Marine Mammal Extravaganza

Below: J16 with year old calf J42 taken by Adam U on June 3, 2008 aboard our boat the MV Sea Lion.

Today was mirror calm as we headed out from Friday Harbor to South Beach, on southwestern San Juan Island. We got word the Southern Residents were back within range and were moving south down San Juan Island.

When we arrived on scene, we got a few decent looks at some females, but they weren't arching at all and it was difficult to see the saddle to get a positive ID. We continued to parallel the animals, but moved north to meet up with the larger groups ahead. We had some great looks at L74 (Saanich) a 22 year old male as he moved down island with other members of L Pod. L74 has an interesting family group because there are no longer producing females in this matriline (aka the old L9s). The only female is L5 (Tanya) who is 44 years old and her youngest calf (that we know of) was born in 1986 and is a male named Flash. Flash and Saanich are cousins and there were reports of Flash and Tanya in our vicinity, but we paralleled Saanich so as not to get stuck in a bad position. We allowed L74 to move on and stopped to get a nice look at L67 (Splash) as she logged at the surface near the Center for Whale Research boat. We watched her logging for a few minutes and then she seemed to become more active and gave us a nice look at her saddle and nicks, this was great for our group because she's an easy animal to learn what to look for in the identification process. We did not see her youngest calf, L101 (Aurora) in the immediate vicinity and are unsure whether he's been seen this year. We will have to keep our eyes peeled and our ears open for any reports of L101. Splash was the mother of Luna (L98) the orca who found his way to Nootka Sound of the west side of Vancouver Island. Let's hope she has better luck with L101.

Not only did we have an incredible orca encounter, on our way back to Cattle Pass, we saw a Minke Whale lunge feeding in a bird ball! (See the drawing of a Minke Whale above.) Minkes are the smallest members of the "finner" whales and often get overlooked because of the charismatic orcas. It was nice for our guests to see orcas (Dolphins/toothed whales) and a Minke, which is a baleen whale. We got a few good looks as the Minke as it headed towards Cattle Point and then moved on to see a group of FOUR male Steller Sea Lions playing near Whale Rocks! They were rolling around and splashing over each other, which was quite the show.

We had an incredible trip in which we got great looks at many of the marine mammals that call the San Juan Islands home... at some point during the year.

We still have space available for tomorrow. Call in for a reservation: 800-450-6858.

Megan Young, Naturalist

Do You Want to See it All?

Below: J-1 on May 9, 2008 taken by Ken Balcomb of the Center for Whale Research

Today was a spectacular trip! The weather was phenomenal, perfect for being on the water and the rumor of the whales was true!!! We took off straight out of Friday Harbor to bring our guests to East Point on Saturna Island in Canada, where J-Pod was reported to be. On the way we learned about the orcas, specifically J-Pod and their fellow Resident families. We also learned that East Point, where we were headed, was the scene of the first orca capture. Moby Doll was harpooned off East Point while swimming with her family so an artist in Canada could make a life size model of an orca for the Vancouver Aquarium as realistic as possible. We've come a long way since those days and continue to learn more about the orca and their lives. Our guests got a great look into this lifestyle as we watched them foraging and playing a few miles off Saturna heading eastward towards Point Roberts. We got great looks at J-1 and J-26 as well as a group of unidentified J-Pod females. They seemed to be in high spirits and breached and spy hopped multiple times. Our guests even were able to catch some pictures of those breaches, spy hops, and tail slaps.

But wait, there's more! We even got looks at a dozen Steller Sea Lions hauled out on Boiling Reef as well as Harbor Seals hauled out nearby. We even had time to head over to Speiden and see the Mouflon Sheep and Fallow Deer as well as a Bald Eagle sitting on its nest. The trip was fabulous and our guests and crew had a really great time. See you all tomorrow!!!

Megan, Naturalist

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.

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!

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!

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.

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...