Surprising Arisings!

Well, I can't tell you what a treat it is to be headed off on a wildlife trip with no hope of seeing orcas and then you get "The Call". For the past two days we have motored up San Juan Channel, swung north around Flattop Island and then been alerted of another boat finding orcas. Yesterday it was transients in Canada, today it was residents at the south end of the island. Both days, we had already informed our guests of the bad news of no orcas, but of our intention to visit the haunts of other wildlife in the hopes of coming around a corner and seeing whales. Who knew that our luck would be so good.

For both Jaclyn and I, yesterday marked a special first. We have seen many transient orcas, which look very much like our residents, but neither one of us has seen a transient eat something. Yesterday though, a little harbor seal was the target and he put up a very valiant fight to escape. With four well trained hunters around though, it did not stand a chance. The whole encounter was fraught with tension, but not the horror that most people would expect and the orcas were just doing what was necessary to survive.

Today was just as thrilling. We had finished looking at Flattop Island and were admiring all of the exotic animals on Spieden when suddenly, Capt. Nancy turned the M/V Sea Lion around and raced off into the channel. "Contact" had been made and what we originally thought were going to be more transients, were then reported as a family from L pod and turned out to be nearly every member of L pod with some of K pod as well! What a shock that was, especially since all of the reports had been of the three resident pods northeast of Active Pass in Canada going farther north!

Luck and good whale fortune have been with us this week and it continues to allow us to show our guests the beauty and majesty of the Pacific Northwest. These were trips of great memories for both the crews and the visitors and we were happy to have hosted you all.

So, from all of us here at San Juan Safaris, to all of you bold adventurers out there, thank you and we will...

See You In The Islands!
~Tristen, Naturalist


Orca Whales and Wildlife Are Our Only Business. ©

Sleight of Flipper

In these vast, life rich inland waters you just never know what you are going to happen upon. Even when it is an orca. One of our fellow whale watch companies was off looking for minke whales when, lo and behold, there were orcas around. The first reports were of transient orcas. These mammal eating orcas look just like our fish eating residents, with just a few small morphological differences and a vastly different diet.

Capt. Nancy gave the guests on the MV Sea Lion the run-down as to what to expect, but as we were headed south the news came around that the orcas were actually members of L pod. What a surprise as we had already told everyone that all of the resident orcas were traveling through Active Pass in Canada. The news did not change our plans, of course, because we are looking for those black and whites regardless of the type.

A group of eight animals is what we found near the Hannah Heights area of San Juan Island. Passing on one side and then another, while others blew in the distance were L73 "Flash", L74 "Saanich", L54 "Ino" and one of her offspring. As we watched, the sun started to burn through the high fog and clouds and brought a lovely light to the afternoon.

As the day wore on Kathy and I enjoyed the company of our guests and found eagles and seals and lots of seabirds. We answered questions all of the way back to Friday Harbor and were sorry to see the trip end. So, from all of us at San Juan Safaris to all of you, thank you and we will...

See You In The Islands!
P.S. - To the wedding party parents from yesterday, congratulations and we delivered orcas for the ceremony right on time!

~Tristen, Naturalist

Orca Whales and Wildlife Are Our Only Business. ©

From Canada to the Coal Docks

It may not sound glamorous, but the day we had today on the MV Sea Lion definitely was. Capt. Craig got us out the door in a hurry since the orcas were all the way up in Active Pass between Galiano and Mayne Islands. It was petal-to-the-metal the whole way and in two hours we were northeast of the pass, out in the Strait of Georgia and I could see splashing on the horizon. It was still several minutes before we got there, but the dorsal fins and breaches were obvious well before we were on scene.

The orcas were spread out traveling in ones and twos and they must have all had their Wheaties this morning. There was one breach after another off into the distance and we had just gotten into the mix of it when one big male launched himself clean out of the water 200 yards from us. Jaclyn and I guessed it was J27 "Blackberry", but he was moving quickly away and it was hard to get a good look at the saddle patch behind his dorsal fin.

There did not seem to be much feeding going on this afternoon, as all of the animals were travelling very quickly and we did not see the erratic behavior that we normally would. Obviously, there was some important event that they all had to get to since they took us across the strait towards the coal docks and Tsawwassen ferry dock and we finally had to bid them goodbye. They continued their rapid trek and we turned for home and made the long, but truly lovely journey back to Friday Harbor.

It was all water and whales today and a boat load of wonderful guests. So, from all of us here at San Juan Safaris, to all of you water babies out there, thank you and we will...

See You In The Islands!
~Tristen, Naturalist


Orca Whales and Wildlife Are Our Only Business. ©

Sunset and Whales

It was a beautiful evening and Capt. Craig, the guests and I rushed right out to be a part of it. Actually, we were rushing because there were reports of Orcas in the vicinity and they were moving away from us. We quick got the group on board and the MV Sea Lion under way and motored out of the harbor.

A small charter boat had followed two transient Orcas up the coast of Vancouver Island to Active Pass between Galiano and Mayne Islands, B.C. We caught up with them on the east side of the pass and had the amazing opportunity to watch as the whales surfaced and blew in the late evening sun. It turned out that we were relaxing with T20 and T21, two transient Orcas that are common to the area. T20 is a big male that is nearly 35 years old and T21 is a female just a few years younger than that.

As the sun set and shot stunning colors into the sky we marveled at the reflection caught on the whale's dorsal fins each time they surfaced. Interestingly, these two animals along with a third were part of the only recorded negative interaction between resident and transient Orcas. In the 1970s a photographer/researcher witnessed J pod chasing and attacking these transients and attempting to run them ashore. T20, 21 & 22 were finally able to use a boat as a distraction and escape and J pod was left milling and agitated.

There was none of that this night though and the scenes that these two whales afforded us will be stored as precious memories for many years to come. Until the next time, thank you and we will...

See You In The Islands!
~Tristen, Naturalist


Orca Whales and Wildlife Are Our Only Business. ©