Anacortes Whale Watch

Highlights

Humpback Whale
Tufted Puffin
Sea Lions
Harbor Seals
Bald Eagle
Jumping Salmon

August 14, 2025 | 9 AM and 1 PM Whale Watch

This morning we began our adventure at Bird Rocks where we spotted lots or harbor seals hauled out on the rocks as well as gulls and nesting cormorants. Continuing south, we ventured to McCarther Bank and Hein Bank to search for wildlife. The wind and swell was certainly whipped up a bit this morning, however surface conditions smoothed out massively when we turned back north and headed for Salmon Bank. While searching, we got to check out lots of bait balls with sea birds chaotically circling, trying to get their fill of baitfish. Among the frenzies, glaucous-winged gulls, common murres, rhinoceros auklets, pigeon guillemots, and even red necked phalaropes made their presence known. We also got amazing looks at the breaching salmon that are currently traveling through the area! After a thorough search at Salmon Bank, we took a small break at Whale Rocks where we got to check out a massive gathering of steller sea lions. With time running out, we began our journey back up Rosario Strait, searching the eastern edge near the Burrows Island lighthouse. Unfortunately, no whales were spotted in our search range this morning, and we returned back to the dock after one final search in Guemes Channel. We searched far and wide for blows and exhalations and sought out nutrient accumulation areas where our whales are often found, however today the whales evaded us. We greatly appreciate our guests' enthusiasm and curiosity during our adventure and sincerely hope they can join us again in the future!

-Amy

With renewed optimism, we once again left the dock in search of whales! We started with a different route, scanning the sheltered waters along the eastern coastline of Guemes Island and up into Bellingham Channel. This allowed us to scan into Bellingham Bay and northern Rosario Strait. While we saw many leaping salmon and the fins of harbor porpoise, we did not find any larger cetaceans in the zone.

With new reports filtering in from the south regarding calmer seas, we made the turn down Rosario Strait. This led us to Bird Rocks, where many more harbor seals were hauled out due to the ebbing tide, pups amongst them. We also saw double crested cormorants, pigeon guillemots, glaucous winged gulls, Heermann’s gulls, and a harlequin duck! Oh, and a large Steller sea lion swimming amongst the flowing bull kelp.

We continued south, crossing Lawson Reef and marveling at how much a change in tides could smooth out conditions in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The water was glassy, and we could easily see every common murre and rhinoceros auklet sitting the surface. We slowed at Smith Island to search for the beloved tufted puffin and lucked out! A very friendly little TUPU stretched and preened its feathers around us while we marveled at the extensive bull kelp forest at Smith Bank.

Pushing west, our crew had eyes glued to binoculars. The skies were clearing enough to reveal the Olympic peaks and we knew that if there were whales around, conditions would be conducive to spotting them….

“There! I think that was a minke!”

It was not a minke…it was a humpback!!! A humpback with a very pointy dorsal and low swimming profile, but definitely a humpback whale! What unfolded was one of the most serene encounters, just us and “Victory” the humpback whale slowly moving from Hein Bank towards Eastern. Salmon leapt around her, common murres did not flee at her presence, she just glided through those emerald waters in the most graceful fashion.

With hearts full, we returned to the dock with smiles on our faces, grateful to the Salish Sea for another memorable day on the water.

-Sam