San Juan Island sea kayak tour

San Juan Island sea kayak tour wildlife update for February 6th:

I paddled out for my first trip of the season today, and what a day! The weather was perfect and the wildlife certainly on display. There were so many different kinds of winter birds-- scoters, mergasers, buffleheads, cormorants, bald eagles, kingfishers, guillemots, auklets and more. The highlight of the trip for me was when two harbor porpoise surfaced behind our boats a few times. They seemed to be feeding, but moved off before we could get some really good looks.

All in all, a great start to the 2010 season, and I look forward to paddling again soon.

Harbor Seals swim by San Juan Island sea kayak tour

San Juan Island sea kayak wildlife update for Friday August 29th:

Yesterday I paddled out on a 3 hour sea kayak tour with guests from Idaho. The water level was so high that most haul out rocks were covered so I wasn't sure we'd see any harbor seals but as we paddled down the west side of Henry Island we were suddenly surrounded by harbor seals. 6 or 7 of them surfaced all around us, curious and calm but wary too. One large adult repeatedly surfaced eating a HUGE fish. With each appearance a little more of the fish disappeared! At one point a little pup came over to investigate us and surfaced both between our boats and alongside my bow. It was neat to see the little one, but I was glad it kept its distance.

It was a gorgeous, calm day out on the west side and there were few boats to be seen or heard. Simply lovely.

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

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!

Mother harbor seal and pup surface next to child on San Juan Island 3 hour

San Juan Island sea kayak wildlife update for July 20th:

Today I paddled out under gorgeous skies with a small family, and we were on the hunt for wildlife! We've been seeing a great number of harbor seal pups lately, especially out on the west side, where there are a number of safe haul out spots for them. It was great to view them at a distance, and listen to their vocalizations, but even better to see them close up. As we were paddling near a forest of bull kelp, a mother seal and her pup surfaced just a few feet from the kayak of a young girl. She was tickled pink to see the animals so close, as were we all!

Harbor Seal Pups make an appearance for 3 hour sea kayak tour

San Juan Island sea kayak tour wildlife update for July 18th:

This afternoon Noelle and I paddled out with a private tour from the Institute of Journalism and Natural Resources (IJNR). It was an absolutely gorgeous day out on the west side, and the temperature was hot enough to convince a few hardy souls to go swimming! While in a bed of bull kelp we saw a young harbor seal pup hauled out on top of a few stipes. The pup was totally relaxed, often yawning and lying turned away from us. This summer's pups have been making quite a few appearances during the past three weeks, often popping up in the kelp beds, riding along on their mother's backs or mewing from offshore rocks.

Today's sunny tour was a great opportunity for Noelle and I to show and interpret the wildlife of this region for our large group.

Sea lion seen during San Juan Island 3 hour sea kayak tour

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

Today Joe reported back spotting a Steller sea lion out on the west side of Henry Island. While observing harbor seals at rest and play, Joe and his guests spotted something that looked a little out of the ordinary. Upon further observation he concluded it must be a Steller sea lion. As these large marine mammals are more common in the spring, so it was a quite a surprise to see one at this time. We'll keep our eyes open for the next few weeks and hope to see more-- and learn more-- about these visitors.

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!

Gorgeous sunset seen from 3 hour sea kayak tour

San Juan Island sea kayak wildlife update for July 3rd:

This evening I paddled out of Roche Harbor for a sunset tour, and boy was it spectacular. I think sunset tours are my favorite because we saw all the local critters-- bald eagles and eaglets, harbor seals, harbor porpoises-- but also had the waters to ourselves as most recreational boaters had already turned in.

This trip we were especially lucky to have seen a few harbor porpoises out feeding and also a mother harbor seal giving her young pup a ride on her back. It was a nearly cloudless day, and the colors were spectacular, so I'm glad we stayed out a few extra minutes to watch it truly set.

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!

Harbor seals surface and play for San Juan Island sea kayak tour

San Juan Island sea kayak wildlife update for June 21rst:

This afternoon, with the morning rains abated, I paddled out for a 3 hour sea kayak tour with a lovely couple from Seattle. We were hoping to see all sorts of wildlife, and were very excited so many harbor seals came to play by our boats. While sitting on top of a forest of bull kelp just off McCracken Point, we saw first one, then two, then three, four, five and finally a dozen or so seals surfacing all around us. We watched a few patrol the outside edge, but were rewarded for our patience as a handful of seals decided we posed no threat, and proceeded to calmly surface just feet away! These individuals were surfacing on their backs, just poking their noses up to breath, and showed us close looks at their chests and bellies. It was super neat to see all the different markings on each seal-- from a Dalmation pattern to almost all black.

These seals surfaced again and again, riding the currents till they were just feet from us and then silently slipping under our bows. So neat!

Harbor porpoises pop up in front of sea kayak tour

San Juan Island sea kayak wildlife update for June 18th:

Today I paddled out on a 5 hour sea kayak tour with guests from all over the U.S.. We set off under graying skies, and encountered strong currents and big waves right off the bat. As we rounded Kellett Bluffs, we found ourselves paddling through rough water with the wind at our backs and waves breaking all around us. It was exciting to be paddling through such big water, and everyone had a wide smile on their face!

