North San Juan Channel

Located in San Juan Channel several miles north of Friday Harbor, this hydrophone location is in an ideal location for hearing sounds made by orcas, humpbacks, and other marine life -- including fish. Bigg's killer whales frequent this location year round, and Southern Resident killer whales have been regularly transiting San Juan Channel in recent years from October-March. You may also hear the inter-island ferry and other sources of vessel noise.

A single CRT SQ26-08 hydrophone was first deployed in spring 2023 at a depth of 5-10 meters. The North San Juan Channel location is hosted and maintained by the Orca Behavior Institute. The closest public access for viewing the area is Reuben Tarte County Park.

Status update 5/14/23: We are beta-testing this location with an initial deployment led by SCUBA diver David Howitt.