June 27, 2025
Paddling the San Juan Islands is simply amazing, any chance you get to be on the water. We never know what we will see on any given day on our kayak tours. Seasonal changes bring sea biodiversity; other times, we see seals, sea lions, whales, and all the above on the same day. We never know.
Given that we are in kayaks and travel relatively slowly compared to most wildlife. We just have to be in the right place at the right time. Our west side kayak tour routes tend to be the place, so it comes down to the right time. We always like to say we are “opportunistic whale watchers”. We cannot blast out to any given area to see whales. So we select the best routes, and if the opportunity presents itself, we can have a lifetime encounter.
Our new staff member, Brandon, was leading a half-day kayak Tour along the west side of San Juan Island. The route takes us from San Juan County Park to the Lime Kiln Lighthouse. A beautiful paddle! But on this day, Brandon got his first encounter with a Killer Whale, and needless to say, he was beyond excited. It was a sneaky encounter. Yes, it is true, a massive whale can occasionally sneak up on you. This encounter was with a solo traveling large male Transient/Biggs killer whale.
Enjoy the short clip of the close pass.
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Posted In: Discovery Sea Kayaks
