Wake Up To Adventure

Wake Up To Adventure Explore the wild. Wear the wild. Protect the wild.

Wake Up To Adventure is led by wildlife photographer Lee Andelson, offering small-group wildlife photography experiences and purpose-driven apparel inspired by the species and places that move us.

09/10/2026

There’s a strange moment that happens when a killer whale surfaces close enough to you.

For a second, everything else disappears.

You’re not thinking about your camera settings. You’re not thinking about where the boat is going. You’re not thinking about what you’re doing tomorrow.

Then it slips back underneath and the whole ocean feels enormous again.

I think that’s one of the reasons I’ll never get tired of this.

Killer whales have an incredible way of making you completely present without ever asking for your attention.

09/09/2026

No big moment. No dramatic behavior. Just a few quiet seconds of orcas moving through glass-calm water, doing absolutely nothing other than being orcas.

Sometimes that’s more than enough.

09/06/2026

Seeing the Southern Resident killer whales on the west side of San Juan Island is one of those experiences I never take for granted. Knowing how few of them remain, and understanding just how special it is to have them pass through these waters, makes every sighting feel incredibly lucky.

Watching those familiar dorsal fins move along the shoreline, sometimes with the island rising right behind them, is one of the most iconic sights in the Salish Sea.

I’ve been fortunate enough to see a lot of incredible wildlife over the years, but the Southern Residents will always carry a little extra weight for me.

Every single encounter feels like a gift.

09/05/2026

The T37As absolutely lit up the boat on this encounter.

Volker, Inky, Spinnaker, Crinkle and Inyo # were all around us, and then curiosity took over. One after another, these killer whales started coming in close to check us out — completely on their own terms.

And yes… the boat got LOUD. 😂

Some people might hear the screaming and think it’s too much, but put yourself there for a second. You’re staring straight into the face of a wild killer whale that has chosen to swim within feet of you. Nobody called it over. Nobody lured it in. That whale simply decided, I want to see what’s going on over there.

Try staying quiet.

The laughing, screaming and complete disbelief you hear in this video is pure joy at its best. These are the moments people dream about their entire lives, and getting to watch everyone experience it in real time might be just as much fun as watching the whales themselves.

What would you do if a killer whale suddenly popped up and looked straight at you?

09/05/2026

Watching Bigg’s killer whales hunt a seal is one of the most intense things you can ever witness on the water.

Everything changes in an instant. The speed, the power, the coordination — these whales are completely locked in. One moment the seal is racing across the surface, and the next there are massive black dorsal fins cutting through the water from every direction.

From behind the camera, it’s almost hard to keep up. You’re trying to follow the action while realizing you’re watching one of the ocean’s most capable predators doing exactly what it has evolved to do.

Raw, fast, and absolutely incredible to witness.

09/05/2026

Few moments on the water stop you in your tracks quite like a killer whale rising straight out of the sea for a spyhop.

For just a second, you’re eye to eye with one of the most powerful animals in the ocean — looking around, taking everything in, and reminding you just how wild this place really is.

No matter how many times I see it, a spyhop never gets old. It’s one of those moments that instantly makes you think, how incredible is this?

09/04/2026

You know it’s Summer time when your afternoons start looking like this!

The perfect breach sequence by T065B3 “Rook” in the San Juan Islands, Washington.
09/03/2026

The perfect breach sequence by T065B3 “Rook” in the San Juan Islands, Washington.

An absolute epic day with the T49As.The newest little family member T049A7 “Nimbus” was FULL of energy — charging around...
09/03/2026

An absolute epic day with the T49As.

The newest little family member T049A7 “Nimbus” was FULL of energy — charging around, popping up everywhere, rolling, splashing and doing its best to keep the entire family busy.

There’s something pretty incredible about watching a brand-new calf already showing so much personality. Tiny whale. Massive attitude.

The T49As definitely my favorite new calf of 2026. Tiny whale. Massive personality.

And honestly, watching this little one tear around out there feels pretty fitting for our kids and toddler Orca tees. Made for the little adventurers who seem to have about the same amount of energy. 🫍

Shop the Orca collection from The WUTA Project and help us keep building something that celebrates — and gives back to — the wild places and animals that inspire it.

09/03/2026

Rain rolling across the Strait of Juan de Fuca as Bigg’s killer whales travel through the dark Salish Sea water. Gray skies, textured seas, and orcas—sometimes the moody days are the best ones to be out there.

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