Anacortes Whale Watch

Highlights

Bigg's Killer Whales
Harbor Seals
Humpback (Poptart)
T75s and T75Cs

July 10, 2025 | 9 AM and 1 PM Whale Watch

An impressively low tide awaited us as we embarked on our morning adventure. You know it’s low when the crustose coralline algae is showing and the sea stars are exposed! We enjoyed a stunning cruise past the intertidal zones of Castle and Lopez Islands, also spying at least four(!) mom pup harbor seal pairs enjoying the area. A belted kingfisher made its presence known with its loud calls, loud enough to mask the whistles of the dozens of pigeon guillemots. We also watched a mature bald eagle fly by!

We cruised out towards Salmon Bank, enjoying the views of the Lopez shoreline as we went. We curved south towards Eastern Bank next and were so glad we did! Four Bigg’s killer whales had just been found there, the T75s and T75Cs (Bam-Bam & Flint). These four were spread out and apparently scouting for food, inspecting patties of adrift algae as they searched. Towards the end of our encounter, they were gathering up and continued northwest towards Haro Strait.

The cruise home was smooth sailing, and we enjoyed a slow down at Bird Rocks. Dexter the sea otter was here, smashing clams and munching on the meat inside. There were also dozens of harbor seals, nesting gulls and cormorants, black oyster catchers and more! A wildlife filled final stop of the day.

The tide had switched from ebb to flood, smoothing out the texture in Rosario Strait and Juan de Fuca. With reports to the west, we kept up speed, stopping only for a quick visit with harbor seals on the north side of Colville Island. We raced rhinoceros auklets zooming between bait balls, and spied many murres, cormorants and gulls along the way. The push was worth it, as we would enjoy a double header in Haro Strait.

The T75s and T75Cs had gathered up and were working their way up the west side of San Juan Island. We met with them as they crossed the mouth of Mosquito Bay and worked their way past Kellet Bluff. It was impressive to see little Flint’s dorsal next to the towering fin of their uncle Stone and was good to see Bam-Bam next to her mother Kidney. We did not see T75C4 in the mix today and are hoping for the best.

We found Poptart next! This beloved Salish Sea humpback, the 2016 calf of Big Mama, was working her way north past Turn Point. She showed off with some beautiful soundings, clearly showing off the ventral side of her flukes. Thanks, Poptart!

The cruise home was mellow, and we enjoyed many coastal views as we cruised past Spieden, Crane, Orcas and Blakely.

-Sam

T75 Kidney

T75A Stone

T75C Bam-Bam

T75C3 Flint