San Juan Island whale watch tour spies porpoise

San Juan Island whale watch wildlife update for April 3rd:

The blustery weather cleared long enough for Captain Brian and I to set out on a whale watch tour. We were hoping for a sighting of transient orcas (killer whales), but no luck. We were lucky with a few harbor porpoise sightings, many many harbor seals, a number of bald eagles displaying interesting behavior and a wonderful up close look at a peregrine falcon sitting just a few feet away!

We also drove very close to Spieden Island where we were able to see large herds of fallow deer and mouflon sheep. I've never seen so many before! This is a great time of year to see the animals on Spieden as the spring rains bring plenty of new growth to the grassy fields. We saw a large number of mouflon ewes with lambs, it's definitely that time of year.

San Juan Island 3 day sea kayak tour spies dozens of porpoise!

San Juan Island sea kayak wildlife update for April 2nd:

Well Noelle and I just returned from our first multi day sea kayak tour of 2010! We had a great, cheerful group and were both happy to get out on the water and dust some cobwebs off our paddling skills. We left Friday Harbor, paddled north and on Day 3 arrived at Roche Harbor-- all without retracing our steps.

Despite varying inclement weather our cheerful group made the best of each day. We were able to paddle around the Wasp Islands, hike around Jones Island State Park and explore the west side of San Juan and Henry Islands. It's definitely springtime here in the San Juan Islands, and the blossoms are in bloom!

I think I can safely speak for the group when I say everyone's highlight was setting off across San Juan Channel on Day 3, and stopping to listen to the dozens of harbor porpoise that were surfacing quietly on all sides of us. We got some great looks at a few pairs just a few hundred feet away, and could hear them breath as they surfaced. It was such special moment, and I was grateful for the chance to share a little island magic.

San Juan Island 3 hour sea kayak tour spies a hunting Steller sea lion

San Juan Island sea kayak wildlife update for March 27th:

Today I paddled out on a 3 hour kayak tour. It was a bit windy out but the overcast clouds created the most beautiful colors-- all of the islands to the west were clothed in wonderful shades of blue.
We saw harbor seals, courting bald eagles and lots of shorebirds.

As we were paddling down the west side of Henry Island we spied a Steller sea lion surfacing a few times just a few hundred feet away! This big guy was hard to identify at first because he surfaced upside down-- coming to breath with just his chin (and then chest) showing. Later that afternoon when I spoke with an experienced captain he suggested that seals or sea lions surface like that when they are hunting and do not want to take their eyes off their prey. Wonder what this Steller was looking at down there?

Spring at San Juan Outfitters, Friday Harbor

San Juan Outfitters' wildlife update for Saturday March 13th:

It's springtime here on the island-- which means the weather is likely to change at a moment's notice, the animals are all getting ready for courtship or mating, and it's simply gorgeous out. Today I saw an adult bald eagle fly by with a large stick in it's beak-- building a nest I presume. Although bald eagles are believed to mate for life, each year they will make 'improvements' to their nest by adding on more and more sticks until the tree can no longer support the nest.

One of the most amazing looks at wildlife I've ever had here on San Juan Island was when I saw two bald eagles performing courtship aerials of swoops and spins in the sky, all while crying out. The highlight of the display was when the two eagles locked talons and spun down towards the ground. At the last second they let go and flew up again.

Keep those eyes on the sky, and you too might be lucky enough to glimpse these magnificent birds in flight (and courtship!)

Orca whales spotted on 3 hour sea kayak tour on San Juan Island

San Juan Island sea kayak wildlife update for August 27th:

Today I paddled out of Roche Harbor on a 3 hour tour and we spotted orca (killer) whales! Thanks to our whale watch boat I received the whale report before leaving the harbor, but was not sure if we would be able to see the whales as they were already headed north in the Haro Strait. We paddled out to the kelp forest off Henry Island and as we were eating some seaweed, looking for seals and listening for eagles we saw some killer whales! There were quite a few whales visible, so I knew they were resident killer whales (which congregate in large numbers)

They were members of the southern resident orca community and were headed north at a brisk pace but we saw lots of large, dark dorsal fins slipping in and out of the water. Although the whales were out in the strait, it was a pleasant surprised to see them on our short tour!

