Island Adventures operates out of Skyline Marina on Fidalgo Island's west side. In this area, within protected waters and in prime orca habitat, whale watchers experience sightings less than 10 minutes into the trip, but Island Adventures' trips are often 5 to 6 hours long so you can experience a wide variety of wildlife, such as harbor seals, sea lions, porpoises, bald eagles, peregrine falcons and a variety of seabirds. GoWhaleWatch.com says that, "Island Adventures has led the industry in whale sightings for several years."
The company's boats have upper and lower viewing platforms, full walk-around decks, indoor seating in a heated cabin, food and restrooms. Experienced captains and naturalists describe and explain the whales and wildlife, and year after year, Island Adventures see orca whales on more than 95 percent of their tours and guarantee whale sightings on all their tours from mid-April through the beginning of October.
Island Adventures Inc.
1801 Commercial Ave.
Anacortes, WA 98221
800-465-4604
island-adventures.com/
San Juan Safaris orca whale-watching tours depart from Friday Harbor, San Juan Island in Washington. Salmon, the primary food source for orcas, swim up and down the west coast of San Juan Island and its outlying areas, making this an excellent place to view orca whales. San Juan Safaris' whale-watching boat, the 55-foot "Sea Lion," carries 40 or fewer guests per trip, so there is plenty of bow and stern seating and space at the rails and in the heated cabin. The tours last approximately 3 hours, and the company guarantees that guests will see marine mammals.
San Juan Safaris describe their captains, naturalists and other staff as professionals "chosen for ... their scientific understanding of wildlife, their love of and dedication to wildlife and their respect for the environment." The tours respect the legal distance from the orcas and a polite distance that allows whales time and space for foraging, playing, resting and living their lives.
San Juan Safaris Whale Watching
2 Spring St Landing # 6
Friday Harbor, WA 98250
360-378-1323
sanjuansafaris.com/whale_departure.html
Megan and Erik Schorr, the owner-guides of Anacortes Kayak Tours, explain that because of new Wildlife Protection regulations based on local orcas being listed under the Endangered Species Act, "the days of orca whales swimming within a few feet of sea kayaking tour groups is over." The Schorrs have worked for years as naturalists, professional kayak guides and whale spotters, spending more days in the presence of orcas than any kayak guides in the San Juan Islands. Kayaking with whales in the San Juan Islands is pure luck and good timing, and Anacortes Kayak Tours runs its business in a truthful and transparent manner and will not make promises about wildlife sightings of any sort because "the animals are wild. They are not here simply for our entertainment."
That said, when the whales are in the area, the tour guides know about it, and many guests do end up kayaking with whales during the summer. Kayak Tours are convenient and affordable, offering sea-kayaking adventures on which guests enjoy memorable days searching for orca whales, porpoise, seals, eagles and other local wildlife.
Anacortes Kayak Tours
1801 Commercial Ave.
Anacortes, WA 98221
800-992-1801
anacorteskayaktours.com/sea_kayaking_tours/kayak_with_orca_whales.html
