You may remember that one of my New Year’s Resolutions for 2018, or goals, if resolutions aren’t your thing, was to see whales in Puget Sound. My mother pointed out that I have actually seen them before, on a trip to Canada aboard the Victoria Clipper when I was 11. But I have no recollection. So I asked my friend Marissa at Postcards to Seattle, who readily agreed, and we set off to see what we could see.

There are a number of tours offered in the area, from Edmonds to Seattle to Port Townsend. We chose Puget Sound Express based out of Edmonds. In March/April, they offer a specialized tour specifically to see the gray whales. A bit more on the whales themselves:

Gray whales are baleen whales that migrate between feeding and breeding grounds each year. They reach nearly 50 feet in length and live between 55 and 70 years! The gray whale has a dark slate-gray color and is covered by characteristic gray-white patterns, scars left by parasites which drop off in its cold feeding grounds. They have two blowholes on top of their head, which can create a distinctive V-shaped blow.

The annual gray whale migration from the Baja Peninsula to the Bering Sea is a challenging, 10,000 mile journey for these great creatures. The area around Everett, Camano Island, and Whidbey Island is popular with the grays due to the robust shrimp population. We’re fortunate that the whales make a detour from their off-shore journey to join us in March and April to feed and build up their fat stores for the remainder of their journey to Alaska.

The boat is cozy and warm and we all listen intently while the biologist/photographer explains more about gray whales. Spoiler alert – we’ll get to see the whale in the photo on the screen later in our journey.

I sneak a peak into the captains quarters. That’s an awful lot of gears and buttons.

There’s a snack counter to purchase warm drinks and tasty treats while we sail along. They’re popular for their homemade blueberry crumble, which I can personally attest to being delicious.

I never knew there were so many different kinds of orca whales. I hope I’ll see our resident pod someday.

Binoculars are provided for anyone to use. The boats are only legally allowed to get within a certain distance to the whales, so it’s nice to have something to see them up close with. I’ve brought my telephoto lens for just this purpose. Well, and to take pictures, of course.

On our way out, we encounter some of the other local Puget Sound wildlife. This is a Red-faced Cormorant. They’re more commonly seen in Alaska.

And what’s on that green buoy? Something is making a lot of noise!

Harbor seals!

These guys sure now how to relax.

How is that even comfortable?

It takes about 45 minutes, but just off the shore of Everett, we finally see gray whales!

We all rush outside, eager to get the best views.

These guys are so majestic. They rarely lift their tails out of the water, but I get one lucky shot right at the beginning, and with Mt Baker in the background, too!

Remember that whale we saw on the screen earlier? Here he is, live and in the flesh! That white patch is a scar caused by a fight with another whale, if I’m remembering correctly. It makes him especially easy to identify. We’re told he’s been coming to Puget Sound for over 20 years!

Marissa and I are happy campers!

We spend over an hour quietly following the whales. I feel like a kid, filled with excitement. How cool is it that these guys come to my backyard every spring?

Eventually our time is up and we have to head back to the marina. Time has flown by, and I’m thrilled with the experience. I may have to make this a reoccurring event. There are so many more whales I have yet to see!