Weekly Whale Watch Report: 03/08/26 – 03/14/26

A Biggs Transient orca swimming in the Salish Sea. Photo Credit: Naturalist Sophia Madden

Whales in Anacortes WA: Who We Saw

What a week! Spring whale watching has officially kicked off, with the arrival of multiple migrating species returning to the Salish Sea. 

Species Seen This Week

Killer Whale - Total: 14

Humpback Whale - Total: 1

Gray Whale - Total: 2

Fin Whale - Total: 1

Individual Whales Seen This Week

Killer Whale:

We encountered killer whales twice and identified 14 individuals across 2 matrilines.

These included:

• T36s 

• T137s 

Humpback Whale:

We encountered humpback whales 1 time.

These included:

• An unnamed juvenile

  
  

Gray Whale:

We encountered gray whales twice.

These included:

• CRC396 (nickname not given)

  
  

Fin Whale:

We encountered fin whales 1 time. We did not get an identification on the whale, although it is believed to be the same whale that first appeared in the Salish Sea in September 2025.

Highlights from Anacortes Whale Watching Tours

We have to give a special shout out to the return of the fin whale. Once native to these waters, fin whales mostly disappeared from the Salish Sea during the commercial whaling boom in the 1800s. 

After just a handful of sightings last year, the reappearance of the same fin whale this season is an encouraging sign that this whale may be an indication of the species slowly returning to the Salish Sea. One tour this week also became the first of the year to see three species of whales, with killer whales, a gray whale, and the fin whale all seen.

With the season just underway, all signs point to a spectacular 2026 whale watch season. 

If you want to see more photos and videos from our tours, check out our social media accounts! Find us on Instagram @outerislandx, TikTok @outerislandexcursions, and Facebook as "Outer Island Excursions".