[8/2/17 2pm SeaHawk]

Transient killer whales continue to surprise us here in the San Juans. Some days they take us to the farthest reaches of our charts, and some days they swim right through the harbor, as nonchalant as can be. Today a family of four orcas passed right through Roche Harbor, even pausing to take down a seal on the way!

We pulled off the dock today with reports of a group of killer whales that had been spotted south of Victoria earlier that day. As Captain...

[Lauren Fritz, M/V Seahawk, 08/02/17, 6pm Private Charter]

On M/V Seahawk's 6pm charter today, we took out a wonderful family for a big reunion. It was a wonderful evening out on the water - lots of good laughs, beautiful scenery, and the best part - the chance to travel 15 miles north and see Transient killer whales up in the Canadian Gulf Islands!

I've posted a few photos from the journey - the lighting was unreal with a thick haze coating the islands, turning the sun...

[Lauren Fritz, M/V Seahawk, 08/01/17, 2:00 pm Tour]

We had some interesting weather in the Salish Sea today - a nice haze coated our islands, creating an etheral aura and providing a beautiful backdrop for our whale watches today. After our guests had boarded the M/V Seahawk in Roche Harbor, Captain Joe shared his plan for the day. We would be heading north and going into "search mode" because no whales had yet been reported in our area - we wanted to be the first to find...

[Naturalist Erick D., M/V Seahawk, 7/31/17, 2:00PM]

Yesterday, Captain Joe and I took out a full group of guests from Roche Harbor aboard the M/V Seahawk. Again we were on the lookout for any adorable or exciting wildlife out there in the waters of the Salish Sea. We journeyed through the inner islands going in between the tight passages of the Wasp Islands and then between Orcas, Shaw and Lopez Islands. Eventually we made it into Rosario Strait on the eastern side of...

[7/30/17 2pm SH]

Summer brings excitement here in the San Juans. All sorts of wildlife can be seen both along shorelines and in the sea, enjoying the sunshine just as much as we do. Today we got a little peek into the true abundance of wildlife here in the San Juans. We took the Sea Hawk out for one of the warmest days yet, with beaming sunshine and breezes just cool enough to warrant a light sweater. Our little tour took us all throughout the islands just north of Roche...

Lauren Fritz, Seahawk, 07/28/17, 2pm Tour

Roche Harbor was sunny and bustling the afternoon before our 2 pm tour today, a typical day out here in the summer! Guests and crew alike were so excited to get out on the water and see what treasures were in store for us today. Captain Joe and I gave our safety and wildlife briefings to make sure everyone knew what to expect for the trip, and then off we went. Lines were stored, fenders tied away, and binoculars passed around. 

W...

(7/27/17- M/V Seahawk- 2PM)

Today we left Roche Harbor with reports right inside our viewing area.  At times like these it is really up to the orcas as to whether or not we will see them, if they travel away from us then we are out of their range but if they travel towards us then we get the opportunity to see them.  Thankfully, the coin flipped in our favor today and we got the chance the hang out with a family of transient orcas. 

This specific family of orcas was the...

Lauren Fritz, M/V Sea Hawk, 07/26/17, 2:00 pm Charter

Wow! What a wonderful day out on the water. We had a wonderful group joining us on board the Sea Hawk. Captain Pete and I were excited to tour Henry and Spieden Islands before we heard of a humpback up north by Patos Island. What a treat to see this huge filter-feeder! Check out some of my favorite photos from the trip. Thanks to those of you who joined us on board today.

Naturalist Lauren, San Juan Outfitters

[Sarah M. – 07/21/2017 – M/V Seahawk – 02:00pm]

Today the M/V Seahawk had a breathtaking afternoon whale watch from Roche Harbor. We had some much-needed rain and it yielded a true Pacific Northwest feel as we cruised the Salish Sea with some liquid sunshine falling the sky.

As we left the harbor we had two reports of orcas in the area, one far to the south, another to the far north. We made the decision to head to the northern group, and Captain Joe steered the M/V...

[7/20/17- M/V Sea Hawk- Kelsey, Naturalist- 2:00PM]

To start, it should be noted that San Juan Outfitters is part of the Pacific Whale Watch Association, and that means we receive information at any point when out on the water regarding whale and other wildlife locations and behaviors. This can create some exciting trips that are unpredictable, and today was one of those days!

We started the trip leaving beautiful Roche Harbor with no whale reports, but we were hopeful...