Anacortes Whale Watch

Highlights

Bigg's killer whales (see full list below)
Humpback whale (CRC-20878 Billiard)
Deception Pass Bridge
Harbor seals
Steller sea lions

July 28, 2026 | 10 AM and 3 PM Whale Watch

10 AM

It's not every day we get new orcas visiting the Salish Sea, but today proved to be one of those rare occasions. A T-party was sighted passing beneath the Deception Pass Bridge of all places, and we got to catch up with them as they were exploring the shallows of Similk Bay. As soon as we started taking photos, our eyes lit up! There were dorsal fins in the mix we knew we'd never seen before. We had to refer to FinWave for these IDs, and sure enough they were whales who appear to have never been documented in the Salish Sea before. Welcome to the area T135s/CA027s! T135 was first seen in 1988, and given a minimum birth year estimate of 1978. According to the California Killer Whale Project, she has been documented with seven offspring, two of whom were traveling with her today: T135C born around 1999 and T135F born in 2012. It was quite the mix of Salish Sea regulars showing them the area, with the T36s/T36Bs present, with T69E and T137A. We're choosing to believe Jack was showing them his favorite seal hunting haunts. This group led us back to the Deception Pass Bridge, where we parted ways, but not before watching them porpoise through Canoe Pass in epic fashion.

The whale time wasn't over though, as a humpback whale had been sighted near Bellingham Channel. Sure enough, "Billiard" CRC-20878 was working their way up the channel amidst so many marbled murrelet pairs! We admired their speckled flukes as they repeatedly showed tail, and listened to the distinct calls of the murrelet mated pairs during Billiiard's deeper dives.

Other highlights of the day included a truly packed harbor seal haul out near Burrows Island, with some darling chunky pups in the mix. Pigeon guillemot activity in Deception Pass, including fish in bill moments. Exciting Deception Pass crossing back to the west against the flood tide, and some gorgeous looks at the intertidal zone at the low tide. Oh, and we can't forget the wind! It was howling this morning, making for much excitement at the start of our journey, but fortunately died down as the trip progressed.

Here is a list of all the whales we verified with photos, eleven Bigg's present in total:

T36 "Flapjack" 1970

T36B "Tattertip" 1998

T36B1"Bhotia" 2009

T36B1A "Maple" 2025

T36B2 "Greenfelder" 2013

T36B4 "Auk" 2024

T69E "Kodiak" 2004 (mature male who looked like a sprouter)

T137A "Jack" 2002

T135/CA027 --> First seen in 1988, estimated birth year 1978 or earlier

T135C/CA027C--->First seen in 2004, estimated birth 1999 (new male in the bunch, several notches on trailing edge and tall slender dorsal)

T135F/CA027F--> Birth year 2012 (female)

*info via the California Killer Whale Project

- Sam

3 PM

This trip was one for the books! It takes the award for the closest I have seen whales to home for! We left the dock and within 15 minutes could see splashing coming for the same T party we saw on this mornings tour but this time right at March’s Point! The 11 whales were traveling quickly, and at some points tail slapping! They were zig zagging, spreading out and coming back quickly together. It was just incredible! We stuck with this squad until we got to Vendovi Island and then made the turn for some reports in Bellingham Bay! After a quick journey up toward the bay, we saw a mysterious humpback surface a few times before disappearing out into the sun glare. We searched hard and waited to see if we could get one more surfacing but eventually we made our turn and left the bay. Along with lots of whale action, we saw 6 mature bald eagles on Hat Island, Pea pod rocks and a navigation marker near Sinclair island. We also got to see dozens of harbor seals and 4 Stellar Sea Lions. It was a beautiful calm cruise with warm sun… what a SPECTACULAR evening on the water! - Clare