San Juan Island Adventures

Yesterday we had a super fun wedding party charter the Seahawk for some fun in the sunny San Juan Islands. Captain Gabe and I set out south to go look for a Humpback Whale! On the way we saw a couple of Harbor Porpoises playing in the awesome rips as that days strong tide pushed in the opposite direction as an odd northerly wind. We went all the way down south past Friday Harbor and Turn Island in to calm Griffin Bay. We first spotted the Humpback close to shore, looking...

On this beautiful Wednesday the Sea Hawk headed north towards Haro Straight in pursuit of the T-124’s. We quickly arrived on scene, and were able to spend a full hour travelling with the killer whales.  We witnessed what appeared to the young pod hunting and then potentially engaging in some playful behavior. We interpreted hunting behavior originally when the orcas were moving cryptically through the water and making movements with purpose. Once they finished hunting...

We celebrated our freedom this Memorial Day by searching for marine mammals that were also experiencing their freedom!

We were blessed with blue skies and glassy waters as we departed Rouche Harbor on our tour via the Sea Hawk. We left port in hopes of orcas but we ended up heading south towards Haro Straight in attempts to find a reported humpback whale. However, when we arrived on scene we discovered a beautiful and uncataloged humpback whale, a far more exciting...

With a wedding party of 35 split between M/V Sea Hawk and M/V Kittiwake, we cruised around Henry Island, Speiden Island, the Cactus Island, and John's island in search of wildlife. We were astounded with the number of Bald Eagles we spotted, an all too appropriate find for a new couple that will be together for life, just like Bald Eagles. The scientist in me however, couldn't possibly leave out the fact that Eagles will split up to find a more compatible mate for...

Transient orca calf for color and size comparison to adults.

This morning, we ventured out of Roche Harbor with a report of orcas across Haro Straight. Great, right? Wrong. Only one boat had tried to get there so far, and they were forced to turn around due to high seas. Haro is a tricky place. On some days it's like glass, and on other days, you would be crazy to try to cross it. Today started off like the latter. In the interest of the guests dry clothes and lack of...

For land animals, spring is the time for babies! But in the marine realm babies can and usually do follow different cycles. It’s still usually based on food availability for the newborns, but this doesn’t necessary match up with the normal temperate cycle of spring, summer, fall, winter. For cetaceans (aka whales) this is especially true since these intelligent animals are capable of traveling great distances between feeding grounds and breeding grounds and so are their...

The humpback whale sightings continue! This spring has yielded just incredible wildlife sightings, everything from various species of birds, to crazy numbers of cetaceans. May 26th was no exception!

I feel that one of the highlights of the spring has been the return of the humpback whales to their summer feeding grounds here in the Salish Sea. In the North Pacific humpback whales were considered to be commercially extinct by the year 1968. That means that whalers headed...

A "tiny" Lion's Mane Jelly next to the dock in Friday Harbor

The Salish Sea is not just the home to many cetacean species like the Orcas, Dall’s Porpoises, and Humpback Whales but a whole menagerie of cool creatures. If you have the opportunity to visit one of the many coastal parks on the islands I definitely recommend tide-pooling. Some great places on San Juan Island are Lime Kiln State Park, Cattle Point, and False Bay. Since we’re pretty far north up here, the tide...

This is me with Bolo, one of my favorite dogs at Lollypop Farm.

I often get asked what I do for fun, and what I do in the winter/off-season from the whales. Different naturalists and staff members do an array of different things. Last summer, while on the island, I spent a lot of time volunteering at and fostering for the Animal Protection Society of Friday Harbor. This is a small, but wonderful shelter that does its best with the fundraising that its able to do here...

Salmonberry picking

Orcas swim for Salmon, I run for Salmonberries. You’ve probably heard of blackberries and raspberries but have you ever heard of a salmonberry. It might seem fishy, but it tastes like anything but. Salmonberries (Rubus spectabilis) inhabit the western coast of North America from southern Alaska down to northern California. Just like our other Rubus friends – like raspberries and blackberries - it has composite berries that are oh so sweet. Does it...