side of Speiden.

As fun as our time near Speiden was, the real treat was in Haro Strait. We got word from fellow vessels that Dall’s Porpoises were pretty active in the Strait and made our way toward Canada to intercept them. Dall’s are quite playful and curious and occasionally ride the bow waves of the boat. Yesterday was one of those rare occasions where the porpoises came right up to the boat and rode in our wake. The guests, as well as the crew, were thrilled to have such a close encounter with the animals, and people got great pictures of them from about five feet away! We really look forward to them sending the pictures to us so we can add them to our photo contest. We spent quite a bit of time with the porpoises in Haro Strait near Stewart Island and then made our way back around the north side of Stewart.

Besides the Harbor Seals, Stellers, and Porpoises; we saw numerous varieties of birds including: adult and juvenile Bald Eagles, Harlequin Ducks (which are absolutely stunning), Pigeon Guillemots, various gulls, and Oyster Catchers. All in all, the trip was a complete success, despite the fact that our orcas never showed up. Once again, the variety of wildlife near the islands gave us an incredible adventure. The whales will be spotted more frequently in the next few weeks, but there is no shortage of marine mammals we can learn about and observe on our trips. Not only do the guests learn something new each trip, but our staff learns new facts and sees new behaviors each time we go out. Animal activity cannot be predicted because they are just that, wild animals. However this spontaneity is exactly what makes our trips so wonderful. Everything is a surprise!

Getting Underway

Yesterday was our second official outing and we were lucky to have a guest captain, Captain Brian, from San Juan Outfitters, with us. We were also lucky to have visitors all the way from Germany. The trip doubled as an opportunity to give our new staff members some experience on the water. Megan, our new naturalist, and Mike and Craig, two new captains, were able to assist and observe during our wildlife adventure. Unfortunately, the orcas were not spotted, but we were able to see a wide array of animals and birds unique to our waters.

Our guests were able to see the Mouflon Sheep and Fallow Deer from Speiden Island. They also learned that a Mouflon Sheep was successfully cloned in 2001, making it the first endangered species to be cloned and survive beyond infancy. The Fallow Deer are an older species of deer and were spread throughout Europe by the Roman Empire. We were even able to see a Steller Sea Lion feeding off Speiden. However, he was going under for long dives in search of fish and squid, making it difficult to see him well. Captain Brian decided we would return to Speiden later to see if our sea lion friend might haul out (aka come up on land). Our adventure continued into the Haro Strait where we encountered multiple Dall's Porpoises hunting. Dall's are easily recognized by their white and black markings, but can be distinguished from orcas by their size, color patterns, and behavior. Porpoises are different from dolphins in that their rostrum, or nose/mouth, is blunt and not cone-shaped. They also have flatter teeth than dolphins.

Despite the fact that we didn't see orcas, our guests were able to spend more time learning about seals, sea lions, eagles, porpoises, and indigenous birds. We saw multiple eagles, including a great view of an adult perched near the water by the Cactus Islands. As our trip came to a close, and we discussed everything we learned, we received the biggest surprise of the voyage: a massive gathering of male Steller Sea Lions! Just as we hoped, they hauled out on the eastern point of Speiden Island. We counted over 23 sea lions in the water and on land. They were huge, weighing upwards of 2,000 lbs! Our guests were thrilled to see them so close and out of the water, a rare encounter indeed. We look forward to them sending in photos of the experience as it was such a rare one.

Although we didn't see orcas, our guests were still given the opportunity to ask questions about them and learn aspects of their life from breeding, to play behaviors, to health risks, and even how live captures affected their family groups. Not only do our guests learn new facts on trips, but our staff also learns from their questions and different animal behaviors. Our wildlife encounters are truly interactive experiences for everyone.

Today was an interesting one for our staff members. We all went out on the Sea Lion, our two-year-old whale watch boat, to learn about safety procedures on the water. Our number one priority is that our guests have a fun and SAFE learning experience here in the San Juan Islands. In order to guarantee that, we must actually practice the "man overboard" procedures. (Not to worry though, we have never had this happen in our twelve years of operation. We feel it's better to be prepared and have nothing happen, than have something occur and be unprepared.) We pride ourselves with the fact that throughout our safety procedures, we never lost one floating cushion to the sea! All cushions were picked up successfully and lived to tell the tale thanks to our skilled captains and naturalists. Just when we thought the excitement of safety procedures had come to a close, we saw Harbor Porpoises in the San Juan Channel. Harbor Porpoises tend to say more inland, hence their name, and are a bit shy of boaters. However, these individuals continued to surface near us on our way back to port. You really can't go out on these waters without seeing some sort of wildlife.

We look forward to our next trip tomorrow afternoon, and are keeping our eyes and ears open for orca. Until next time...

First Trip of 2008

The first trip of the year at San Juan Safaris was the most successful trip of the year! We took a crew of 21 adventurers out yesterday with hopes of seeing some local wildlife. Little did we know what a treat we would be in for. There were early reports of transient orcas near Speiden Island as well as some confirmed sightings of J-Pod near Canada. J-Pod was said to be resting so captain Pete took us to Speiden Island to see the Mouflon Sheep and deer. We also had the treat of seeing over seven adult male Steller Sea Lions swimming just off Speiden's coast. While our guests were learning all about the Stellers, we were visited by some juvenile Bald Eagles practicing their hovering skills. Once the guests got their fill of information and pictures, Captain Pete and our new Captain Mike set out to find J-Pod. On our way to Canada we even saw some Dalls Porpoises playing in the waves.

Despite all the amazing wildlife we observed, J-Pod still stole the show. We were happy to see Granny and Ruffles leading the way slowly but surely towards Active Pass. The whales were not too active, but skimmed the surface steadily blowing and swimming together. Ruffles, Granny, and Mike were the easiest to identify. Unfortunately the newest member of J-Pod, born last fall, hasn't been spotted. This gave us the perfect opportunity to talk to our crew about the toxins in the water and their affects on our whales of Puget Sound. We were so pleased with the animals we were able to observe and learn more about. Our guests had a real treat seeing almost all the local seasonal wildlife there was to see. We look forward to another fun filled season this year and more sightings to come. Stay posted and don't forget to, "Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle!" Until next time...

Killer Whales Today off San Juan Island

Yep. We saw most of J-Pod today. And what a day it was. J8 came up and breathed out with her usual weeez.

J1 Ruffels was off by himself-handsome as ever.

We never did end up seeing J2, 'the old gal'. Does't mean she wasnt out there.

Not but a hand-full of whale watching boats out today. Amongst us was Ken Balcomb from The Center for Whale Research - observing.

Perfect day. Chilly yes, but no wind. Calm waters just perfect whale watching conditions. Most of the tour we spent just south of Roche Harbor, but north of the light house. The whales were mostly feeding. Not in a hurry. Spread way out all over. There were never more than four together in any one place while we were out.

Pictured in red is Captain Brian and the other photo is a family, originally from New Zealand, here on San Juan Island for Spring Break, Margarat, Tony, Erin and Rod. Boy, did they luck out or what.

It is a bit early for whales that traditionally return mid-April. This family of whales swings through the island every few weeks (or months) October - mid April. What great luck for all of us. What a satisfiying day.

Over and out,

Natty, Colleen