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Marine Vessel

Sea Lion

Great for all ages
Set Sail Aboard Sea Lion

Sea Lion was built specifically for whale & wildlife viewing in the Pacific Northwest. This vessel is a staff favorite, as it provides an intimate experience while allowing for larger groups. 

Birds and Sea Lion

Sea Lion Quick Facts

  • 44 Passengers
  • No age restrictions
  • 1 comfortable restroom on board
  • Full wrap-around observation deck
  • Inside cabin area with bench seats and tables
  • Indoor and outdoor seating
  • Great for smaller groups and a more intimate experience

4-Hour Private Charters: $4,495 + taxes and fees

Tours Aboard Sea Lion
Classic Whale Watch from Roche Harbor

Classic Whale Watch & Wildlife Tour @ Roche Harbor

  • 3-4 hours on the water 
  • Departs from Roche Harbor
  • Marine Naturalist(s) for questions
  • Heated inside the cabin area
  • Comfortable restroom(s)
  • Great for families and small kids

Adult: $125.00
Child: $89.00

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boarding kestrel

Private Charters & Groups

We offer custom private tour experiences for groups of 1 to 100 participants, focusing on seamless service, complimentary itinerary planning, and personalized attention to detail.  Arrange a private activity for a variety of groups and occasions!

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Tufted Puffin on the water

Birding Safari

Charter one of our boats for a Birding Safari which is 3 - 4 hours in search of birds and wildlife in obscure coves and backwaters of the San Juan Islands.  Come see all the wildlife that the great Pacific Northwest has to offer!

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  • Birds and Sea Lion
Whale Reports from Sea Lion
Read about our recent sightings aboard Sea Lion

Our naturalists love to share their exciting adventures on the water. These reports include photos and information about the wildlife encouters on recent tours!

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Humpback Surprise Near Flattop!

 

Jordan | M/V Sea Lion | 07/31/2021 2:00pm

Today was the first cloudy day in weeks. But instead of being dreary, it made the surrounding landscape appear even more mystical and mysterious. Captain Pete and I left Friday Harbor in hopes of finding something near Canada, so we headed north.

We cruised through the San Juan Channel and up President’s Channel as we passed Waldron. As we emerged into Boundary, we spotted Canada and admired her elusive beauty from a distance.

Stopping by...

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Orcas near San Juan Island

Bigg’s Killer Whales Traveling through the Strait of Juan de Fuca

Haleigh | M/V Sea Lion | July 30, 2021 | 2:00pm

 

Our Friday afternoon Classic Whale Watch was a really fun trip! We departed Friday Harbor in search of wildlife and decided to travel south through San Juan Channel, following a report of something big, black and white in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. These reports are only rumors until we get our actual eyes on them! We passed Cattle Point Lighthouse, entering choppier waters with some rolling swells. The boat rocked and rolled while...

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Bigg’s Killer Whales

Bigg’s Killer Whale Celebration off Lummi Island

Maxx K. | M/V Sea Lion | 07/29/2021 | 2:00pm

    Today was wild, y’all. Captain Pete and I had no idea what to expect when Sea Lion left Friday Harbor. There were rumors of Bigg’s Killer Whales north of us off the south side of Lummi Island but as we know, whales stay rumors until you see them yourself! We carried on taking the inter-island route, up and over Lopez and through Obstruction Pass. We passed by numerous harbor porpoises during the journey as they surfaced for air in our...

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Minke Whales and Baby Animals Everywhere!

Jordan | M/V Sea Lion | 07/25/2021 10:00am

What a lovely day out on the water.

Captain Pete and I headed south down the San Juan Channel and out towards open waters. We searched around the southern shores of Lopez Island looking in calm waters for any blows. Not finding anything just yet, we spread our search further south out into open waters.

We stopped by some rocks where we spotted Steller sea lions! These huge pinnipeds climbed up the steep rock face and barked at each other as...

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T037A's in San Juan Channel

Abby & Maxx | Sea Lion | 6/23/2021

 

Whale, whale, whale. Hello there! Abby here.

I just got back from this stellar trip and am now on a complete orca high.

Captain Pete, Maxx, and I zipped out of Friday Harbor to find the T037A’s in San Juan Channel.

  • Volker T037A (Female, 1994)
    • Inyo T037A1 (Gender Unknown, 2007)
    • Inky T037A2 (Male, 2009)
    • Spinnaker T037A3 (Male, 2013)
    • Crinkle T037A4 (Gender Unknown, 2015)

As we headed south through San Juan Channel, travelling parallel to our...

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T037A's in San Juan Channel

Abby & Maxx | Sea Lion | 6/23/2021

 

Whale, whale, whale. Hello there! Abby here.

I just got back from this stellar trip and am now on a complete orca high.

Captain Pete, Maxx, and I zipped out of Friday Harbor to find the T037A’s in San Juan Channel.

  • Volker T037A (Female, 1994)
    • Inyo T037A1 (Gender Unknown, 2007)
    • Inky T037A2 (Male, 2009)
    • Spinnaker T037A3 (Male, 2013)
    • Crinkle T037A4 (Gender Unknown, 2015)

As we headed south through San Juan Channel, travelling parallel to our...

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Bigg's Killer whales playing

2 Families of Bigg’s Killer Whale Feeding along Orcas Island

Haleigh | M/V Sea Lion | July 20, 2021 | 2:00pm

 

For our afternoon Classic whale watching trip, the boat full of excited passengers was just the beginning to a great day! We headed inter-island to follow a report of some Bigg’s Killer Whales in Rosario Strait. Bigg’s Killer Whales are a marine mammal-eating ecotype found in the Salish Sea. They primarily feed on Harbor Seals, though will also hunt Harbor Porpoise, sea lions, and the occasional baleen whale calf. Due to the abundance...

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Bigg's Killer Whales traveling

15 Bigg’s Killer Whales Traveling around Lopez Island

Haleigh | M/V Sea Lion | July 20, 2021 | 10:00am

 

One of the fun parts about morning trips is you get to really be a part of the search for whales. None of the whales in our area are tagged, so we rely on visual sightings to search for any wildlife out here. Fortunately, sightings by other boats are shared through the Pacific Whale Watch Association’s online network. As we left the harbor on our Tuesday morning trip, we decided to start our search southbound.

 

When searching for...

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Bigg's Killer Whales

Carousel of Bigg’s Killer Whales in the Juan De Fuca

Maxx K. | M/V Sea Lion | 07/19/2021 | 2:00pm

    The crew was stoked for our afternoon trip today. Captain Pete and I joined Haleigh on Sea Lion, stoked for the afternoon given the reports from various morning tours. We left Friday Harbor heading out towards the Juan de Fuca and towards rumors of a T-Party of Bigg’s Killer Whales. It took us maybe 40 minutes to get on scene, but believe me, it was well worth the wait. 

    Four families of Bigg’s Orcas (made up of the T037As, T065A’s...

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Bigg's Killer Whales playing in the Strait

23 Bigg’s Killer Whales in the Strait of Juan de Fuca

Haleigh | M/V Sea Lion | July 19, 2021 | 10:00am

 

Our Monday morning classic whale watch trip was an experience to beat. Reports of Bigg’s Killer Whales in the Strait of Juan de Fuca guided our plans to head southbound through San Juan Channel. We traveled through Cattle Pass and east around Lopez Island. Pointed towards Smith Island, we saw our first exhales of some Bigg’s Killer Whales. These orcas were dispersed within a 400-yard range. We would see exhales and dorsal fins...

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