Anacortes Whale Watch

Highlights

Bigg's Killer Whales (T124A2s, T100Bs, & T100E)
California Sea Lion
Bald Eagles
Harbor Seals
Deception Pass

February 14, 2026 -- 1 PM Whale Watch

We certainly hope today’s trip is a sign of the season to come, because it was packed with wildlife and stunning Pacific Northwest scenery. Not to mention, we were lucky enough to spend time with two different groups of Bigg’s killer whales!

Our Cap Sante Marina resident loon greeted us as we prepared for departure. Word had come in from down south of sightings of orcas, so that’s where we started our search. We cruised west through Guemes Channel, south past the Burrow’s Island Lighthouse, and on through some swell rolling in from the Strait of Juan de Fuca on our way to Deception Pass. We slowed to enjoy this iconic Washington landmark, spying harbor seals, belted kingfishers and pigeon guillemots as we drifted east. We picked up the pace on our way to Saratoga Passage, admiring bald eagles and the smooth seas inside of Whidbey as we went.

As we neared the entrance to Holmes Harbor, three Bigg’s Killer Whales met us heading north. It was the T124A2s: Elkugu (T124A2), Agafia (T124A2A) and Litton (T124A2B). Agafia wowed us with an investigatory pass while his mom and little sister cruised the shoreline. Their blows were beautifully backlit with the afternoon sun.

On our way back north, we slowed to visit with a CHUNKY California sea lion bull. He was gorgeous and he knew it, posing in the most showy way. Several bald eagle pairs were basking in the sun high atop the trees along the shorelines of Hope and Fidalgo Islands, and we sighted common loons and marbled murrelets in Burrows Pass.

That would have been a fantastic trip, but Mother Nature had one more Valentine's Day treat in store for us... As we wove through crab pots in Burrow's Bay, Captain Carl sighted an inky dorsal fin slice through the smooth waters! Upon initial looks, we wondered if this apparently lone whale weaving amongst crab traps might be the notorious Indy (T65A5), but soon more fins appeared and were determined to be the T100Bs with T100E. Sisters Tharaya (T100E) and Freya (T100B) have been traveling together of late, accompanied by Freya's two surviving offspring Seidr (T100B1) and Selkie (T100B3). These four led us through the emerald hues of Burrows Pass and on into the sunset.

As we rounded the corner to Cap Sante, the Cascade Mountains were blushing with the setting sun, Mount Baker making an appearance to end the day. It was the perfect end to an epic start to the season.

-Sam