After we saw the whales we headed down south a ways and looked for some swimming harbor seals and a bald eagle or two. The real highlight of the trip came on our way back when I was paddling alongside Kevin and his young son Ryan and a harbor seal pup decided to come check us out. It popped up alongside our boats, just inches away from Ryan! It swam to their rudder, popped up underneath the paddles and swam belly up under my boat. I could even hear its claws click on the underside of my kayak as it went underneath. This is the time of year when the weaned seal pups are starting to investigate their surroundings on their own, so I was excited to see it upclose!

Sea Kayaking Family Tour San Juan Island--August 24th

This morning on our 3-hour family sea kayak tour we had a veritable feast of native wildlife! Apparently the animals were hungry, because we saw ochre sea stars eating barnacles, harbor seals eating fish, as well as a sighting of a bald eagle catching a fish! One of the kayaks had a baby seal pup come up and stare at the paddlers, from less than a paddle's reach away from the boat! Beautiful paddling weather today, no wind and warm!

Don C

San Juan Island Sea Kayak- Eagle

Greetings all!

Our guide, Joe, just returned from his 10am 3-hour sea kayak tour and had an amazing tour. While they were near Henry Island's McCracken Point they saw an Eagle swoop down, land in the water and fifteen seconds later pulled itself out with a fish in it's talons. It was an amazing sight. Shortly there after our guests, Jim and Marylynne paddled near a huge lion's mane jellyfish.

UPCLOSE look at killer whales during San Juan Island sea kayak tour

San Juan Island sea kayak wildlife update for August 2nd:

Today I paddled out with two friends from Seattle who were excited to see all the wildlife the San Juans have to offer. We were getting some great looks at bald eagles, sea birds and harbor seals and were taking a short break in a forest of bull kelp when the report came in that whales were in the Haro Strait and headed south-- towards us! We watched as whale watch boats moved down the strait and then noticed that a few whales were much closer to shore--to us. At this point we couldn't paddle offshore into a strengthening current and into the path of the whales, so we hunkered down into the kelp forest and watched the whales swim by just a few dozen feet from our boat. That was exciting enough in its own right, but then we saw the dorsal fin of a large male and it seemed to be headed right towards us! It came closer and closer and closer with each breath-- we began to get nervous as it seemed to be on direct course towards us-- until it finally broke the surface of the water just a few feet from our boat. His dorsal fin towered above us, waving slowly, and we could clearly see that it was Ruffles, or J1, a resident killer whale in the J family. Ruffles is one of the largest males in the entire Southern Resident Community, and to see him just a few feet away was certainly humbling. For my guests it was the satisfying of a dream.

What a great-- up close-- look at the killer whales!

Gorgeous sunset greets 3 hour sea kayak tour on San Juan Island

San Juan Island sea kayak wildlife update for July 11th:

Today was a pretty fantastic day all around-- gorgeous weather, active wildlife and calm water. As we rested in the bull kelp forest, we kept a sharp lookout for harbor seals, and were rewarded when a mother decided to haul herself out of the water and on top of the kelp just a few dozen feet from our boats. There she proceeded to get comfortable and nurse her pup!

Earlier that day we'd been resting in the same spot when an eagle flew down from its nest on McCracken Point and landed with a splash in the water below. It remained in the water for a few moments, having obviously tried to pick up some dinner that was heavier than expected, before flapping those great wings with some difficulty and becoming airborne yet again (without anything to eat).

After leaving the kelp forest we paddled south and checked out yet another bald eagle nest and there we saw clearly the eaglet in the nest, and watched as it flapped its wings over and over again.

It was an absolutely perfect day for a sunset paddle with the cloudless blue skies of the afternoon giving way to cloud cover at dusk-- creating a dramatic display of pinks, reds and purples in the sky.

