Anacortes Whale Watch

Highlights

Bigg's Killer Whales (T49As, T75Bs)
Humpback Whale (BCX1852 Raza)
Juvenile Bald Eagle
Harbor Seals

August 29, 2025 | 9 AM and 1 PM Whale Watch

This morning, thick fog spilled into the islands from the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Heavy tendrils seeped up from the south, stacking into Rosario Strait and Bellingham Channel. We edged up to the north, hoping to escape the dreamlike gray that surrounded us, and broke out into blue skies at the cone islands. Scooting back into a thinner line of fog at Peapod Rocks, we spotted a few harbor seals and a juvenile bald eagle keeping each other company.

Suddenly, we received an all too tempting report from further west. Pointing toward Peavine Pass, we jetted out toward Yellow Island. The deeper we ventured into the San Juans, the clearer the skies became. We were well out of the fog and into the summer sunshine when we caught up with a very well known family of Bigg's killer whales, the T49As! Leading this group was T49A Nan. Her teenage son, T49A3 Nat, is starting to sprout, and we got to see his slightly larger dorsal fin waggle as he surfaced next to his mom. In the coming years, he'll start to look much more like his older brothers, T49A2 Jude and T49A1 Noah (both of whom were off on side quests today). Nan and her kiddos milled at the surface when we first arrived, most likely prey sharing. After about ten minutes, Nan decided to get her family on the move and the group began traveling towards Orcas Island. We tracked with these whales as they picked up the pace. Soon, it became obvious what they were pointing toward. We couldn't help but smile as Nan chose to give her family a nice little tour of Deer Harbor, pointing straight for the moored boats in the small inlet! As they cruised inside the harbor, we waved goodbye and started the journey back home.

However, just before we reached the fog line that was leaking in from Thatcher Pass, our deckhand Juna found us a humpback whale, later identified as BCX1852 Raza! We got a few gorgeous looks at Raza as they dove down, bringing their flukes up and out of the water. With time running out, we ventured back into the fog of Rosario Strait. While crossing to Guemes channel, we discussed the history of killer whale capture in the salish sea, the importance of killer whale IDs for ongoing social structure and population research, and the modern day threats humpback whales face including vessel strikes and entanglements.

-Amy

The fog was beginning to dissipate as we embarked on our afternoon adventure, but not before curling over the treetops of Cypress Island in the moodiest display. We turned north up Bellingham Channel, spying leaping salmon and diving Alcids as we went. We had gotten word of new whale reports near the Outer Island Chain and were set on getting there as quickly as possible. We passed Barnes and Clark Islands, Matia too, then slowed as we neared Sucia.

Clements Reef was covered in big blond bodies belonging to Steller sea lion bulls. They snoozed while smaller harbor seals carefully hauled out around them, both pinnipeds looking for any remaining space on the shrinking reef. As we left the seals and sea lions, we didn't pick up speed, because a pod of Bigg's killer whales was just up ahead. The T75Bs had just finished up with a hunt when we arrived and appeared to be celebrating their success. Little T75B5, their newest addition, showed off their little belly in their excitement. Based on these photos, we believe Pebble's newest calf is likely female, a beautiful baby girl! We delighted in witnessing breaches, tail slaps and so much more surface activity as this family of five slowly made their way past Clements Reef and over to Echo Bay.

On our cruise home, we stopped briefly at North Peapod where dozens of harbor seals were hauled out. We then continued south down Bellingham Channel where we received word of potential whales near our home marina! Sure enough, a pod of Bigg's killer whales were working their way through the shallows east of the Swinomish Slough. This was an area the crew had never witnessed orcas before! These shallows turn into mud flats at low tide, but fortunately the tide was flooding and the whales seemed to know what they were doing. While we watched them from afar, a huge Steller bull gave us a heart attack when it surfaced right next to us with a salmon in its teeth! This boy seemed to be unaware of the predators prowling not too far away and loudly tore into its fish as the Bigg's angled in our direction.

We held our breath as the Bigg's neared, Field leading her three kids (Salish II, Lupine and Dune) back towards deeper waters. It seems that the Steller swam on to live another day, and we made our turn for home which was just one mile away. What an epic finale to a wonderful afternoon filled with orcas!

-Sam