Four Itchy Feet

June 24, 2025. Blaine, Washington. Day 34 of 170

We’ve reached the most northwestern point possible in the contiguous United States! Today, we drove to the small port town of Anacortes, Washington. We booked an Orca Tour with Outer Island Excursions, and by 3:30 PM, we were aboard the Blackfish, a 38-foot aluminum catamaran powered by four powerful outboards.

Captain Matt skillfully navigated us out of the marina while providing a thorough safety briefing. Tiffany and Kate, the two naturalists on board, followed with an excellent talk on identifying the local orcas and answering questions about their behavior. The weather was perfect, offering unhindered views of the Olympic Mountains to the south and the surrounding San Juan Islands. However, as Matt powered west through the Strait of Juan de Fuca, no orcas were to be spotted.

We continued our search for over 45 miles, which led us to an inlet on the south end of Victoria, British Columbia. There, we had our first sighting of a local orca pod! Tiffany and Kate quickly identified them by their fins, calling out their names: Noah, Neptune, Nat, and the playful Nebula. We followed them as they entered the bay and collaborated on a hunt near the rocks of Fort Rodd Hill and the Fisgard Lighthouse. After the hunt, the younger orcas breached out of the water with joy as they joined other members of their pod. We were filled with joy at the incredible success of our trip, made possible by Captain Matt’s hard work. He wouldn’t give up until we found the orcas and patiently and judiciously positioned us to appreciate them without disturbance.

We arrived at the dock by 8:30 PM, a bit tired after a long day and a rather exuberant ride back to Anacortes, but it was all worth it. This was a great opportunity not only to observe orcas in their habitat but also to truly appreciate the grandiose nature of the San Juan Islands. We’re inspired to return for other tours offered by Outer Island Excursions and to explore more on our own.