Written by Elah
on May 18, 2018

An afternoon with a Gray whale and Steller Sea lions!

An afternoon with a Gray whale and Steller Sea lions!

Today was such a treat!  We got to see one of the few gray whales that makes its way into the Salish Sea on its way north to colder feeding grounds.  This whale, affectionately named Little Patch for the white patch underneath the left side of his dorsal ridge, was cruising through the Strait of Juan de Fuca when we spotted him.  The shallow banks in this area are perfect foraging spots for these bottom-feeding grays. We got to see him go on some deeper dives, giving us a peek at his flukes before he was submerged. Our captain was particularly excited, having seen Little Patch over the course of many springs, and regaled our guests with some of his favorite facts about the whale. These whales make some of the longest migrations each year, covering water from Alaska to Baja.   It was such a joy to wave him off as he makes his way up to Alaska to feed during the summer months.

On our way back into in Friday Harbor we got to stop and enjoy some particularly vocal Steller Sea lions as they growled at each other under the overcast sky.  Spring is such a special time in the San Juan Islands, you never know what you’re going to spot!

Written by Elah
on May 18, 2018

An afternoon with a Gray whale and Steller Sea lions!

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