June 10 We first stopped at a buoy to find 2 sleepy Sea lions. They were super cute, one was using the other as a pillow. We got info that there were whales going against the current, traveling slow north of orcas island near Point Doughty. We were afraid that they were going to turn… Continue reading Big Mama and Moon Walking
Blog
First Long Week of 2024 Cruising
Stellers vying for space & T124C Cooper on 6/5/24 cruising up the west side of Orcas. Two humpbacks near Deception Pass, with one spy hopping on 6/7/24. (Bottom left and center Photos by Matt Nobles) June 5 Starting a cruise with juvenile Stellers vying for buoy space off Sinclair Island, is certainly not uncommon, but… Continue reading First Long Week of 2024 Cruising
A Weekend with Baleens
June 1 An interesting day with humpbacks, Divot and her new calf by Lopez Island. After getting one of our standard starts to the tour with looks at Steller sea lions on a buoy, we made our way to Lopez Channel where we came on scene with the pair of humpbacks. The calf was incredibly… Continue reading A Weekend with Baleens
A Long Weekend with Lots of Looks at Whales.
The T124’s with the new calf actively hunting, and vocal seals on May 25th. May 25 A standard start to the day, with some hauled out harbor seals on Viti rocks. They were doing the classic banana pose. We also stopped by a navigation marker to check out some snoozing sea lions. We went through… Continue reading A Long Weekend with Lots of Looks at Whales.
The Grey Whale Saves the Day & The T100’s Visit the Puffins
The T100’s and Tufted Puffins by Smith Island on May 18th May 17 Today there were rough seas of five foot swells in the Straight of Juan De Fuca where whales had been spotted, so we avoided the area for calmer seas up north of Orcas Island to see what we could find. We saw… Continue reading The Grey Whale Saves the Day & The T100’s Visit the Puffins
Hi Again to the T90’s and Three More Humpbacks
The T90’s Eagle, Piglet, Tigger & Kanga, and some pigeon guillemots May 11 We saw three humpbacks today! They were seen pretty far South down in the Straight of Juan De Fuca. We circled the unique and spooky Smith Island, famous for being home to the Tufted Puffin seen on our birding cruises. Here we… Continue reading Hi Again to the T90’s and Three More Humpbacks
Our First Whale Watch Weekend Was a Success!
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!
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
