The beauty of whale watching in maui is you can always expect the unexpected. Orcas, gray whales, giant blue whales, sperm whales and humpbacks all live along the pacific coast. Read more about our commitment to responsible ecotourism here. About whale watching excursions in the pacific northwest, including whale watching season and whale watching tour companies. Whale watch tours in the san juan islands island adventures. Spring is great whale watching time in the pacific northwest, with some whale watching charters boasting that you have a 95 percent chance of seeing a gray whale during the peak season, march through may. San juan cruises has three whale watching tours a deluxe whale watch including a free salmon lunch and friday harbor visit, a halfday whale watching tour with a free lasagna lunch, and an evening whale watching tour that includes our delicious lasagna and caesar salad dinner.
Although the exact borders of the region are undefined, its. Whispers spoke in hushed tones of a terrifying marine predator that devastated salmon supply and earned its demonic name. Jun 21, 2016 for the coast salish people living in the pacific northwest over a hundred years ago, there was a different undiscovered legend to fear. Nominees like san juan outfitters, island adventures whale watching, puget sound express. Whale watching is the practice of observing whales and dolphins in their natural habitat. The whales led us on a merry goose chase today, but we won out in the end. Embark on a 15day adventure between sitka, alaska and seattle, washington, exploring three of the most appealing wild regions in the pacific northwest. Blue whale habitat associations in the northwest pacific.
If its spring in the pacific northwest, it must be whalewatching time that special threemonth period between march 1 and june 1 when you are most apt to catch sight of the majestic california gray whale. They act as both predator and prey, and their presence is vital to many species, most notably, the. Discover the toprated places to go and things to see on a tour of pacific northwest. Prince of whales adventures bcs best whale watching. 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. For the coast salish people living in the pacific northwest over a hundred years ago, there was a different undiscovered legend to fear. Salmon are an iconic species group in the pacific northwest. Where to go whale watching in the western usa visit the usa. Go whale watching for orcas in the san juan islands, savor the wines of the willamette valley, or kayak along the nearly 5000 ft vertical cliff faces in the inlets of british columbia. Are you confused by the system of numbers and letters used to identify the northern and southern resident orca of the pacific northwest. Spring is great whalewatching time in the pacific northwest, with some whalewatching charters boasting that you have a 95 percent chance of seeing a gray whale during the peak season, march through may.
Home british columbia idaho montana oregon washington wyoming. Download the watching whales in the san juan islands brochure. A sampling of seattle, the beautiful oregon coast, and san francisco make this magnificent journey along the pacific coast one youll remember. Gray whale watching near seattle, washington island adventures. A study prepared for international fund for animal welfare in 2009 estimated that million people went whale watching globally in 2008. We managed to book the orca whale watching tour for the same afternoon but it was a little bit more expensive. Leave from port angeles or port townsend for short transit times and long whale watching times. We enjoyed a wonderful day of whale watching on the beautiful pacific lounge. Start your pacific coast tour in charming seattle, end in san francisco, and overnight also in portland, newport, coos bay, and eureka. Thinned crowds, snow in the high mountains, and waterfalls booming with melting snow mean we cant wait to play outside. And, as you might imagine, juneau is also a thrilling place to embark on a whalewatching trip.
Come aboard for an adventure in the san juan islands or a fun and relaxing evening on bellingham bay. Alaskas inside passage, coastal british columbia, and haida gwaii. Feel free to call or book online for your next adventure. The gray whales migrate each year from baja california to their feeding grounds way up north in the chukchi and bering seas. Best orca whale watch vessel for full day tours island. The oregon parks and recreation whale watching center on depoe bay, about 160 kilometers southeast of portland, is a great place to see gray whales making their biyearly migrations between alaska and mexico. But on occasion, we will have our first whale sighting as early as october or even late september. You can book whale watching and other tours when you get there but make sure its at least 12 days in advance.
Whale watching is a popular tourist activity all along the pacific coast. With a significant focus on marine ecosystems and coastal life education, the pacific rim whale festival celebrates the continued protection and annual return of migrating pacific grey whales to the coastal waters of the communities of tofino, ucluelet and pacific rim national park reserve. Seattle washington washington state oh the places youll go places to visit whale watching boat evergreen state need a vacation killer whales pacific northwest seattle killer whales that spend their summers in puget sound are a distinct population group and will remain protected under the endangered species act, the national oceanic and. Our tours depart from custom kayak docks and are led by naturalist guides. San juan island is considered the best place to view orca whales. The pacific northwest offers a relaxed vibe even in its cities.
