Bethany Shimasaki Photography
@adventuresbethany.bsky.social
🐋 Naturalist/Captain
📷 Wildlife Photographer
📍 San Juan Islands
💙 Just a girl with a camera and a love for wild things and places
📷 Wildlife Photographer
📍 San Juan Islands
💙 Just a girl with a camera and a love for wild things and places
Pinned
Hi all! My name is Bethany! 🐋
I’m a naturalist, captain and wildlife photographer living on a small island and working out of Friday Harbor in the San Juans. If you’re interested in small island living, whales, wildlife, and photography, I’m your girl!
Here’s some of my favorite photos I’ve taken!
I’m a naturalist, captain and wildlife photographer living on a small island and working out of Friday Harbor in the San Juans. If you’re interested in small island living, whales, wildlife, and photography, I’m your girl!
Here’s some of my favorite photos I’ve taken!
Incredible paper from @whaleresearch.bsky.social So stoked this is out finally!
Big news!
Our latest paper, “Manufacture and use of allogrooming tools by wild killer whales” has been published in “Current Biology”.
This is the first known evidence of a marine mammal making tools out of objects in their environment.
Explore more here: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Our latest paper, “Manufacture and use of allogrooming tools by wild killer whales” has been published in “Current Biology”.
This is the first known evidence of a marine mammal making tools out of objects in their environment.
Explore more here: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
June 23, 2025 at 9:45 PM
Incredible paper from @whaleresearch.bsky.social So stoked this is out finally!
Reposted by Bethany Shimasaki Photography
Today is #WorldOceansDay— On this day, we would like to celebrate the incredible work being done by countless individuals and organizations worldwide to protect, preserve, and restore the oceans.
Happy World Oceans Day!
Artwork by CWR's Katie Jones
#OrcaActionMonth #OrcaActionMonth2025
Happy World Oceans Day!
Artwork by CWR's Katie Jones
#OrcaActionMonth #OrcaActionMonth2025
June 8, 2025 at 7:42 PM
Today is #WorldOceansDay— On this day, we would like to celebrate the incredible work being done by countless individuals and organizations worldwide to protect, preserve, and restore the oceans.
Happy World Oceans Day!
Artwork by CWR's Katie Jones
#OrcaActionMonth #OrcaActionMonth2025
Happy World Oceans Day!
Artwork by CWR's Katie Jones
#OrcaActionMonth #OrcaActionMonth2025
Happy Spring! Spieden Island is looking especially beautiful this year with its annual bloom of pink! Unfortunately, these flowers are an invasive species but I can still appreciate their beauty!
April 18, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Happy Spring! Spieden Island is looking especially beautiful this year with its annual bloom of pink! Unfortunately, these flowers are an invasive species but I can still appreciate their beauty!
It’s National Dolphin Day so here’s a thread of some of my favorite dolphin shots over the years! Feel free to add your own! It’s the perfect excuse for more dolphin photos!
To start, a pair of common dolphins offshore of San Diego
To start, a pair of common dolphins offshore of San Diego
April 14, 2025 at 10:16 PM
It’s National Dolphin Day so here’s a thread of some of my favorite dolphin shots over the years! Feel free to add your own! It’s the perfect excuse for more dolphin photos!
To start, a pair of common dolphins offshore of San Diego
To start, a pair of common dolphins offshore of San Diego
New Baby! New Baby! New Baby!
We have some incredibly exciting news to share! J Pod has a new calf! Designated J63, we observed this little one traveling with J40. This will be her first known calf! While we have no immediate health concerns at the moment, we’ll continue to update when we can.
April 8, 2025 at 6:50 PM
New Baby! New Baby! New Baby!
Snoot to fluke and everything in between of T49C “Neilson”! Doing his favorite thing, playing with crab pots!
Taken March 16, 2025
#killerwhales #salishsea #sanjuanislands #whalewatching
Taken March 16, 2025
#killerwhales #salishsea #sanjuanislands #whalewatching
March 21, 2025 at 8:03 PM
Snoot to fluke and everything in between of T49C “Neilson”! Doing his favorite thing, playing with crab pots!
