Anacortes Whale Watch

Highlights

Bigg's Killer Whales (T65A5, T60D, T60E, T137s, T75Bs)
Humpback Whale
Steller Sea Lions

September 21, 2025 | 12 PM Whale Watch

Action packed doesn't even begin to describe today!!

We began our journey crossing over Rosario Strait, feeling a little turbulence from the wind blown waves coming in from the strait of Juan de Fuca. Cruising into Thatcher Pass, the conditions flattened out beautifully and we got some amazing views of several WA state ferries bouncing between the San Juan islands. Just past Pole Pass, we got reports of a lone killer whale skirting up the Orcas shoreline in Presidents Channel. A lone orca with a notch in his dorsal and scars decorating his saddle patch, now who could that be... It was none other than T65A5, Indy! This young whale is one of the most well known individuals in the population because he's worked hard to earn a big reputation. For years, Indy has been known to disperse from his family group, the T65As, for extended periods of time, either traveling by himself or keeping company with other families in the area. He's also been known to get into some trouble, tugging on crab pots and getting himself stuck in a small lagoon near Port Angeles in 2022... (It's ok Indy, everyone makes mistakes.) This trailblazer cruised tight to the shoreline and we got a few looks before deciding to turn off and head for some more reports coming from the west.

Cruising around San Juan Island, we got another taste of the winds coming in from the strait of Juan de Fuca. But the slightly confused sea state was worth it, because this report was of a much larger group of Bigg's. As we scanned for their dorsals, we spotted a massive blow just a little ways ahead of us. But this wasn't an orca whale... it was a humpback! This unexpected surprise was an absolute delight. Just beyond this humpback, we then spotted several black dorsal fins hitting the surface, and we knew we'd hit the jackpot. We swung around to parallel view, getting some amazing looks at this humpback whale and our killer whales simultaneously. What a treat!

After some brief photo ID work, we determined that we had eleven orca whales on scene. We had two matriarchs present, T75B Pebbles and T137 Loon-- and of course all their kiddos in tow. We also had the T60 brothers, T60D Onca and T60E Lynx, who lagged behind. These two males have been regularly dispersing from their own mom, T60 Panthera, since 2021, and have been enjoying some brotherly bonding this last week in the southern Salish Sea without parental supervision.

We hung with these two brothers as they slowed their pace. Meanwhile, Pebbles and Loon led their families in a high speed race, porpoising fast towards Henry Island. After plenty of good looks at our humpback friend as well as the T60 brothers, we picked up the pace and met back up with the T137s and T75Bs. It was so much fun to spend time with this T party, especially because we got to see one of the largest members of this population, 23 year old T137A Jack, as well as one of the smallest members, little T75B5, who was born just last month. This group hugged close to shore in a tight knit swimming formation and we kept pace with them for as long as we could before it was time to head back home.

On our way back to Cap Sante, we discussed photo ID work as well as the intricacies of social groups in this population. We got two amazing examples of individual whales (Indy) and siblings (Onca and Lynx) dispersing from their families, as well as solid examples of more traditional family units with the T75Bs and T137s. What a phenomenal multi-cetacean day!

Amy