Bald eagles galore during San Juan Island 3 hour sea kayak tour

San Juan Island sea kayak wildlife update for July 9th:

Today we paddled out hoping to see some wildlife, and were rewarded with bald eagle sighting after bald eagle sighting! Stretching from Roche Harbor over to Pearl and Posey Islands, and over the western side of Henry Island were eagles along every few points. It was great to see bald eagles in all life stages from eaglets in the nest, to immatures flying solo, to a mature mated pair standing guard.

Each day we'll be able to see those eaglets develop a little more, and it's a great way to chart the progress of the season.

San Juan Island Sea Kayak-- Foxes, Eagles and Mink...Oh My!

San Juan Island sea kayak wildlife report for July 8th:

As our morning 3 hour sea kayak tour pushed off from the dock there was a slight drizzle but as they continued on their tour the sky cleared and they were treated to a wildlife extravaganza. They spotted two bald eagles on a beach, a mink scurrying along the shoreline, a raccoon lurking in the grass and two red foxes resting under a madrona tree. The guide, Joe, said that today shaped out to be one of his best days of paddling so far.

San Juan Island sea kayak tour is all smiles despite rain

San Juan Island sea kayak wildlife update for July 6th:

Today I paddled out on a 3 hour sea kayak tour departing from Roche Harbor, San Juan Island. Despite the dreary weather, we all managed to have a great time! There were harbor seals and harbor seal pups to see, bald eagles to look for, tasty bull kelp to eat, crabs to find, jellies to scoop up and more!

At San Juan Outfitters we paddle rain or shine, so it's important that everyone bring the gear necessary to ensure comfort and safety regardless of the weather. That means a warm, non-cotton top layer, a wind or water repellent jacket, a hat for warmth or sun, and of course sunscreen and sunglasses! The more comfortable you are, the more fun you'll have paddling out with us!

San Juan Island 3 hour sea kayak tour has truly spectacular encounter with killer whales

San Juan Island sea kayak wildlife update for Wednesday, July 1rst:

This morning I paddled out with two couples for a 3 hour sea kayak tour from Roche Harbor. While we paddled down the west side of Henry Island we saw a large number of whale watch boats out in the Haro Strait. As we drew closer we could make out small black dorsal fins surfacing out there, and could even see some of the larger splashes from these southern resident killer whales tail slapping and breaching. As my guests didn't have to rush back to the docks, we decided to extend our trip and cross our fingers that whales would come our way.
While we sat off the southwest corner of Henry watching the whales from a distance I saw 5 or 6 whales come around Kellet Bluffs very close to shore. We brought our kayaks together to form a raft and watched as a few whales continued in our direction. When one large male dived on one side of us and surfaced on the other, we thought we had seen it all, so we were all the more surprised when a female with a very young calf did the same. When those two surfaced they were not more that 25 feet away!! We were so close to those animals, and could see the dorsals wobble a bit on the surface. It was truly an incredible encounter, and one not likely to be soon forgotten!

Rain doesn't damper spirits on sea kayak

San Juan Island sea kayak wildlife update for June 24th:

Yesterday started off gray and rainy, so I was pleased that my guests were not deterred by the cool weather. We made sure to dress appropriately with warm layers and raincoats, and headed out. It's absolutely essential that everyone who intends to go out on the water always brings clothing to stay warm and dry-- even in summer that means a fleece or other non-cotton layers, and a windbreaker or raincoat. It's always better to be prepared than caught unawares!

I love paddling when it's gray and misty out, especially when the water is almost absolutely still and it's hard to distinguish between sky and sea. We saw lots of wildlife yesterday, a sunflower sea star, a large group of playful and curious harbor seals, bald eagles, sea birds and even a harbor porpoise! The coolest thing was watching two adult down on the beach by the waters edge, and seeing one adult walk into the water and appear to lunge after prey in the low tide zone. I've never seen a bald eagle go 'wading' so that was really amazing!

