Anacortes Whale Watch

Highlights

Bigg’s killer whales (T123s, T100s)
Humpback whale
Harbor porpoises
Eagles and vultures feeding on a Steller sea lion carcass

May 25, 2026 | 1 PM Whale Watch

Serene whales, a little carcass carnage, today was full of memorable wildlife encounters! We had the good fortune of getting to spend time with not one, but two different groups of Bigg’s killer whales, a humpback and a whole lot of scavenging raptors.

The trip started off with a sporty crossing of Rosario Strait. We watched rhinoceros auklets surfing the swell while we zigzagged towards Thatcher Pass and calmer seas. Inner islands, we enjoyed sightings of pigeon guillemots and the occasional harbor porpoise while scanning for blows. Our first whale encounter came just northeast of Moresby Island. The T123s were in resting formation, all four dorsals rising in near-synchrony. Mist wove between the slopes of the gulf islands, the layers of land each a fading shade of blue-gray. It was such a picturesque Pacific Northwest scene.

Not far from the Bigg’s killer whales a humpback whale was trying to remain subtle. Its towering blow was a giveaway, as its dorsal fin subtly rose above the water with each breath taken. It was wisely heading south while the orcas continued north.

We stopped at Spieden Island on the way home. The sheer number of raptors along shore caught our attention. Eagles and turkey vultures had honed in on a Steller sea lion carcass! This huge bull will surely provide days worth of feasting for these scavengers. We watched in amazement as they pulled stringy flesh from a wound along the abdomen. The importance of their “clean up crew” role can’t be under stated.

We cut through the islands once again, opting for Peavine Pass this time instead of Thatcher. The southeast winds were still blowing, and this route would offer more sheltered conditions. As it turns out, it would also offer us another Bigg’s encounter! Captain Tyson sighted inky fins along the shoreline near Eagle Cliff. It was the T100s! This was such a perfect finale to our epic afternoon spent adventuring in the Salish Sea.

- Sam