Inaugural Whale Day Brings Playful Orcas May 4th, 2024 This past Saturday was the first whale watch for 2024, so hopes and enthusiasm were running high on the Victoria Star. Soon after our departure from Bellingham , we got a view of some cormorants and gulls at Viti Rocks our go-to first spot on a… Continue reading Our First Whale Watch Weekend Was a Success!
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Whale Watching Begins This Weekend!
We run weekends in May (4th-27th) to being our whale watching season, then we’re going out daily for the rest of the summer. We have the only whale watching via Bellingham, Washington, and the only tours in the region that provide a fresh prepared lunch on board, and have a full bar available. We depart… Continue reading Whale Watching Begins This Weekend!
Photos From August 27th Bird Watching Cruise
We had a great bird watching cruise this past weekend, a trip that took us through the middle of the San Juans, then north to Sucia and Patos Islands. We saw a nice variety of birds, with seals, sea lions and a Humpback whale as well. Thanks to Jim Bachman for his incredible photos from… Continue reading Photos From August 27th Bird Watching Cruise
Whales & Wildlife Report – Season Summary: One Of Our Best Whale Watching Seasons Ever
This season turned out to be one of our best ever, with sightings on nearly 95% of our whale watching cruises. We had three different whale watching tours, all of which were popular, with folks enjoying frequent sightings of Orca, Humpback and/or Minke whales. If you came out with us this summer, thank you! We… Continue reading Whales & Wildlife Report – Season Summary: One Of Our Best Whale Watching Seasons Ever
Whales & Wildlife Report – Great Sightings Every Day For The Last Two Weeks
We are definitely in the midst of prime whale watching season, with great sightings over the past two weeks. We’ve primarily spotted Transient / Bigg’s Orca whales, as well as Humpback and Minke whales. Combined with beautiful, sunny weather it’s been quite a summer, but it’s not over yet. We’re running for a few more… Continue reading Whales & Wildlife Report – Great Sightings Every Day For The Last Two Weeks
Whales & Wildlife Report: Transient Orcas Seen On 5 Of Our Tours Yesterday (8/20/17)
Yesterday was a great day – we saw whales on all 5 of our cruises, including our Deluxe and Express whale watching tours, the Sucia Island picnic cruise, the evening crab dinner cruise and a private charter. It was a group of transient Orcas (T65A’s) out in the northern San Juans. While our success rate… Continue reading Whales & Wildlife Report: Transient Orcas Seen On 5 Of Our Tours Yesterday (8/20/17)
Whales & Wildlife Report: A Season Of Great Transient Orca Whale Sightings
It’s been an amazing, and interesting whale watching season so far. Our success rate for seeing whales on our whale watching tours has never been better – since we started in early May we have seen whales on nearly 98% of our tours. While we have occasionally seen the resident pods of orca whales, most… Continue reading Whales & Wildlife Report: A Season Of Great Transient Orca Whale Sightings
Bird Watching Cruise Report – July 7, 2017
We set out on Friday to go to Smith Island, the only place in the San Juan Islands that has a nesting colony of tufted puffins. Unfortunately, the weather was too windy to venture out of the protection of the islands. Smith Island is a few miles south of the San Juans in unprotected waters.… Continue reading Bird Watching Cruise Report – July 7, 2017
Whales & Wildlife Report: Transient Orca Whales On Bellingham Bay (T65A’s) – 6/23/17
Today we were fortunate to have an amazing morning with a group of transient orca whales (T65A’s) only 20 minutes after leaving the dock. We were the first vessel with them, meeting up with them in the waters between Lummi and Eliza Islands. There were 5 adults and a baby – all were quite playful… Continue reading Whales & Wildlife Report: Transient Orca Whales On Bellingham Bay (T65A’s) – 6/23/17
An Unforgettable Day Of Orca & Humpback Whales In The San Juans
I started working for San Juan Cruises as finals week was wrapping up, not really knowing what I was getting into. As a student at Western Washington University, I was looking for a fun summer job so I could stay in Bellingham for summer break. I had never been whale watching before applying, so I… Continue reading An Unforgettable Day Of Orca & Humpback Whales In The San Juans