Overnight sea kayak trek in the San Juan Islands

San Juan Island sea kayak wildlife update for June 9th and 10th:

Yesterday Joe, Nick and I along with new guides Megan and Tim returned from a little overnight kayak trip of our own. We paddled out to Stuart Island for the night, and then returned to Friday Harbor the second day. The gorgeous blue skies and calm waters let us take advantage of the area and explore some new routes. We saw lots of eagles and sea birds, and even found a small pod of harbor porpoises foraging off the western point of Speiden Island.

Wind picks up for San Juan Island sea kayak tour

San Juan Island sea kayak wildlife update for Friday, June 5th:

Joe returned from his 3 hour tour in high spirits today. Not only did he have fantastic guests that were ready to encounter anything that came their way, but they had a great time looking at the animals out there. Although they worked against strong winds to fast moving currents, their upbeat attitudes ensured that everyone had a good time.

They were rewarded with up close wildlife encounters including sea birds, bald eagles and of course, our local harbor seals. Joe said the highlight was the two seals that were playing near the surface as at one point they came to within 10 feet of the boats and stayed for 5 minutes simply swimming around.

Seals and porpoises make some appearances for San Juan Island sea kayak tour

San Juan Island sea kayak wildlife update for June 2nd:

This afternoon I paddled out with Doug & Debra from Idaho, and they brought luck with them. We saw a ton of wildlife, and the weather was fantastic to boot. All throughout the 5 hour paddle we saw and heard male harbor seals slapping the surface of the water, but it was in the bull kelp bed off of McCracken Point that we could see them up close. These seals were launching almost their whole bodies out of the water and coming down with a resounding splash. It was impressive to see such displays and in such detail.
The other highlight of the day was seeing harbor porpoises. At one point we saw a few slowly slipping in and out of the water feeding. It was such a calm, perfect day that we could see their outlines perfectly. Later as we rounded Kellett Bluffs another harbor porpoise surfaced just a dozen feet or so away from my kayak!

I think the seals must have liked Doug, because on our way home a lone harbor seal popped up repeatedly in front of, beside, between and behind our boats. It was exciting to guess where it'd appear next!

Harbor seals start slapping for San Juan Island sea kayak tour

San Juan Island sea kayak wildlife update for June 1rst:

One one hand I can't believe it's already June 1rst and on the other, the absolutely stunning weather of the past week makes it feel like it should be August already.

This afternoon I paddled out on a special tour with two lovely ladies from Colorado. The water was as smooth as glass all around us, so we were able to see the antics of some seals from far off. A few males were out and about practicing their mating displays, so we got to hear the double flipper slap and see the big splashes from a ways away. It's always exciting to be able to see, identify and interpret animal behavior, and today was no exception.

While crossing to Pearl on our return, we saw a juvenile bald eagle on the beach defending its prey against two adults. As we got a little closer, the juvenile took off (while vocalizing loudly) and one of the adults swooped in while the other stood guard. What they ate I don't know, but it had lots of fur-- raccoon or mink, methinks.

Two day sea kayak tour full of wildlife!

San Juan Island sea kayak wildlife update for May 16th & 17th:

Well I've just returned from our first overnight sea kayak trip of the season and have to report back a wonderful success. The weather was absolutely perfect and the wildlife certainly put on a great show, so that coupled with delicious snacks and good company made for a great weekend.

Steve and Robin were Washingtonians with an appetite for adventure, and I'm glad I could deliver. We met in Friday Harbor and walked down to our exclusive launching docks where we discussed the menu, the weather and tide predictions and our combined goals for the trip. It's important to us at SJO that everyone has a wonderful trip, and we'll do anything in our powers to achieve that-- whether that's getting up early to go fishing or birding or staying up late to point out constellations. Robin turned out to be a botanist, so our chance to see Yellow Island in bloom was welcomed. It was lovely to walk around a gorgeous, colorful island and learn even more about each flower. We saw blossoms of every color thanks to the chocolate lily, little pinks, purple camas, stonecrops, shooting stars, Indian paintbrushes and even prickly pear cacti in bloom.