Taken March 16, 2025
#killerwhales #salishsea #sanjuanislands #whalewatching
Taken March 16, 2025
#killerwhales #salishsea #sanjuanislands #whalewatching
Happy Wednesday! Wishing for nicer weather so here’s one of my favorite shots from last spring at the Turn Point Lighthouse! Pretty skies, beautiful scenery and fun whales! Couldn’t ask for a more perfect encounter!
#wildlifephotograph #sanjuanislands #pnw
#wildlifephotograph #sanjuanislands #pnw
March 12, 2025 at 9:25 PM
Happy Wednesday! Wishing for nicer weather so here’s one of my favorite shots from last spring at the Turn Point Lighthouse! Pretty skies, beautiful scenery and fun whales! Couldn’t ask for a more perfect encounter!
#wildlifephotograph #sanjuanislands #pnw
#wildlifephotograph #sanjuanislands #pnw
Had a really nice encounter with the T46s to break my month-long whale dry spell. Found them booking it at 7knts inner island and they actually passed right by my house through Pole Pass! Grateful for any chance to be on the water with these amazing whales!
March 10, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Had a really nice encounter with the T46s to break my month-long whale dry spell. Found them booking it at 7knts inner island and they actually passed right by my house through Pole Pass! Grateful for any chance to be on the water with these amazing whales!
Gray whale in front of my house today at 13:20! Heading east towards the Orcas ferry dock between Crane Island and Bell Island!
#wssjis #salishsea #graywhale
#wssjis #salishsea #graywhale
February 23, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Gray whale in front of my house today at 13:20! Heading east towards the Orcas ferry dock between Crane Island and Bell Island!
#wssjis #salishsea #graywhale
#wssjis #salishsea #graywhale
J62 is confirmed female!
We got out with J Pod for our 6th encounter of the year! We were able to confirm that J62 is female and document all 26 members! We were also able to confirm that J35 is no longer carrying the carcass of J61. Check out the encounter and more photos at the link below.
February 15, 2025 at 6:41 PM
J62 is confirmed female!
Reposted by Bethany Shimasaki Photography
I heard that some of you people prefer to receive your snarky science fact-checking of viral news stories in meme format, and I am here to help.
February 14, 2025 at 9:19 PM
I heard that some of you people prefer to receive your snarky science fact-checking of viral news stories in meme format, and I am here to help.
Happy Valentine’s Day to my one true love! My heart belongs to humpback whale BCY0324 “Big Mama” and NOBODY ELSE!!! 🥰
February 14, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Happy Valentine’s Day to my one true love! My heart belongs to humpback whale BCY0324 “Big Mama” and NOBODY ELSE!!! 🥰
Reposted by Bethany Shimasaki Photography
Tomorrow is Valentine's Day, and while love might be in the air, we hope balloons will NOT be. Please pass on gifting harmful balloons to loved ones! 🚫🎈
📷: Val Shore, @eaglewingtours.bsky.social
📷: @adventuresbethany.bsky.social, Western Prince
📷: @sanjuansafaris.bsky.social
📷: Val Shore, @eaglewingtours.bsky.social
📷: @adventuresbethany.bsky.social, Western Prince
📷: @sanjuansafaris.bsky.social
February 13, 2025 at 6:41 PM
Tomorrow is Valentine's Day, and while love might be in the air, we hope balloons will NOT be. Please pass on gifting harmful balloons to loved ones! 🚫🎈
📷: Val Shore, @eaglewingtours.bsky.social
📷: @adventuresbethany.bsky.social, Western Prince
📷: @sanjuansafaris.bsky.social
📷: Val Shore, @eaglewingtours.bsky.social
📷: @adventuresbethany.bsky.social, Western Prince
📷: @sanjuansafaris.bsky.social
I’ve been out with the flu for the past several days but I’m finally starting to get back to feeling myself again! Huzzah! I’m still alive! Here’s another favorite shot from my time in Hawaii to celebrate!