Pacific northwest whale watching is popular from april to september especially around the san juan islands and the canadian gulf islands. In the mid1990s, long before federal mandates, we developed a dynamic set of local whale and wildlife viewing guidelines. What makes the beautiful pacific northwest so perfect for whale watching cruises. Top tours this summer pacific northwest national parks tour from seattle. Whale watching pacific northwest tours by adventure life. Pacific northwest orca whale watching san juan safaris. The association has worked with scientists, noaa and industry leaders to assist in writing the whale watching guidelines and best practices. We are governed by a volunteer board of directors and our work is funded through fundraising activities, memberships and donations from supporters worldwide. The north pacific right whale eubalaena japonica is a very large, thickset baleen whale species that is extremely rare and endangered the northeast pacific population, which summers in the southeastern bering sea and gulf of alaska, may have no more than 40 animals. Overall, blue whale calls were two to three times more numerous in the nw. Cities, such as seattle, portland and vancouver are all fondlyregarded for their blend of laid back sunday morning style and superb surrounding scenery. Although the exact borders of the region are undefined, its vibrant character and beautiful landscapes make it. I in the case of i15 signifies the pod the animals belong to and the number e.
The shores and waterways of washington state is filled with aquatic life like the minke, humpback and the california gray whales. Killer orca whale watching seattle to san juan islands. At island adventures, we pride ourselves on being the most experienced and dedicated whale watching company in washington state. The pacific northwest is also experiencing a humpback comeback and other whales. Oct 02, 2015 this was my first venture out to the pacific northwest, and i scheduled a day to visit seattle. Here are a couple of ways to add whales to your san juan island trip. Caesar was the perfect captain and we were able to see lots of whales as they frolicked up close and personal. See the west coast on these beautiful scenic outdoor adventure tours full of natural splendor and cultural excitement off the beaten track.
Oregon the best tips for whale watching in oregon whaletrips. At pacific whale foundation, our whale watching season officially kicks off in early november with our welcome home the whales cruise. While the pacific northwest was not a whaling destination, whales in these rich grounds were pursued for many years as whale ships moved between the whalers summer whaling grounds and southern home ports. Look before you book for members of the pacific whale watch.
Pacific whale foundation helping protect our oceans. Seattle, which is in the puget sound, lies on a narrow strip of land between the salt water of the sound and the fresh waters of lake washington. In recent years, this body of water has been home of the famed humpback comeback of the pacific northwest, with hundreds of humpbacks now choosing the cool waters of the salish sea as their summer feeding grounds. To read the entire content of this whale watching tours page, please go to. Whale watching season in maui is novembermay with peak season typically running between midjanuary and march. Whale watching is mostly a recreational activity cf. This was my first venture out to the pacific northwest, and i scheduled a day to visit seattle. From portlands artistic communities to the colorful gardens of victoria and the fantastic ethnic cuisine of vancouver, theres something for.
Federal regulators have yet to take a side on the matter. Follow the whale trail san juan islands washington visitors. Download orca ranger activity booklet orca ranger pamplet. Pacific whale foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit organization founded in 1980 to protect the ocean through science and advocacy, and to inspire environmental stewardship. Whale watch tours from the olympic peninsula island adventures. Some tours require intravacation flights and in some cases intravacation segments must be purchased from globus. Island adventures holds the industrys highest success rate and was the first company to guarantee whale sightings on every tour.