Wildlife was a large focus of this trip, and it started off well with almost immediate sightings of black-tailed deer on the beach and bald eagles soaring overhead and next to us. By the end of the second day we'd gotten up close and personal with a family of mink (one coming within a few feet of Robin!), seen river otters fishing in our little cove, spotted numerous harbor seals both swimming nearby and lounging in the sun on close rocks, identified a few different types and colors of sea stars in the intertidal zone, walked around our site in the company of friendly deer, heard the insistent cry of black oystercatchers each day, and watched a small pod of harbor porpoises feed just off shore of our camp. After all the wildlife seen on the first day, we hardly had expectations for more, however the best was yet to come.
It happened after dinner as we had settled on a grassy overlook to watch the sun set over Salt Spring Island. It was a gorgeous sunset, full of bright colors and puffy clouds. We were concentrating on the sunset, so it was a great surprise to see the harbor porpoises resurface. This time their tiny black dorsals made a beautiful contrast against the glassy pink waters-- fantastic!

All in all, this overnight was a fantastic trip-- I can't wait to see what else lies in wait for this summer.

P.S. This weekend's trip was also a great example of going car-less on the San Juans. Steve and Robin left their car at Anacortes and walked on to the ferry the morning of our departure. After arriving at Roche Harbor the second day, they were shuttled back to Friday Harbor via our company van just in time to walk on to a late afternoon ferry home.
P. P. S. Pictures to follow.

5 hour sea kayak tour paddles hard...

San Juan Island sea kayak wildlife update for May 14th:

Hege and I paddled out for a 5 hour tour this morning, and while we were hoping to see whales, we were content with a long, hard paddle and numerous bird sightings. The clouds from earlier lifted and we had bright sunny skies with us all day (my sunburned face will attest to that!). As Hege was a great novice paddler and happy to keep moving instead of examining the flora and fauna up close, we sailed around Henry Island and headed down to San Juan County Park back on San Juan Island. From there we worked our way back up along to shoreline to Roche Harbor. All in all, we paddled about 15 miles today, which felt great. Although I often prefer to take it slow and steady, it was nice to mix up the pace and push ourselves. I know we'll both be feeling this tomorrow!

As for the bird sightings, along with multiple bald eagles, we saw a loon out on Open Bay, double-crested cormorants spreading their wings to dry, a few pelagic cormorants tucked into a rookery, crows fly overhead with materials for their nests, and three separate pairs of Canada geese standing guard over their goslings on a grassy bank. It was fantastic to see different birds displaying such varied behavior.

3 hour sea kayak tour from San Juan Island spots Dall's porpoises

San Juan Island sea kayak wildlife update for May 12th:

Noelle paddled out with three guests this morning for a 3 hour sea kayak tour, and reported back that there were sunny skies and smooth, glassy waters to greet them out on the west side. Once there they had quite a few wildlife sightings-- from harbor seals to bald eagles-- but what was most exciting was the porpoises that were spotted foraging around just off the western shore of Henry Island. Noelle identified them as Dall's porpoises, making them the first Dall's we've seen by kayak this year.

Dall's are fantastic--and maddening-- creatures to watch, as they often are very energetic and can move quite quickly and irregularly through the water. They are the fastest of all small cetaceans, reaching almost 30mph!

Harbor porpoises make an appearance for sea kayak tour

San Juan Island sea kayak wildlife update for Saturday, May 9th:

I am glad so many folks decided to come kayaking today as it was absolutely gorgeous here on the west side. My first tour of the day was special, as it was just Dan and Joan with me, and we got to really relish the quiet perfection. They were native Washingtonians, so it was a treat for me to be able to show them a side of these islands (and their state) they'd never seen before.
My second tour was also pretty neat as the wildlife really came out for the four couples I was guiding. We had numerous bald eagle sightings and harbor seals popping up quiet close to some of our boats. I was pretty content with that and just enjoying our paddle when one of my guests, John, spotted something way in the distance. It was a harbor porpoise or two! They were surfacing quietly, and moving quite quickly, so we were able to see them just a few times before they'd already moved past our range. After that I spotted a red fox trotting along the beach, and a river otter surfacing briefly to round off our trip. All in a day's work!