#whale #humpback #wildlifephotography #whalewatching #maui #wildlife
#whale #humpback #wildlifephotography #whalewatching #maui #wildlife
February 13, 2025 at 6:46 PM
I’ve been out with the flu for the past several days but I’m finally starting to get back to feeling myself again! Huzzah! I’m still alive! Here’s another favorite shot from my time in Hawaii to celebrate!
#whale #humpback #wildlifephotography #whalewatching #maui #wildlife
#whale #humpback #wildlifephotography #whalewatching #maui #wildlife
BCY0995 “Smiley” surfacing inside Friday Harbor! It’s fun when my commute to work is interrupted by whales!
#salishsea #wildlifephotograph #whale #humpback #fridayharbor #sanjuanislands
#salishsea #wildlifephotograph #whale #humpback #fridayharbor #sanjuanislands
February 8, 2025 at 7:53 PM
BCY0995 “Smiley” surfacing inside Friday Harbor! It’s fun when my commute to work is interrupted by whales!
#salishsea #wildlifephotograph #whale #humpback #fridayharbor #sanjuanislands
#salishsea #wildlifephotograph #whale #humpback #fridayharbor #sanjuanislands
Really interesting long-term study on harbor porpoises! Such a fascinating read!
New publication alert!
Did you know that harbor porpoises in the Salish Sea can show long-term site fidelity up to 11 years and animals at least 14 years old can have calves?
Find out this and more in our recent open access publication!
www.mdpi.com/2673-1924/6/...
Did you know that harbor porpoises in the Salish Sea can show long-term site fidelity up to 11 years and animals at least 14 years old can have calves?
Find out this and more in our recent open access publication!
www.mdpi.com/2673-1924/6/...
Resident Harbor Porpoises (Phocoena phocoena vomerina) in the Salish Sea: Photo-Identification Shows Long-Term Site Fidelity, Natal Philopatry, and Provides Insights into Longevity and Behavior
Harbor porpoises have been well studied in locations worldwide, but relatively little research has focused on site fidelity of individuals, which influences population structure and determines appropr...
www.mdpi.com
February 8, 2025 at 1:03 AM
Really interesting long-term study on harbor porpoises! Such a fascinating read!
Wish I was back cruising Johnstone Strait with the T100s. We made it through another week. Hope you all have a good weekend
#wildlifephotograph #killerwhale #salishsea #orca #wildlife #whale
#wildlifephotograph #killerwhale #salishsea #orca #wildlife #whale
February 7, 2025 at 6:07 PM
Wish I was back cruising Johnstone Strait with the T100s. We made it through another week. Hope you all have a good weekend
#wildlifephotograph #killerwhale #salishsea #orca #wildlife #whale
#wildlifephotograph #killerwhale #salishsea #orca #wildlife #whale
Crane Island from the sky! Thanks @hysazu.bsky.social
February 5, 2025 at 12:14 AM
Crane Island from the sky! Thanks @hysazu.bsky.social
With all this snow this week, I’m reminiscing about past winters spent in Hawaii with spazzy humpback juveniles!
#humpbackwhale #maui #whalewatching #whale #wildlifephotography
#humpbackwhale #maui #whalewatching #whale #wildlifephotography
February 4, 2025 at 8:56 PM
With all this snow this week, I’m reminiscing about past winters spent in Hawaii with spazzy humpback juveniles!
#humpbackwhale #maui #whalewatching #whale #wildlifephotography
#humpbackwhale #maui #whalewatching #whale #wildlifephotography
Reposted by Bethany Shimasaki Photography
SNOW DAY!❄️ If you want to whale watch from the warm comfort of your couch or desk chair, check out this video from our friends at Salish Sea Orca Squad. It was taken from shore this morning as J Pod swam through Active Pass!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZG_...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZG_...
