Anacortes Whale Watch

Highlights

Humpback whale
Bonaparte's gulls (thousands!)
Steller sea lions
Harbor seals
Nesting bald eagles

April 21, 2026 | 1 PM Whale Watch

The incredible diversity of the Salish Sea ecosystem was on full display today! From

humpbacks to harbor porpoises, eagles to sea stars, we encountered an incredible array of species on our adventure.

The sea was angry down south today, with strong westerlies working against the ebb, so we opted for smoother searching to the north. We slowed near Sinclair Island to visit with several Steller sea lions dozing on a navigational marker, pelagic cormorants coupled up in the rafters above them. We passed the first of what would turn into thousands of Bonaparte’s gulls at point Lawrence. They were concentrating along the current lines, skimming the surface as they swooped down for prey. As we neared Puffin Island, we spied a juvenile bald eagle perched atop the rock weed in the intertidal zone, while two mature eagles soared past overhead. These two alighted on a nest! It was sweet to watch the bond between this mated pair. Beneath them, dozens of harbor seals were hauled out, chatty black oyster catchers flitting amongst them. As we enjoyed a slower cruise along the shoreline of Matia, swaths of purple Pisaster sea stars were visible in the nooks and crannies of the sculpted sandstone coastline. we spied turkey vultures soaring in the thermals, and pigeon guillemots swimming nearshore. As we approached the Patos Island Lighthouse, a haul out of Steller bulls caught our eye. As they snoozed, eagles battled it out in the skies overhead, Canada geese swam past and hundreds of Bonaparte’s gulls cried out as they swirled amidst the roiling currents.

It was here that we heard word of a whale to the west! We pushed through the glassy waters of Boundary Pass, passing dozens of harbor porpoises as we went. As we neared the Turn Point Lighthouse, we saw a dark back break through the gray sea… a humpback! It turned out to be Zig Zag, and this twenty year old mama lived up to her name, zigzagging across the pass. It was a truly serene encounter, the silence punctuated by her powerful exhalations, the layered backdrop of the Canadian gulf islands setting a gorgeous stage.

Our journey home took us along an entirely new route. We passed Flattop and Jones Islands, slowed in Pole Pass for belted kingfishers, common loons and pigeon guillemots, then picked up the pace through Cayou Pass and Thatcher. By the time we crossed Rosario, the seas had built and we got a small taste of the weather we’d avoided down south. Happy with our choices, we called it a day and returned to Cap Sante just as the rain began to fall.

-Sam