Red-tailed hawk chases off an eagle during a 5 hour sea kayak tour

San Juan Island sea kayak wildlife update for May 8th:

Today Carin, Nick and I paddled out of Roche Harbor for a 5 hour sea kayak tour. While we were indeed hoping to see some mega fauna like orcas or sea lions, we had to be content with the curious harbor seals, frequent bald eagle sighting and absolutely gorgeous weather. It looks as though the rain clouds from this week have been banished, and I hope those blue skies are here to stay!

My favorite part of the trip occurred as we were paddling down the west side of Henry Island. There, when we slowed to watch an eagle skim the cliff side tree tops, a strange bird took off from a nearby pine and swooped down after the eagle. Of course the eagle was vocalising loudly, and so was this bird. The only other raptors I've ever seen on Henry have been the osprey and peregrine tail and then hear the unmistakable cry of a red-tailed hawk.falcons, but this didn't look or sound like either. When it wheeled back we could see that rufous. It was pretty incredible to see a hawk out here in an area where the wooded cliffs drop sharply to the deep water below.

I can't wait to find out what tomorrow will bring!

Bald eagle attempted a catch today during sea kayak tour

San Juan Island sea kayak wildlife update for May 7th:

Noelle paddled out on a 3-hr tour this afternoon, and reported back a quiet day out on the water. Her highlight was seeing an eagle soar off the point and hover above the water with talons extended, although it did not catch anything.

Bald eagles have truly incredible vision. These birds see about four times better than a human with perfect vision. Their two foveaes, or centers of focus, allow them to see perfectly both in front and to the side of them at all times. Their abilities are much talked about, but for good reason. Researchers say that while soaring at an altitude of 1000 feet, bald eagles can spot prey in an area of about three square miles.

We're lucky to have three active bald eagle's nests within an easy paddle, and take great interest in learning more about these birds as the spring develops.

Guest testimonial from San Juan Island sea kayak tour

San Juan Island sea kayak tour update for May 7th:

It's always wonderful to hear again from guests who have gone out with us, and we just received the following email and pictures from Larry Z. Thank you Larry! We are very much looking forward to meeting you and your wife in September!

"Dear San Juan Island Outfitters,

The Roche Harbor sea kayak tour with you today (May 3) was the highlight of my introduction to the Pacific Northwest!

Even though I am 6' 2", I fit fine into the tandem sea kayak. The weather was perfect - sunny and just a little breeze. We saw many playful harbor seals, sea birds and majestic bald eagles. I was also surprised that kelp does taste pretty good!

The in-depth knowledge, professionalism and pleasant personality that naturalists Aileen and Noelle exhibited added a lot to this tranquil and fulfilling sea kayak tour - Thanks again! Now that I have explored the area, my wife and I are planning a vacation to San Juan Island in mid. September. We are already looking forward to a sea kayak tour with San Juan Outfitters!

I plan to tell my friends in the midwest and around the country that your kayak tour is the best way to "Get back to nature" in the San Juans! Thanks again!

Best Regards,

Larry Z"

Bald eagles perform ariel acrobatics for whale watching boat

San Juan Island whale watching wildlife report for May 3rd:

The most recent whale watching trip reported back seeing a dozen Bald Eagles on Speiden Island. These eagles were soaring, vocalizing, hunting, displaying and even fighting. Naturalist Kevin and Captain Nancy were thrilled to see so many eagles together, and especially so when at one point an adult and a juvenile met in midair, locked talons, and spun downward for a few rotations before releasing each other! This kind of display is always exciting to hear of, and pretty impressive to view firsthand.

It was a cold day, with the wind kicking up, so everyone was glad there was a heated cabin and extra blankets aboard!

