Pacific Whale Watch Association 🐳

The PWWA is a community of ecotourism professionals with a shared commitment to education, conservation, and responsible wildlife viewing in Washington and BC.

[Pacific Whale Watch Association 🐳 @ThePWWA]

@Pilo2Lilo This can be N001.

[Pacific Whale Watch Association 🐳 @ThePWWA]

Alas, there is one less harbor seal in the Salish Sea following this incredible predation event the crew at @sanjuancruises in Bellingham, WA witnessed before they even untied from the dock!

📷: Elliot Shaughnessy-Lively

[Pacific Whale Watch Association 🐳 @ThePWWA]

Happy Hump Day! 🐋 The first mom/calf pairs are arriving from the breeding grounds. Here's an adorable pic of BCX2183 "Smoke" with her new calf. Other moms with calves this year include BCY0862 "Apollo", BCY1229 "Deca", and BCX1057 "Divot".

📷: Alli Montgomery, @FRSClipper

[Pacific Whale Watch Association 🐳 @ThePWWA]

🚨NEW SCIENCE ALERT 🚨
A new open-access article in Marine Mammal Science examines seasonal presence of Bigg's (mammal-hunting) killer whales in the inside waters of Vancouver Island. The PWWA is proud to have contributed sightings data toward this study.
https://t.co/uvSHZ8ARTi

[Pacific Whale Watch Association 🐳 @ThePWWA]

It's World Ocean Day! 🌊 Without healthy oceans, there would be no whales to watch. It's our duty to be good ocean stewards. Here are some pics of our members removing trash from local waters.

📷: @sjioutfitters
📷: @Whale_Tours
📷: @sjiwhalewatch
📷: Outer Island Excursions

[Pacific Whale Watch Association 🐳 @ThePWWA]

Several PWWA member companies are participating, so while you won't see Southern Residents on a whale watch tour, you might see their fins and learn their story! You can find a map of all the fin locations here: https://t.co/z1Bbxj3Y5v

[Pacific Whale Watch Association 🐳 @ThePWWA]

In honor of Orca Action Month, Orca Behavior Institute teamed with artists for the "75 Fins for 75 Whales" project. The project features life-sized dorsal fins - one for each living Southern Resident - at locations throughout the Salish Sea & beyond.

https://t.co/y5nQOh4Ye7

[Pacific Whale Watch Association 🐳 @ThePWWA]

This week, a massive group of Bigg's orcas entered the Salish Sea via the Strait of Juan de Fuca. All told, more than FORTY individuals were identified. 🤯 That means there are an awful lot of whales around right now, so keep your eyes peeled! 👀

📷: Mollie Cameron, @sookewhale

[Pacific Whale Watch Association 🐳 @ThePWWA]

Happy Hump Day! 🐋 Forget synchronized swimming, synchronized *feeding* is all the rage within the humpback whale community. Check out these amazing photos of BCX1193 "Zig Zag" & BCY0523 "Graze" doing their thing in BC's Howe Sound.

📷: Sara Jenkins, @WildWhalesVan

[Pacific Whale Watch Association 🐳 @ThePWWA]

We love this series of young Bigg's killer whale T46B1D "Tashi" breaching up a storm. Looks like so much fun!

📷: Alison Engle, @orcawhalewatch

[Pacific Whale Watch Association 🐳 @ThePWWA]

Minke May 2026 has come to a close. We hope you’ve enjoyed getting to know these mystical mysticetes a bit better. We’ll end by sharing a great shot of not one, but *two* beautiful minke whales swimming side-by-side in the Salish Sea.

📷: Matt Stolmeier, Outer Island Excursions

[Pacific Whale Watch Association 🐳 @ThePWWA]

Just a few days left of Minke May! Minkes are quite fast. We’ll be honest, minke encounters often involve nothing more than a few quick glances at a fleeting fin. If you’re lucky enough to catch them lunge-feeding, however, it’s a real sight!

📷: Sara Shimazu, @sjiwhalewatch

[Pacific Whale Watch Association 🐳 @ThePWWA]

It's seal pup season in the Salish Sea, so here's a refresher on what to do if you find a lone pup. SPOILER ALERT: Don't touch! 🫳🚫🦭 Mom is likely nearby looking for food.

Concerned?

In BC call: 1-604-258-SEAL (7325)
In WA call: 1-866-767-6114

https://t.co/gsHSUthhbZ

[Pacific Whale Watch Association 🐳 @ThePWWA]

It's the last week of Minke May! Reaching ~30 ft. (~9.1 m) in length and up to 10 tons, minkes are the smallest baleen whales in the northern hemisphere, and second smallest baleen whales on earth. Only the pygmy right whale is smaller.

📷: Amanda Colbert, Blue Kingdom Tours

[Pacific Whale Watch Association 🐳 @ThePWWA]

We tapped into the archives for Minke May and found not just another breaching minke shot, but an entire breaching sequence! These pics were taken in 2014 by Thyren Garde-Jacobs who was captaining for @OceanEco at the time. Look at the white "minke mittens" on the pec flippers!🤩

[Pacific Whale Watch Association 🐳 @ThePWWA]

People of Earth, please don't do this. https://t.co/yzKoeuTAnx

[Pacific Whale Watch Association 🐳 @ThePWWA]

We interrupt Minke May to share an update on the minke whale's predators, Bigg's killer whales. Sam Murphy of @sanjuanwhales photographed a new calf with members of the T124A family. The calf was closest to T124A1 "Bonapartes", but more encounters are needed to confirm maternity.

[Pacific Whale Watch Association 🐳 @ThePWWA]

Time for another Minke May Monday! Of all the whale species seen regularly in the Salish Sea, minke whales breach least often. Naturalist Melisa Pinnow of San Juan Excursions got this holy grail of a minke shot while watching from San Juan Island a few years ago.

[Pacific Whale Watch Association 🐳 @ThePWWA]

We're continuing Minke May with a minke mystery: Where do Salish Sea minkes go when not here? We're not sure, but cookiecutter shark bites provide a clue. These small sharks live in warmer waters, suggesting local minkes visit lower latitudes in winter.

📷: All Aboard Sailing