|
Bellingham Orca Whale Watching-Friday Harbor and Roche Harbor, San Juan Island, Washington, 60 minutes from Anacortes - a ferry ride away.
It is easy to get here from Belllingham.
Driving Directions
Driving Directions From Bellingham:
Take interstate 5 south to Burlington exit #230.
Follow the signs to the ferry landing. Hop on the ferry and get ready
for some serious fun! Not familiar with using our ferries? Phone us. We can make certain you board the correct ferry at the correct time.Click here for a recent schedule for the ferry, Anacortes to Friday Harbor, San Juan Island.
See orca whales from San Juan Island. San Juan Island, just 90 minutes from Seattle,is where the southern resident orca whales live about 5 months of the year. At this writing there are 84 resident orca whales. They are around San Juan Island from about mid-April to end of September.
San Juan Island is considered THE BEST place to view orca whales because the salmon, which are their prime source of food (about 95% of what they eat), travel up and down the west coast of San Juan Island and outlying areas.
We see orca whales, also called killer whales, on over 90% of our tours. If we had included minke and gray whales it would be even higher. What are the best months to see killer whales? May through September. What is the best time to see orca whales? Anytime. They are out and about all day, so morning, afternoon or evening- it doesn't really matter. We say go when it fits your schedule. We guarantee that you will see marine mammals and that you will come back with memories to last a lifetime!
The Sea Lion
Built just for us to our specs, Sea Lion is newly built in 2006.
Coast Guard Certified for up to 49 guests, we like to keep it roomy and generally have approximately 44 guests aboard.
There is seating in the cabin for about 24 guests, outdoor cover seating, seating on the bow and open air seating on the stern.
As with all three of our vesseles, Sea Lion is equiped with a professional hydrophone and stocked with jackets, blankets, field guides, wildlife books, high grade binoculars and books just for kids.
The Sea Hawk
We usually limit our tours on this vessel to 24 guests, (certified for 28).
Covered or open outside seats, walk around desk, a fully inclosed cabin with seating and table - snug and cozy and heated should the day be chilly.
Jackets, blankets, books and binoculars kept on board for guests use. The Sea Hawk dimensions are: 42' X 14'. Sea Hawk is a US Coast Guard certified vessel.
The Kittiwake
We usually limit tours on this vessel to 18 guests to ensure lots of personal attention and plenty of space for viewing (certified for 24).
Covered or open outside seats plus a semi enclosed cabin. The Kittiwake dimensions are: 30' X 12'
Jackets, blankets, books and binoculars kept on board for guests use.
How do we find the whales?
We belong to a good spotting network. We actively spot early in the morning from the west side of San Juan Island. Plus, we have many relationships with others in strategic locations that are in contact with us when they spot whales and have experienced captains. The location of the whales on one day is no predictor of where they will be the following day or even in the next few hours.
A word about companies that 'guarantee' whales: How can anyone give this guarantee on wildlife? Read between the lines. Wildlife is just that, wild. By whales, they might mean any kind of whale, gray, minke, a porpoise or a dolphin. By guarantee they mean you will not get your money back. What you will get is a 'rain check' to go with that company on another day. Some companies make you go back to their office and stand in line to retrieve this rain check. The only company that can truly 'guarantee whales' is Sea World. You will also find that the companies offering this take more than 50 guests on their boat at a time. Why be herded when you can be guided?
May - September the island is generally sunny and warm. Because we are in what is known as the "rain shadow" created by the Olympic Mountains. While Seattle has about 30" of rain annually, we receive approximately 18". Most summer days are around 70, but bring a jacket because it is always a bit cooler on the water. This mild climate makes it great for outdoor activities both on and off the water.
We keep our guest count small. We place only 24 on the Sea Hawk and 18 on the Kittiwake. This gives you, our guest, the opportunity to converse on a one to one basis with your naturalist and captain. We pride ourselves on both personal attention and the insight that we bring to those viewing wildlife with us.
Our tours and staff are so well loved that a good portion of our business is repeat customers.
Guests tell us repeatedly that our staff is warm, friendly and how much they learned from them.
Our vessels are stocked with plenty of educational materials, blankets, jackets and binoculars. We also have Cetacean Research hydrophones on each boat (yes, you can hear the whales communicate). All vessels have marine heads.
The Kittiwake, pictured below, is 30 X 12 ' with ½ of its seating enclosed and ½ open air. A portion of the open air is covered by a canvas canopy. The Sea Hawk, pictured below, is 41 X 14' with heated indoor cabin seating, outdoor covered seating, outdoor open seating and a walk around deck.
Why YOU should go with US
We respect not only the legal distance from orca whales but the polite distance. This allows the orca time for foraging, resting and such. Our staff is handpicked for both their scientific understanding of wildlife, their love of and dedication to wildlife and the environment. We also select staff that has an outgoing and warm personality. All of us at San Juan Safaris pride ourselves on attention to detail and follow through.
 Professional naturalist on each trip
Members of a whale spotting service
1997 - 2006 we had over a 90%
(per trip basis)sighting record!
Fast,safe,stable vessels
Emphasis on the entire ecosystem
Binoculars, blanket, jackets on board
Educational books, materials &maps on board
Hydophone aboard both vessels
The Kittiwake - 30 X 12'
The Sea Hawk - 42 X 14'
Whale Watching Guidlines M3 brochure
(this is a pdf file)
We are proud to be active members of The Whale Watch Operators Association North West, Audubon Society, People for Puget Sound, The Nature Conservancy, The Whale Museum, , San Juan Preservation Trust, San Juan Island Chamber of Commerce, Center for Whale Research, San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau &Wolf Hollow Orca Network
sanjuansafaris.com is the copyrighted intellectual property of
San Juan Safaris, Inc.,
Friday Harbor, WA, USA
updated:
|
Jumping for Joy? Photo contest winner
Ernie Westle 2003
Orca Male
 Raggedy &friend against a backdrop of the Olympic Mountains, taken from our vessel off the west side of San Juan island Photo by Katie Jones
Orca blow or breathing out. Some of the moisture is from the lungs
J-16/Slick by Katie Jones taken from our vessle
 RARE photo of a MINKE (baleen whale) taken off our vessle and sent by a guest. These whales are very shy, rarely seen, come up &go right back down
Orcas at rest. This is called "logging" when they gather together &float at the surface-
Photo by Katie Jones
 Juvenile male
 Orca with rainbow
A group of Orca gliding by our boat - photo by Peter Di Lorenzi
 Orca frequently swim right up to our boat which has it's engine off. Our boat was stopped on the southern end of San Juan Island in this photo
 Dalls porpoise are curious and fun loving seen frequently riding bow wakes
Four Orca
FREE activity book for kids while supplies last.
Reserve your adventure now! |