Bald Eagles seen fishing successfully on sea kayak tour

San Juan Island sea kayak wildlife report for Friday, May 1rst:

Blake paddled out for a 3 hour tour yesterday and reported lots of harbor seal activity out on the west side. Lately the harbor seals have been coming closer and closer to the kayaks, and seem to be quite curious. We'll see how that progresses as the season goes on!

The highlight of his tour was when a Bald Eagle flew above his group, swooped down to the water, and came up with a fish!

Bald eagles seen out and about

San Juan Island sea kayak wildlife update for April 30th:

I can't believe it's already almost May- April flew right by! The wildlife sightings have been fantastic this month, and today was no exception. I paddled out for a 5 hour sea kayak tour with Aaron and Bruno this afternoon, and it was a good trip. As there were no whales within our reach we focused on harbor seals and bald eagles, and we had great luck there.

By the time we'd rounded the first tip of Pearl we'd already seen a river otter diving, surfacing and munching away so I knew the trip was off to a good start. Just as Aaron and I started talking about bald eagles (his favorite bird), we saw a large adult rise from the middle of Speiden Channel and make its way towards us. It came closer and closer, and finally flew directly above our heads with a large fish gripped tightly in its talons! It alighted on a low branch and began to eat while its mate soon became quite busy fighting off another eagle. We then went on to see over a dozen eagles, but nothing could top the first few minutes of our trip.

5 hour sea kayak tour sees wildlife galore!

San Juan Island sea kayak wildlife update for April 29th:

Today I paddled out for a day sea kayak trip with European visitors Oliver & Osvaldo, and boy did we luck out! The water was smooth as glass, the currents minimal, and the temperature warm. Although we sorely wanted to see some killer whales or porpoises, luck was not with us, but the gorgeous day and other fantastic wildlife sightings more than made up for it.

Most of the interesting critters we saw were land-based, surprisingly enough. Of course we saw bald eagles and harbor seals a plenty, and even a few industrious river otters too! What I thought was most unusual and interesting, however, was seeing a red fox trot along the deer trails behind us when we stopped for lunch, the black-tailed deer grazing on the cliffs above us, the brown fox trotting on the beach, the masked raccoons quietly perching on the rocks by the water and the four Great Blue Herons successfully fishing at the muddy low tide line.

It was a truly peaceful day out on the water, with the faint sounds of a boat miles away the only thing to be heard over the lapping water, chirping eagles, singing birds and snorting seals. Paddling out on a day like today made us feel like we were miles from home. Wonderful!

San Juan Island sea kayak tours spotting Bald Eagles

San Juan Island sea kayak wildlife update for April 28th:

Today I paddled out with Diana, and although rain had been in the forecast, the skies cleared for some sun by the end of the afternoon. It was a beautiful day for a paddle, and we were both glad to meet better weather than expected. We saw a great variety of wildlife today, from Bald Eagles to auklets, and river otters to raccoons. It was really neat to see the critters that came out and down to the low tide line to look for a meal!

As we were feeling pretty good, we ended up paddling about 8 or 9 miles in just 3 hours, so now I've got to go stretch before I do the same tomorrow!

Fox kits spotted on sea kayak tour today!

San Juan Island sea kayak tour wildlife update for April 26th:

Today I paddled out of Roche Harbor for a 5 hour tour with quite an international crew. The first part of the day was quite challenging-- fighting a strong flood through Mosquito Pass before being able to emerge south of Henry Island and ride the flood back north. I was excited about the very low tide today, as often there's a good chance to see all sorts of critters, and today was no exception-- we saw dozens of sea stars, a few river otters, geese and their goslings, a couple of harbor seals and many bald eagles.

But by far the real highlight of the day-- and perhaps my whole spring thus far-- was seeing a fox and her kits! We were paddling across the channel when we spotted a red fox down at the low tide line digging and turning over rocks. She seemed pretty intent on her hunt and didn't mind us watching from a distance. That was exciting enough when above her we saw a tiny black kit! Eventually we made out a few kits hiding in the grass, but none made their way down onto the beach. After hunting for a while we watched as the mother trotted up the bank and reunited with her pups.

