Anacortes Whale Watch

Highlights

Breaching humpbacks!!
Bigg’s killer whales: T65As (minus A3 & A5) with T64Bs (minus B2)
Steller sea lions
Tufted puffins
Bald eagles

June 5, 2026 | 12 PM Whale Watch

Double header and DOUBLE BREACH!!! What a fantastic day for wildlife on the Salish Sea.

Spying eagles in flight above Burrows Island and Williamson Rocks, we worked our way south towards reports of whales. We enjoyed smooth seas as we entered Rosario Strait and continued south into the Strait of Juan de Fuca. At the entrance of Admiralty Inlet, we caught up with a group of seven Bigg’s killer whales: the T65As (minus A3 & A5) & T64Bs (minus B2). They were working their way south amidst small groups of rhinoceros auklets and common murres. Elli (T65A4) and T64B1 were traveling side by side a bit apart from the rest. It was sweet to see these two teenage girls spending time together.

The whales continued into Puget Sound, and we made our turn to the north. We slowed at the Partridge Bank navigational marker to visit with Steller sea lions dozing in the sun. The pelagic cormorants perched above them were busy building nests. At Smith Island we lucked into some tufted puffin sightings, their bright orange bills standing out amidst the pigeon guillemots and rhinoceros auklets.

From here, Caption Tyson sighted blows in the horizon. We angled out towards McArthur Bank and were delighted to meet up with two humpback whales: Split Fin (CRC-15313) and Strike (CRC-16009). We had been watching their travel through glassy waters towards the peak of Kulshan when all of a sudden the water exploded…DOUBLE BREACH!!! The boat erupted in cheers, screams, laughter, everyone just trying to process the incredible display we just witnessed. Strike continued to tail slap as she traveled and Split Fin stayed by her side. What an epic finale to a stunning day!

-Sam