Whale Watching in Puget Sound

We FINALLY got out to go whale watching!  I was very excited and despite the fact that I was facing 11 hours on a boat with 3 kids 7 and under didn't bother me.  It was exciting to think we were going to see Orcas!  Otherwise known as killer whales.  They come up to the Puget Sound area/Vancouver B.C. area.  All of us were excited.

We left from Seattle last weekend early in the morning.  We traveled through the sound past Whitby Island and under Deception pass.  We saw plenty of birds and many Bald Eagles which was very cool!  It is always great to see the national bird, a symbol of freedom and strength of our country!

We first saw beautiful landscapes of Seattle, Whiteby Island, and this scene of the Washington State ferry carrying cars and passengers to Mulkilto.  These ferries and this background can be seen all over the sound here.

 My beautiful wife planned and arranged and was key to making this trip happen.  She is so fun and smokin hot dont you think!  We went on top with the kids for a while, but it was chilly so we didn't stay long.

 We did stick around long enough to try and take some pictures of ourselves.  Holding a large SLR camera trying to take a picture of yourself is much much harder than the front facing camera on a cell phone.

 The kids did make it on to the deck a few times but it got very windy as we got closer out of the islands and to Juan de Fuca (open ocean between Vancouver and Washington).  The kids were getting wind swept just take a look at their hair and bundling up in their hoodies!

 The baby sure liked it though.  He was happy to get out of the boat a few times.  The wind was so powerful it was giving him an instant comb over.

 It was then so powerful that it was hard for him to open his eyes and even take regular breathes.  So we took a few quick pictures and headed back down.   I just love this face (below).

 We went along Whiteby Island and followed it up to the Anacortes area and floated under Deception Pass. It was beautiful there.  It was interesting to see the currents going both directions as the boat slowed down to honor the no wake zone.  We saw more birds and more bald eagles.  My camera didn't focus very well on the birds here so I didn't post any of those pictures.

 This is a shot from a distance where the bridge is smaller but it is rocky and full of evergreens.  It is quite a site.  I like this area a lot!

 The bridge as we get closer is bigger, green and has quite a view as you drive over it!  I would definitely come back here!

 After we left the pass we floated between some of the San Juan Islands.  Lopez, Center Island and others.  We saw Orcas Island in the distance and finally came to dock in the city of Friday Harbor on San Juan Island.  We didnt have much time there but we were able to disembark and enjoy some space and dry land. Here is a picture of the harbor (below).  It is a quaint little harbor and town.

Of course no boat ride is complete without some funny face pictures...or maybe at least no trip or photo sessions is complete without those kinds of pictures.

 As you get past the San Juan Island and out in to Juan de Fuca and open sea you come to this light house.  I cant remember the name but the U.S. and Canada once bickered about where the border should be at between the two countries.  It was decided that this point was going to be that border.  It did involve many fights between U.S. and Canadian citizens include one where a U.S. man had a garden and a Canadian's pig broke into his garden and was eating.  The U.S. man got mad and shot the pig dead.  He felt bad so he offered to pay full price for the pig but the Canadian man wanted 15 times the amount.  Needless to say it escalated and troops from both countries converged.  The citizens fought and the soldiers met on the beaches and had barbecues together while the two countries decided if they were really at war.  Anyway at that point is when the decided this lighthouse would be the boundaries.  It is called the Pig War I think.

 Passing some small rocky beaches around Lopez Island in the San Juan Islands.

 This is one of the clearest pictures of the bald eagle that we have.  It was just chillin there on the rocks while some seagulls tried to pester him away.  The Gulls ganged up on him but he was stubborn and kept coming back to the rocks.

 Along the way we were so tired because we had a late night before, got up early and then fell asleep on the smooth boat ride between the islands.  This didn't last obviously.

 Picture of us outside the Downrigger resturaunt in Friday Harbor.  The scallops were excellent, the rest of the food was alright, but the hamburger buns were made locally on San Juan Island and were delicious!  It was like they were whole made rolls and not buns!

 After this we floated for hours in choppy seas going this way and that way looking for orcas and whales and all we saw were a few harbor seals.  It was quite disappointing.  Despite the hardest work of the crew and captain we didn't see any and were forced to turn back for home.  At this point the tides were coming in and the seas became very very choppy and most the passengers got very sick.  So they altered the route to go back between the islands and it was much smoother.  So we were tired, sick of being cooped up and sea sick for some of us.  Needless to say it felt like it was a worthless trip.

The seas calmed after we were between the islands and the sickness started to calm for people.  We were headed back and 20 minutes away from the dock the captain came on and said that a water spout was spotted.  The boat pitched to one side very fast and woke the baby and everyone ran to one side of the boat and there was a Grey Whale.  Here is what a grey whale looks like.

The Puget Sound is full of plankton and small fish that come here year round.  The grey whales come here for safe harbor and to feed on the large amounts of plankton and small fish.  This was just between Whiteby Island and Everett, WA.   We saw it poke out its head several times.  We did see a bit of a tail fin a few times but it comes up for short breaths three times and plunges for food.  It isnt up long so it was hard to capture on camera.  The waves were very choppy and the boat kept circling and switching sides so we couldnt get out on the deck.  We took these through the windows of the boat.

 You can just see the top of it's head poking out of the water.  You can see barncels on it (white dots) but you cant make out the eye or blow hole.  It was still amazing to see.  This was the only whale that we saw.  It was great to see, but still a little sad we didnt get to see any orcas too.