Orcas and Herons

Photo: Two orcas surface during the first superpod of the summer on June 3, 2008. Photo taken from our boat, the Sea Lion, by guest and marine biologist, Adam U.

Today we traveled to the south of Lopez Island. It was sunny without being over bright, and the winds kept everyone awake. Our boats were full-and everyone was very happy today. There were a lot of families together, and it made me think of how much fun I have with mine. It was a little cold, but everyone brought the right kind of clothing and that makes all the difference!

The orcas were spread apart, so we could see different groups traveling with each other. There were several breaches, and we could hear them breathing. It was a mix of males and females, with the females the ones jumping out of the water. They may be smaller than the males, but they are just as dazzling. The guests thought so too.

On a small island with gulls there was a Great Blue Heron flying away. I haven't seen one for quite a while-there's no mistaking that pterodactyl outline against the sky. They are amazing creatures, so seeing one today (to me at least) was special!

The Kittywake was able to see the new K-pod family calf. I was jealous...baby orcas are just as cute as kittens! Then again, there's always tomorrow!

-Sarah, Naturalist

Superpod + 1

Welcome back Ks and Ls!!!!!!!!!!!

Today was our first superpod of the summer! A superpod is when all three pods join together for socialization and mating. The rain didn't stop us as we headed out to Stuart Island to see Js, Ks, and Ls all travelling together. We saw multiple spy hops and tail slaps as they all grouped together for the first time after a long winter. The animals appeared to be in good spirits and nice and fat. We even saw a new calf, which appears to belong to K-14, Lea. Newbies are easy to distinguish due to their mottled coloring, wrinkles, and orangeish patches. This little one can't be very old and so we'll call today its birthday... which happens to be our office manager, Pat's, birthday! Happy birthday Pat and new little K baby!

Today was not only a treat to see the superpod, we also had a researcher guest on board in Adam U of the Center for Whale Research. He was able to get the inside info on the calf as well as provide us with a fresh outlook on the orcas and the studies involving the orcas. He also shared some of his great photos with us as well as fun whale stories.

We do our best to stay 100 yards away at all times, but sometimes the whales choose to come in and say hi. They came in to say hello today right off Turn Point as they surfed through the waves. (Don't worry, our engines were shut down!) We got nice looks at J-42 as she surfed with her mommy right past us with a male from L Pod as well as another J female.

Today was a fabulous trip. We saw a superpod, a new calf, multiple Bald Eagles, and all the Speiden fauna. It's hard as a Naturalist to hold some sort of composure when witnessing such a rare and incredible trip. I'll keep you posted on this new K animal and let you know how its doing throughout the summer. If mom is K-14, then this wouldn't be her first calf and hopefully we can keep this youngster around.

Megan, Naturalist

Travel Buddies

Today was nice and sunny and J-Pod graced us with their presence once again!

We left Friday Harbor for Village Point, which is on the north end of Lummi Island in the Rosario Strait. J-Pod was heading south from Village Point at a good cruising speed of about 8 mph. They were spread out front to back and surprised us when a Minke Whale popped up with them. This is a RARE occurrence and our guests had the privilege of seeing not only J-Pod, but also the smallest baleen whale. We found this ironic because the Transient Orcas have been known to eat Minke, so this particular whale must have known he was in safe fish-eating company. A group of about 7 J-Pod members were seen surfacing right next to the Minke, with no negative interactions.

Orca are the largest members of the dolphin family and are not "whales" from a scientific perspective. (Although this confuses many since they are often referred to as the Killer Whale.) So our guests got to see eagles, seals, dolphins, and a whale!!! What a treat and what an incredible day. The air is warming up, J-Pod is back, and the flowers are in bloom. It's a perfect time to be on the water! Until next time...

Megan, Naturalist

Whale of a Tale

Below: J-1, Ruffles, an adult male member of J-Pod and one of the most photographed whales in the world... he's pretty much a celebrity around here.

I know we often say every day is amazing, and that is quite simply because every day the animals and the group dynamic is different and all together amazing. However, today's experience was incredibly moving for everyone on board. We had an intimate group and we also had some great looks at J-Pod. This group was especially touched after hearing the plight of our whales on the way to Bird Rocks (off Lopez Island in the Rosario Strait). They learned about the toxins, captures, and depleted salmon runs and were motivated to take action, even if it meant on a small scale level at home.

As soon as J-Pod was spotted, our guests were so overcome with emotion that they couldn't help but tear up. Seeing the orca in their natural environment with their families really pulls at your heart and makes you want to protect our resources. The whales must have been in tune with our groups emotions and gave us some great looks at tail slaps, spy hopes, and breaches about 100 yards off our bow. One individual breached five times right in front of us!!! Every day is a learning experience and the more we at San Juan Safaris witness the positive impact these trips have on people, the more fulfilling the job becomes. J-Pod's males really gave us a show and of course Ruffles was looking as wonderful as ever as he spy hopped and breached in our midst. Despite the rain, we couldn't have asked for a better day and look forward to sharing our love of these orca with future guests!

Megan, Naturalist

Did Somebody Say Dolphin?

Below: A photo of two Pacific White-Sided Dolphins taken by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). These dolphins are known for their playful nature and acrobatics.

