Anacortes Whale Watch

Highlights

Puffin
Steller sea lions
T77s (hunting 10AM)
T46Bs (3PM)
Sea otter

August 12, 2026 | 10 AM and 3 PM Whale Watch

10 AM

Dense fog had settled in over southern Rosario Strait this morning, the only things visible were the swirling currents within 100 yards of the vessel. Fortunately, the skies cleared as we worked our way south, the peaks of the Olympic Mountains growing sharper the closer we ventured towards the Strait of Juan de Fuca. We slowed at Smith Island to visit with a lone tufted puffin swimming amongst the bull kelp. It is always special to visit with this endangered species and share their story. The bird life was incredible at Smith Bank, with bird mills of hundreds of gulls, cormorants, rhinoceros auklets, and more! The bait must have been teeming today.

As we neared Protection Island, dorsal fins emerged from the glassy blues! The T77 family of Bigg’s killer whales were in scouting mode as they zigzagged west. They followed the current lines near the traffic lanes, and ultimately found breakfast. The hunt was exciting and efficient. We presume the prey to be a harbor seal or porpoise due to the hunting style and lack of visible prey at the surface, but we only saw the processed meal as they drug it with them. What an epic reminder of the power and prowess of these apex predators.

Our cruise north took us past the SA buoy where two massive Steller bulls were hauled out and drying off. Next up was a slow down at Minor Island where harbor seals were hauled out, double created cormorants were in their nests, Brant's corporate were nearshore and thousands of gulls were gathered. - Sam

3 PM

The fog had cleared but the smoke slowly crept back over the Salish Sea this afternoon. We set off to the west, racing it through the heart of the San Juan Archipelago. As we raced through Thatcher Pass we spied harbor porpoises leaping at the surface, taking advantage of the current lines created by the extreme flood tide. As we approached Turn Reef, we spied a very well camouflage little furry bundle amidst the bull kelp. A sleepy little sea otter was all wrapped up in kelp, snoozing in the small calm patch the kelp provided amidst the intense upwellings generated by the tidal exchange. Not much farther to the south, a family of Bigg's killer whales rode the currents into Cattle Pass. It was the T46Bs (minus the T46B3s): little Tala and Pi tucked in close to Raksha while Takaya rode in Akela's slipstream. Quiver is truly starting to sprout, his dorsal fin is now clearly distinct amongst the group. He was off doing his own thing for much of the evening, never too far from mom but just separate enough to give "teenage boy" vibes. We watched as they flipped back and forth in the currents and finally settled into a cuddle session near the Lopez shoreline. When we left the scene, we pushed into Cattle Pass again, slowing at Whale Rocks to witness Stellers truly fighting one another for space, the smaller bulls throwing their weight around while the established bulls held their heads high. It was a scenic cruise home from there, past Iceberg Point, Castle Island and Washington Park. - Sam