Jpod in Active Pass! February 3, 2025
YouTube video by Salish Sea Orca Squad
www.youtube.com
February 3, 2025 at 7:07 PM
SNOW DAY!❄️ If you want to whale watch from the warm comfort of your couch or desk chair, check out this video from our friends at Salish Sea Orca Squad. It was taken from shore this morning as J Pod swam through Active Pass!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZG_...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZG_...
Reposted by Bethany Shimasaki Photography
We love Bluesky, but have also been brainstorming with other orgs to find a way to stay connected in a more organized way.
If you're as obsessed with the Salish Sea as we are, from the orcas to the tide pools + everything in between, come hang out, share your stories, and connect on Discord, too! 💕
If you're as obsessed with the Salish Sea as we are, from the orcas to the tide pools + everything in between, come hang out, share your stories, and connect on Discord, too! 💕
Join the Salish Sea Community Hub Discord Server!
Check out the Salish Sea Community Hub community on Discord - hang out with 61 other members and enjoy free voice and text chat.
discord.gg
February 1, 2025 at 6:12 PM
We love Bluesky, but have also been brainstorming with other orgs to find a way to stay connected in a more organized way.
If you're as obsessed with the Salish Sea as we are, from the orcas to the tide pools + everything in between, come hang out, share your stories, and connect on Discord, too! 💕
If you're as obsessed with the Salish Sea as we are, from the orcas to the tide pools + everything in between, come hang out, share your stories, and connect on Discord, too! 💕
Spyhop from the the queen herself, T49A “Nan”
She’s a regular here in the Salish Sea with 6 kids, 5 of which are boys! That’s a lot of mouths to feed and she is a fully capable and skilled hunter. The epitome of a powerhouse matriarch!
#salishsea #killerwhale #whale #orca #wildlifephotography
She’s a regular here in the Salish Sea with 6 kids, 5 of which are boys! That’s a lot of mouths to feed and she is a fully capable and skilled hunter. The epitome of a powerhouse matriarch!
#salishsea #killerwhale #whale #orca #wildlifephotography
February 1, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Spyhop from the the queen herself, T49A “Nan”
She’s a regular here in the Salish Sea with 6 kids, 5 of which are boys! That’s a lot of mouths to feed and she is a fully capable and skilled hunter. The epitome of a powerhouse matriarch!
#salishsea #killerwhale #whale #orca #wildlifephotography
She’s a regular here in the Salish Sea with 6 kids, 5 of which are boys! That’s a lot of mouths to feed and she is a fully capable and skilled hunter. The epitome of a powerhouse matriarch!
#salishsea #killerwhale #whale #orca #wildlifephotography
Freya and my other island chickies want to wish you all a Happy Friday! Congrats on making it through another week! Stay safe and cozy out there this weekend!
#islandliving #salishsea #chickens #craneisland
#islandliving #salishsea #chickens #craneisland
January 31, 2025 at 9:39 PM
Freya and my other island chickies want to wish you all a Happy Friday! Congrats on making it through another week! Stay safe and cozy out there this weekend!
#islandliving #salishsea #chickens #craneisland
#islandliving #salishsea #chickens #craneisland
A pretty pair of puffins perfectly posing! 😂
#bird #puffin #tuftedpuffin #wildlifephotography #salishsea
#bird #puffin #tuftedpuffin #wildlifephotography #salishsea
January 30, 2025 at 6:45 PM
A pretty pair of puffins perfectly posing! 😂
#bird #puffin #tuftedpuffin #wildlifephotography #salishsea
#bird #puffin #tuftedpuffin #wildlifephotography #salishsea
Thinking of warmer days and golden hour with the golden boy T19B “Galiano” 💛
#salishsea #killerwhale #orca #wildlifephotography
#salishsea #killerwhale #orca #wildlifephotography
January 29, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Thinking of warmer days and golden hour with the golden boy T19B “Galiano” 💛
#salishsea #killerwhale #orca #wildlifephotography
#salishsea #killerwhale #orca #wildlifephotography