Pacific northwest waters from alaska to oregon lie between the arctic whaling grounds and the home whaling ports of san francisco and honolulu. Pacific northwest tours take place in quintessential wilderness country and hold the american states of washington and oregon as well as the canadian province of british columbia within their farreaching natural borders. Want an amazing whale watching experience, but dont have all day to spend on the water. The north pacific right whale eubalaena japonica is a very large, thickset baleen whale species that is extremely rare and endangered. Noaa is the agency that has been tasked with deciding whether the makah should be able to whale, and if so, how many whales are appropriate for the tribe. The best months to see orca whales are april through october. Also whale excrement jump starts the food chain by excreting tons of iron and nitrogen into the environment and since whales excrete at the surface, this whale pump shifts nutrients from deeper in the water column to the surface. Whale watching in washington is one of the top things to do on a visit to the main city of seattle or the popular san juan islands. Dan and his wife denise wilk have run whale watching tours since 1991 and are founding members of the pacific whale watch association and still some of its most active, completely dedicated to providing spectacular viewing opportunities for passengers while protecting sensitive wildlife, particularly our endangered resident orcas. Meet us at our launch site at snug harbor or use our complimentary shuttle from the ferry in friday harbor. Check out our tours departing daily from portland and seattle. Get a free quote on a personalized tour of pacific northwest with adventure life. We are proud members of the pacific whale watch association formerly known as whale watch operators association northwest.
Port townsend 4hour whale watching tour puget sound express. San juan excursions san juan islands whale watching. Pacific whale foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit organization, is the sole shareholder of pacwhale ecoadventures, so all profits support pacific whale foundations research, education and conservation programs. The most nimble vessel in the island adventures fleet without compromising comfort or quality. The pacific whale watch association is one of the most progressive ecotourism business associations in the world. Once you have found the discounted usa northwest tour of your choice, please call our tour specialists to book your vacation and. We are planning a trip to seattle and vancouver in september and would, of course, love to go whalewatching. Therese, about 35 kilometers northwest of the city. Find exclusive day trip and overnight getaways to see orcas and humpbacks guided by an expert naturalist. Cruise through the waters of the salish sea and experience the wonders of the pacific northwest with an overnight getaway from seattle that includes a victoria whale watching tour plus hotel stay. Whale research ecoexcursions where learning meets the sea. We were a bit disappointed in the boeing tour itself but that had absolutely nothing to do with tours northwest since the factory tour is handled by boeing. Whale watching seattle and whale watching washington are commonly associated with whale watching in the san juan islands. April to november juneau, alaska, is one of the most beautiful capital cities in the usa, with its quaint streets, scenic waterfront and snowcapped mountains.
Annual migration see whales upclose in nw during spring months. Download our whale watching brochure to learn out about whale swimming patterns and habits, such as breaching, spyhopping and diving. Our 4 hour port townsend whale watching tour is the perfect trip for visitors and travelers with a busy schedule. Whale watching on the pacific coast covington travel. Let ballard kayak and paddleboard show you the beautiful pacific northwest. Seattle whale watching tours whale watching tours, seattle. Washington and oregon have got monoliths, volcanoes, giant redwoods and the clearest lake of. Want to read about more pacific northwest adventures. We were joined by fellow pacific whale watching associates, and together we worked to divide the search. Find companies running whale watching cruises and tours.
Whale watching in washington washington whale watching tours. Seattle pacific northwest tour incredible adventures. While on your whale watching trip, kids can learn about and answer the. Though most of the whale population migrates annually, an estimated 8590 orcas aka. Its no fluke that our tour has been voted the best in the northwest for years. The island explorer 4 is 85 ft long and 22 ft wide, with a full walk around lower deck, spacious upper viewing deck, galley with hot food and beverage for purchase, his and her restrooms, over 300 feet of rail viewing space, and has comfortable booth style seating in her indoor heated cabin. Middecember to february, march to june oregon features sprawling coastlines that beckon to whale watchers. Spring is on its way and our team is out exploring the pacific northwest. San juan excursions san juan islands whale watching whale. The northeast pacific population, which summers in the southeastern bering sea and gulf of alaska, may have no more than 40 animals.
San juan island is the center of whale watching in the pacific northwest and therefore friday harbor on san juan island is the best location for departing on a whale watch tour in washington state. Tauck s pacific northwest vacation package features stops at seattles pike place market, oregons wine country, and culinary delights in vancouver. The pacific northwest is a region spanning the northwestern corner of the lower 48 states, including oregon and washington, and by some accounts idaho, northern california and british columbia, canada. Sightings of other, less common marine mammals within the pacific northwest may also qualify. Whale watching cruises san juan cruises bellingham. Colour one of these pages and bring it with you when you come whale. If the weather allows, you may also use the rear open deck and the upper level. Going whalewatching in september the seattle times. The ultimate pacific northwestern adventure tour from seattle. Whale watching in the san juan islands is a unique opportunity to gain.