Anacortes Whale Watch

Highlights

Bigg's Killer Whales (T19s & T49A2)
Gray Whale
Harbor Seals
Bald Eagles

March 22, 2026 | 1 PM Whale Watch

With reports of whales sighted in Bellingham Bay this morning, we began our search to the north, enjoying wonderfully calm conditions along the way. Flocks of long-tailed ducks, Brant’s, cormorants, pigeon guillemots and rhinoceros auklets dotted the bay. A lovely gathering of harbor seals were beautifully camouflaged along the shoreline of Eliza Rock, while overhead bald eagles soared to and fro. We’d actually started the day with an interesting bald eagle sighting just outside of Cap Sante. A juvenile was perched in a partially exposed rock in the intertidal zone tearing into a crab!

As we continued north, we passed through a dramatic front near Eliza Island, the water to the south a deep blue while the ebb tide carried in a blanket of muddy, sediment-rich water from the north. We worked our way all the way up to the city of Bellingham, where one of our fellow whale watchers had sighted activity near shore. It turned out to be a gray whale! Not what was initially reported, but a delightful surprise nonetheless. This friendly little whale graced us with some close looks following its deeper dives, expelling heart-shaped plumes of mucus into the air with each powerful exhalation.

After a quick visit with this gray whale, we ventured south into the bay in search of the original report. While we never did find out if the early morning report was accurate, we did hear word of black and white whales sighted elsewhere in the islands…

We cut west, skirting the southern shoreline of Lummi Island, crossing Rosario Strait to Peavine Pass then weaving our way through Cayou and Pole passes on our way towards White Rock. It was just north of this National Wildlife Refuge that we sighted tall dorsal fins on the horizon. The T19 brothers Galiano (T19B) and Spouter (T19C) were socializing with Jude (T49A2). We were surprised not to see Nootka (T19) with them, but soon sighted her little dorsal a mile apart from the boys. These four Bigg’s killer whales led us along the western Waldron coastline, disrupting flocks of common murres and bufflehead ducks as they cruised. They led us all the way to Point Disney before we bid them farewell.

It was a scenic cruise home back through the islands. We fought the currents in Wasp Pass, then cut down to Thatcher before crossing Rosario to home. It was a long day, but well worth the extra effort to see two species of cetaceans and enjoy a memorable tour of the islands.

-Sam