Today we hit the jackpot and saw all three resident pods: J, K, and L! Our tour started south around Cattle Point, where along the way we spotted harbor seals and porpoise. Reports poured in that the action was happening back up north, so we changed course towards Trial Island, BC where we got a great show and some amazing photos! (Check 0ut our newest facebook album called “May 29, 2012” for a look at some of our favorite snapshots!)

Today was one of those trips that makes all of us here at San Juan Excursions jump up and down! As we headed out at noon, reports indicated orcas in the far outer limits of our range – not the brightest news, but enough to keep us determined! As we always do, we encouraged our passengers to think those “good whale thoughts” – and when the day results like it did today, we know that those thoughts hold a lot of power!

They headed south from the Vancouver area and we met up with J-pod at East Point on Saturna Island. As all members of the pod rolled by, the excitement on the boat was tangible, but the show wasn’t over yet! J-pod rewarded us with spectacular surface behaviors: breaches, tail lobs, cartwheels, and waving at us by slapping their impressive pec fins! We got some great photos of the day, and headed back to port with smiles running the length of the Odyssey.

Steller seas lions were also spotted at East Point, and harbor seals dotted the surface along our trip. Another amazing day on the water!

We have been spoiled with amazing sunny May weather on our last several tours; this Saturday’s tour was no different, and with one of our biggest trips so far this season, we got out to soak up as much as we could and enjoy it! Taking off through San Juan Channel we were accompanied by several harbor porpoise as we may our way towards Cattle Pass, catching sight of a great bald eagle in its enormous nest just north of Cattle Point (make sure to check out our newest facebook photo album “The Great Bald Eagle” with several of our fantastic pictures from the day). We continued on past Whale Rocks where we sighted two Steller sea lions, one lounging and one in the water. The day was also full of many harbor seal sightings, as well as a fantastic Minke whale sighting which served as the highlight of the tour. We shut down the Odyssey’s engines and stayed with the Minke for quite a while, and just when we thought it had moved on, the Odyssey caught up with it again for a second round of viewing. A day packed with wildlife and a blue sky the whole way!

The San Juans certainly delivered for Mother’s Day Sunday! We left the harbor with nothing but brilliant blue sky and unprecedented May sunshine and started our course south towards Cattle Pass. Our decks were full as we spotted the bright white head of a bald eagle perched on Whale Rock, as well as both a California and Steller sea lion lounging side by side on the same channel marker at Salmon Bank. Many great photos of the two sun bathing, with friendly cormorants standing guard! A beautiful sunny day on the water, and Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms who sailed with us!