Yesterday began with no word on the orca, however, that didn't mean the trip wouldn't have a surprise. Captain Mike got word that a group of Pacific White-Sided Dolphins were hanging out at False Bay. These dolphins are 7 to 8 feet long and weigh just over 300lbs. They are often seen in the open Pacific and rarely make their way in to inland seas. Yesterday we got lucky and were able to play with an animal we rarely encounter. The small group was pretty active and seemed very interested in the boat. As a result of their inquisitive nature, we decided to shut the engine down and let them play near the boat. The dolphins came right up to the boat as if to introduce themselves to our guests and invite them to join in their games. The games reached a high point as we left them to head north along the west side of San Juan Islands. Apparently, the dolphins weren't ready to let us go and caught a ride in our bow wave as we proceeded north. What a great encounter!!! Our guests couldn't get enough of the dolphins and had great questions which made the trip even more fun. We saw a variety of birds and all the Speiden fauna on our way back in, but it appeared as if those dolphins stole the show.

Silver and Family

Below: a Dall's and Harbor Porpoise. Harbors have extremely high testosterone levels and have been known to interbreed with Dall's.

Yesterday was another sun shiny day on the water. Each day's weather conditions seem to be improving and we look forward to have 70 degree weather and sun for each trip. Although yesterday didn't yield orcas, nobody reported a sighting of J's or Transients, we did get some great looks at Dall's Porpoises as well as a few hybrids. The crew has noticed a particular hybrid in the past because it has exceptionally white sides, almost appearing like a Pacific White-Sided Dolphin from a distance. However, we've come to a conclusion this guy, named Silver, is a hybrid between a Dall's and Harbor Porpoise. Harbors, although shy, are not too shy when it comes to reproduction. Their high testosterone levels cause them to seek out females of their own species, as well at the Dall's Porpoise. Because these animals stay with their mothers, we never see hybrids with the Harbors. (Male Dall's don't breed with female Harbors.) Our staff enjoys seeing Silver because he/she was so easy to identify. However, due to yesterday's high concentration of Dall's in the Haro Strait, we quickly learned that Silver has a few twins and therefore may not be so easy to identify. Our guests enjoyed spending time with our playful porpoises and then got some amazing views of Eagles, Mouflon Sheep, Sica Deer, as well as the Fallow Deer. With perfect weather and the diversity of life we saw, we couldn't have asked for a better day.

We have another trip today and will keep our eyes peeled for J-Pod!!!

Curious George

Below: Male Steller Sea Lions hauled out on the rocks south of San Juan Island.

Yesterday was probably one of the best showcases of Steller Sea Lions we've had yet. We decided to head to Yellow Island, Flattop Island, and eventually to Saturna Island in Canada. We learned all about seals, porpoises, and we may have gotten a look at some river otters swimming around near Orcas Island. Our guests got some great looks at playing porpoises, the geology of the islands, and Bald Eagles. However, the best look was our encounter with a male Steller Sea Lion off Boiling Reef near the east tip of Saturna. There were a dozen Stellers hauled out on the reef, tons of Harbor Seals, and four Bald Eagles all hanging out in the same spot... talk about an awesome photo opp!!! But wait, there's more! We caught a glimpse of a Steller swimming around about 200 yards from the reef and decided to check out a water view of a Sea Lion. We drifted over to him and turned the engine off to watch him swimming about from a distance. However, Mr. Steller, or Curious George, as we decided to name him, had other plans. Apparently he had booked a people watch tour and decided to come in for a better look. We spent fifteen minutes drifting while George swam around and under the boat, checking out our guests the entire time. What a thrilling encounter!!! Needless to say, George stole the show, as his buddies cheered him on from the rocks with their loud moans.

J-Pod was sighted way north in Canada, but they were too far for any of the Friday Harbor Whale Watch fleet to reach them. Keep your fingers crossed in hopes they decide to head south today! Luckily, we have such an abundance of wildlife here that there's never a dull day... even if we don't see whales.

Welcome Back J-Pod!!!

Below: Orca tail slap photo by one of our guests, Sarah Nylander.

Today was a fabulous day out! We encountered J-Pod foraging just west of Lime Kiln Lighthouse. The group was spread out over a few miles and we were able to identify J-35, J-26, J-11, and J-27. In fact, J-11, aka Blossom, came in relatively close to our boat and gave the guests a great photo opp. We also saw some breaching and tail lobs off the bow of the boat. All in all J-Pod gave us a great show making for an incredible trip. (Not to mention the sun was perfect!) We are crossing our fingers in hopes that this is J-Pod's return to the Salish Sea for the summer, meaning we will be seeing them more often now. We have another trip going out tomorrow afternoon at 1pm, so if you're in the area you should give us a holler! Until tomorrow...

Eagle Eyes

Yesterday was one of the best eagle viewing days we've had this season! We saw at least over a dozen Bald Eagles, many of which were juveniles. However, the adults seemed to know we were watching them and put on quite the show for us. They were perched regally on trees and rocks in plain sight, perfect opportunities for pictures.

The day began quite rainy, but we had a great California Sea Lion sighting on the buoy just outside the harbor. As we continued past Speiden the weather cleared up and people were able to get some postcard worthy photos of the clouds surrounding Salt Spring Island in Canada. Although there were no whales, we really got some great looks at the Glaucus Winged Gulls, Cormorants, and both types of sea lion: California and a Steller hauled out on Green Point. We had a talkative and inquisitive group, which heightened the atmosphere and made for an even better voyage.

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!