Island Adventures | Whale Watching

At Island Adventures we are serious about finding whales. This is a challenge every day because the whales never stop moving! The orcas can cover over 100 miles in a 24 hour period so we use many different resources (cooperatively working together) to help in the search every morning. Our spotting network is made up of strategically placed land-based spotters using telescopes, many other whale watch vessels, researchers, dive boats, early morning fishermen, water taxis, tug boats, and ferry boats.

We are so confident in our ability to find whales that we GUARANTEE IT!

If you do not see a whale (orca, minke, gray, or humpback) with us you will come again for FREE, for life, until you do. This is not a gimmick — it is a passion to show our guests whales and to provide the opportunity for an experience of a lifetime. Island Adventures is one of the few companies to even offer a guarantee. Our high success rate is due to our location, vessel speed, and local experience (over 19 yrs!)

Our crew and staff has over 100 years of combined experience in the San Juans and has been showing people the whales for over 19 years. We have also been collecting movement data on the travel patterns of the southern resident community for the past 13 years. Having this extensive knowledge of travel routes and patterns gives us an edge on locating the animals on a daily basis. Orca whales are seen on most of our tours, though we could also see Gray whales in the spring, Minke whales in the summer, and Humpback whales in the fall. Occasionally we see all four species on one tour. We call this a GRAND SLAM! To see our sightings record for yourself, be sure to check out our Whale Report!

Since 2002, Island Adventures’ sighting success rate has been over 96%. Notice that this number is not 100%. The only company with a higher sighting success rate would be SeaWorld (they have them penned up); we’re happy being number 2! There are days when whales are not sighted. We won’t compromise safety or quality of trip in order to satisfy our guarantee. Even though whales may not be seen on 3½% of the days, these trips are still some of the best trips of the year with extensive wildlife sightings, great island scenery, and a free trip in the future!

Months

March • April • May • June • July • August • September • October • November

Duration

Short (1-3 hours) • Half-day (3-6 hours)

Vessel types

Large boat (50+ passengers)

Times and prices

About our skippers and naturalist guides

Every trip has an on board naturalist, the use of binoculars is free, all guests receive a free 64 page color wildlife guide, and our vessel comes equipped with a large heated cabin and state of the art sound system.

Facilities

Deck with 360?vision • Naturalist guide(s) as well as skipper • Onboard research • PA system • Posters / displays / maps • Reading material available • Restrooms / toilets on board • Scenic backdrop to encounters • Snacks / drinks • Support conservation • Use a code of conduct

We frequently

See a whale's tail • See leaping whales • Watch whales only

Baleen Whales

Gray Whale • Humpback Whale • Minke Whale

Toothed Whales

Killer Whale / Orca

Ocean Dolphins

Pacific White-sided Dolphin

Porpoises

Dall's Porpoise • Harbour Porpoise

Other wildlife and points of interest

Island Adventures has been offering spring Gray whale tours for over a decade. Departing from Everett our guests enjoy the calm protected waters of Possession Sound, Saratoga Passage and Port Gardner Bay. Because of the calm water and high concentration of whales this time of year, our Everett Gray Whale tours have a 99.5% sighting success rate. The world’s best opportunity to see wild Orca whales is right here in the San Juan Islands, May through September. We are incredibly fortunate to be able to watch three resident pods of Orca whales (all fish eaters; approximately 90 whales), many groups of transient Orcas (the ones that feed on marine mammals), Minke and Humpback whales throughout the summer. The San Juans are home to a diverse community of other wildlife. On this tour guests may also see harbor seals, sea lions, Dall’s and harbor porpoise, bald eagles and many types of sea birds. The average tour covers 60 miles through some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. By “big guys” we mean Humpback whales, the massive baleen whales that have helped make Maui so famous. The great herd of North Pacific Humpbacks is recovering wonderfully from the horror of the old whaling days. As their numbers grow they are returning to the old haunts here in the Puget Sound Basin. They often reach over 50’ in length and weigh over 30 tons. In other words…big guys. Their pectoral fins are as long as many recreational boats! The fall is also the time of year when chances are highest to see all four types of whales on one tour (orca, minke, humpback, and gray)! The resident and/or transient orcas are in the area on most days, minke whales are still feeding on the banks in the strait, and even a few gray whales make their way back in to the sound on their southerly migration to Baja. Also in the fall, we’re seeing the huge Steller sea lions on a regular basis again (they fall, winter, and spring here from September to May), harbor seals, porpoises, and many types of seabirds now in winter plumage – all make for great photo opportunities!

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