The skies cleared up and it ended up being a gorgeous day for a paddle, with two exciting wildlife encounters to boot! Just as we paddled out of the rough water a harbor porpoise emerged 30 feet off our bows. Although it became hard to spot as it swam through breaking waves, we saw it surface a few more times-- and quite close!

Then, as we sat in a forest of bull kelp, a few harbor seals began popping up all around us. They didn't seem surprised to see us, or disturbed at all. A light gray adult surfaced between our kayaks and twirled on the surface, showing his belly, closing his eyes slowly and snorting. Such a great chance to see a seal up close!

Posey Island is a perfect lunch stop for private sea kayak

San Juan Island sea kayak wildlife update for June 16th:

Today I paddled out of Roche Harbor on a private sea kayak tour and we paddled over to Posey Island for a picnic. Posey Island-- at high tide one of our nation's smallest state parks-- is a lovely spot to take a break, rest, relax, watch the sunset and even stay the night.

As we returned to the harbor we were fortunate enough to glimpse a mink scampering along Pearl's shores, a river otter playing off the Tarte's dock and then a harbor seal sunning its head in the shallow water.

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.

Rain doesn't deter San Juan Island sea kayak trips

San Juan Island sea kayak wildlife update for May 19th:

This week's bout of rain couldn't dampen the spirits of some intrepid sea kayakers, and good thing too! The rain really changes the atmosphere and overall look of our local paddling route. As long as everyone is adequately prepared and geared up, paddling in the rain can be absolutely fantastic. The rain seems to dampen the neighboring sounds and low clouds obscure the farther islands, allowing us to really concentrate much more on our immediate scenery. On a day like today there are still great chances to see wildlife-- in fact, the local harbor seals were out and about as usual and even seemed surprised to see us!



The best part of the day was after all that rain, the clouds lifted and an absolutely gorgeous sunset emerged!! (Photo: guide Joe Gardner)

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.

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!

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"

Harbor seals 'play' with sea kayak tour

San Juan Island sea kayak tour wildlife report for May 2nd:

Blake arrived back at the dock this morning with an unusual report-- he saw a harbor seal breaching up out of the water just off his stern! This is extremely rare behavior for a harbor seal, and one I've never witnessed myself. This young seal was surfacing, slapping his back flippers on the surface, breached about four times, and "really seemed to be playing."

Pretty excellent unusual sight! Noelle and I will keep our eyes open for the next few days, and see if we can't catch another glimpse!

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!

San Juan Island sea kayak tour investigate Bull Kelp forest

San Juan Island sea kayak tour wildlife update for April 27th:

Today was simply a beautiful day out here at Roche Harbor, WA. The sun was shining, skies were blue, and even a brisk breeze didn't deter my guests, Harris and Ruby, who were used to much warmer weather down in Miami. We were lucky in that we saw half a dozen or more Bald Eagles soaring, perching, whistling and watching above us. Most of the harbor seals were busy snoozing on the rocks, but one quietly came much closer and examined us much to our delight. All in all, it was a fantastic day! I'm glad my enthusiasm was shared by my guests, and now I'll let Harris' words and photos speak for themselves:

"Dear Aileen,
It has been a pleasure to work with Brian, Noelle and yourself from our initial phone call through the conclusion of our kayak trip. Ruby and I can't thank you enough for showing us such a great time. We have traveled extensively and this San Juan vacation will be remembered as one of our very best ever. Certainly our kayak trip with you today was the highlight of our vacation to San Juan. The beauty and magic of the sights and sounds were matched only by your knowledge, professionalism and adorable personality. Best of luck in all your future endeavors.
We will spread the word of San Juan Outfitters to all of our friends in Miami and elsewhere and
look forward to coming back to visit you soon.

Harris and Ruby"

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!

San Juan Island sea kayak-- Spring has sprung!

San Juan Island sea kayak weather update for Thursday April 23rd:

Well folks, spring is definitely here! The past few days have been absolutely gorgeous here on San Juan Island. Buds on trees are emerging, flowers are sprouting up, birds are busy building their nests and the wildlife is out in abundance. Something is definitely in the air...

Spring is a fantastic time of year to visit the islands, as we often have the sunshine of the summer without the crowds. This week in particular-- on both our whale watch trips and our sea kayak trips-- we've had good sightings of killer whales along with all of our local critters: harbor seals, sea lions, shore birds, eagles, river otters, porpoises and more!

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!

San Juan sea kayak tours glimpsing nesting cormorants

San Juan Island sea kayak tour update for April 19th:

Today I paddled out for a 5-hour tour with a lovely couple from Oklahoma. It's always a great feeling to be able to showcase the marine environment to folks who don't often see it. Plus, they loved seeing so many harbor seals up close! We hung out in the kelp beds with a few seals who kept surfacing nearby and checking us out. It's still early in the season, so they're just getting used to kayakers again!

The highlight of the day for me was paddling by the Pelagic Cormorant rookery down on the south side of Henry Island, just northwest of San Juan Island. The cormorants are back! We hung out for a minute or two, watching mated pairs rub necks and gurgle to one another while balancing on tiny rocky ledges. It was a pretty special sight, and a definite sign that spring has come!

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!