I rarely see foxes during the sea kayak tours, so today was quite a treat!

Getting closer to bald eagles via sea kayak tour

San Juan Island sea kayak tour wildlife update for April 24th:

Well what a windy day! Those sunny blue skies were a little misleading, as out on the water the wind dropped the temperature by quite a few degrees-- reminding me that it's still April!

Today I paddled out with honeymooners Julie and David, who were delighted to get so many good looks at bald eagles. From their lookouts on McCracken Point to soaring above us as we paddled, our local eagles were certainly active today! The highlight of the trip came as we rounded the northeast edge of Big Henry and saw an eagle make a dive into the channel, fly back over our heads, and land on a low, overhanging branch next to us. Then we had front row seats watching this eagle finish its small meal while its mate next to him wasn't given a bite!

Sea kayak tour takes a closer look at new jellies!

San Juan Island sea kayak tour wildlife update for April 21rst:

Roche Harbor was gorgeous today with bright blue skies and that perfect warm spring breeze that marks the beginning of a new season. I paddled out into the sunshine with Yvette and Matt and we were pretty pleased with what we found.

The animals were out in full force today-- we got a close up look at a bald eagle hopping on the rocks nearby, a river otter repeatedly surfaced chewing something tasty and seals popped up all around our kayaks looking at us curiously.

For me, the most interesting part of the day was seeing all kinds of new and strange jellies (formerly called jellyfish). We caught a few and examined them closely, and confirmed the identification of Catablema nodulosa, a pretty, clear jelly with a gelatinous cap and light brown frilly stomach. I'm hard at work learning more about these jellies-- along with their Latin name, so I can remember it!

Wildlife abounds on Whale Watch tour!

San Juan Island whale watch update for April 18th:

Captain Cal and I headed out of Roche Harbor with a full boat today. No other captains reported any sightings of killer whales (orcas), so we decided to try our luck looking for all sorts of other wildlife (while keeping our fingers crossed for whales of course). And what a day we had!

To start with, it was absolutely gorgeous out-- clear skies and water like glass all the way across to Canada. We motored south to Kelp Reef and glimpsed some dozing Steller Sea Lion hanging out on the channel marker with two Bald Eagles perched overhead. Then, as we turned around, we found some Dall's porpoise that wanted to play! These gorgeous creatures were having a grand old time-- surfacing all around and right along side our boat, swimming just underneath and beside the bow which allowed for amazingly clear views from just a few feet away. We stayed with these critters for a little while, before moving north.

On our way by Henry & Speiden Islands, we got great looks at harbor seals, bald eagles, mouflan sheep, lots of waterbirds and even a mink and a river otter! It's not every day that we get to see some of those animals, so it was extraordinary to see them all at once!

San Juan Island sea kayak tours spotting Bald Eagles

San Juan Island sea kayak wildlife update for April 14th:

Lately Blake and I, along with our guests, have been seeing a large number of Bald Eagles out on the west side. Some of these eagles remain here year round, with others migrating seasonally. This month we're seeing the eagles population increase in preparation for the bountiful summer months.

When food is plentiful, you can often see 8 or more individuals crowding around a seal carcass, but other times one adult will eat while its mate stands guard. This large apex predator will dominate just about any other animal hoping for a bite. Although sea eagles, these birds are opportunistic, and will eat just about anything-- from rabbits to roadkill and salmon to sea gulls.

Soon we'll start seeing these eagles spend more time in the nest, taking turns incubating their few eggs for the month until hatching. From there it'll be another 3 months or so before these fledglings will take wing themselves. While they are independent for the first few years of their lives, once they mature at age 4 or 5, they'll grow that beautiful white head and tail and look for a mate. It is believed that they often return to the area in which they were born.

We have quite a healthy Bald Eagle population here on these islands, and we look forward to enjoying their sight for years to come!