Written by Bethany
on Jul 12, 2025

Big Mama and Calf!

Big Mama and Calf!

July 2, 2025 – We headed out for another beautiful day in the Salish Sea! We headed north into Canada to spend some time searching for wildlife. We checked out Java Rocks and spotted several harbor seals, then we cruised along the Saturna Island shoreline to the east. We crossed back into US waters and rounded the top of Patos Island, where we spotted a big blow from a humpback whale! It was BCY0324 “Big Mama”, one of the most iconic humpback whales known in the San Juan Islands! She was traveling with her latest calf! This is the 8th calf she has brought back in her lifetime! We got an amazing pass from the pair as they popped up right behind us with the Patos Island Lighthouse in the background! Eventually, “Big Mama” started feeding, and the calf ended up circling about ¼ mile away! This is quite a distance for a humpback calf to wander, but with a mom as experienced as “Big Mama”, it was clear that she was not concerned at all.

Photographer and Naturalist: Bethany Shimasaki – Instagram @Adventures.with.Bethany – Website: www.bethshim.com

Western Prince Wildlife Adventures – Instagram: @Westernprincewildlife – Facebook: Western Prince Whale Watching

Written by Bethany
on Jul 12, 2025

Big Mama and Calf!

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