Anacortes Whale Watch

Highlights

Bigg's killer whales (T65Bs)
Tufted puffins!
Steller sea lions
Harbor seals

September 10, 2026 | 1 PM Whale Watch

What a lovely afternoon spent with the T65Bs and a truly delightful and diverse array of birds. The Strait of Juan de Fuca was where the action was at today, and fortunately we were also sheltered from the worst of the winds down south. Chunk and her boys were spread out over at least a half a mile as they scouted between the banks for prey. As we traveled with them, her two youngest met back up with her, while her eldest trailed a bit behind. Seeing how stealthy these massive dolphins can be gave us a deeper appreciation for their skill as ambush predators.

We rode the swell to Smith Island following our whale encounter. The tufted puffins were out in force, showing off every stage of the transition to their winter plumage. Some still had impressive tufts, others looked like Albert Einstein, others had no tufts at all, and some had lost nearly all their white plumage and the sheath on their beaks. Amidst the puffins were grebes, cormorants, common murres, rhinoceros auklets, gulls, scorers and more!

At the start of our journey, we’d had the opportunity to visit Bird Rocks. Steller sea lion bulls were snoozing on shore, stretching their flippers towards the sun. Harbor seals made the rocky shoreline look cozy as they bathed in the warmth of the sunshine. Cormorants of every variety flocked on the islands, black turnstones gathered in their perfectly camouflaged plumage, and gulls galore.

Another beautiful and wildlife rich adventure out on the Salish Sea!

-Sam