Meet the Whales!
WHALES FREQUENTLY SEEN IN THE SAN JUAN ISLANDS
Bigg's / Transient Killer Whale
Transient Orca whales pass through the islands frequently, feeding on seals, sea lions and fish. They measure up to 32 feet in length and weigh up to 11 tons. They are also referred to as "Bigg's Killer Whales" in honor of Dr. Michael Bigg (1939-1990), a Fisheries and Oceans Canada scientist, one of the primary modern researchers on Killer Whales.
Southern Resident Orca Whale
3 resident pods (J, K & L pods) live in the region year-round and primarily feed on salmon, cod and herring. They can measure up to 32 feet in length and weigh up to 11 tons. These whales have a distinct, matriarchal culture, including their own language and the oldest female in each pod is the leader.
Minke Whale
A baleen whale measuring 24 feet in length on average and weighing about 4-5 tons.
Humpback Whale
Large baleen whale measuring up to 52 feet in length and weighing up to 40 tons, these giants are known for their spectacular breaches.
Gray Whale
Gray whales measure up to 50 feet in length and weigh up to 40 tons, and are often seen early and late during our whale watching season as they migrate past Washington state.
Dall's Porpoise
With black and white coloring similar to Orca whales, these porpoises measure up to 8 feet in length, weigh up to 500 pounds, and primarily eat small fish.
RECENT WHALE SIGHTINGS
- Whales Seen On Every Whale Watching Tour So Far This Season!: So far the 2019 season is off to a great start, with whales seen on all of our Deluxe Whale Watching tours. The first weekend we saw Transient/Bigg’s Orca whales both days, and then this past weekend we went up near the Canadian Gulf Islands and saw Humpback whales. We’ve got a few school field … Continue reading Whales Seen On Every Whale Watching Tour So Far This Season! ... (read more)
- More Photos From Our Summer Cruise Season: It’s been a great season – it’s gone by way too fast, but we still have tours going through the end of September. Below we’ve included some of the best photos of the last month or so – we also post photos regularly on our Instagram and Facebook pages.... (read more)
- Photos From Our 2018 Season (So Far…): This season has been one of the best – lots of great whale and wildlife sightings and the weather has been pretty amazing as well. We’ve been fortunate to have some great photographers on board, including loyal customers and members of local photography groups. We also just completed a film shoot, from which we’ll have … Continue reading Photos From Our 2018 Season (So Far…) ... (read more)