 Whale
Watching in Washington
Where should
I go?
Whale watching cruises to the San Juan Islands draw in people
from around the world. Choosing the best departure location
to go whale watching can be tricky if you are not familiar with
travel logistics in Washington State.
This page has been set up to give you an overview of the most
popular ports that offer whale watching tours into the San Juan
Islands and the inland sea of Washington State. After reading
this you should be able to make an educated decision about which
area best suits the whale watching needs of you and your family.
Land
Based Whale Watching vs. Watching Whales by Boat
The reality
of land based whale watching is that there are some places to
see whales from the shore. Washington Park in Anacortes, or
Limekiln State Park on San Juan Island, just for example, could
be described as two of the best places in the world to
view Orca whales from shore. What advocates of land based whale
watching don't talk about, however, is how hard it is to time
it just right so that you are standing there when whales swim
by.
It's
a great experience when everything lines up perfectly and you
see them. Unfortunately it doesn't happen that easily. Usually
there are hours of waiting involved before you catch a glimpse.
And when they pass by (in five minutes) it's over! Out at Limekiln
(also referred to as "Whale Watch Park" by Friday
Harbor Boosters) there is a reinforced misconception that the
whales pass by at some predetermined time. Talk to many people
out there and they will tell you that the whales go by at "_o'clock"
everyday. The scary part is that they actually believe
it, as if the whales follow some predetermined schedule
set by the San Juan Chamber of Commerce. Make no mistake about
it, the whales follow their own schedule. It's based on tides,
food supply, and their own fancy. In 2008, the salmon counts were much higher in Rosario Strait, just west of Anacortes, than in Haro Strait which is west of San Juan Island - the Orca Whale sightings were also down 50% in Haro and up in Rosario Strait.
It is
always a great idea to go to some of these areas where whales
can be seen from shore. They are usually beautiful areas with
great views. However, if you really want to see the whales then
you need to enter their world. Get on a boat and go whale watching!
Whale
Watching vs. Whale Searching
The
Pacific Whale Watch Association web
page shows whale watching companies departing from as far south
as Seattle, up north in Vancouver B.C., out west from Victoria,
and from centrally located Anacortes. Although all of the companies
in the PWWA are professional, and responsible operators (look
for the logo before you book a trip), your decision about where
to depart from can greatly affect how much time you spend cruising
to the whales, time spent whale watching, and what kind of water
you will transit along the way.
The
natural choice for most people is to leave from a harbor that
is already in "core Orca viewing waters"
as defined by the Seattle Aquarium. This eliminates the
long boat rides across potentially rough water, and can maximize
your time with the whales.
Anacortes:
Anacortes is probably the most
conveniently located departure point in Washington for whale watching.
Located on Fidalgo Island in the eastern San Juans, it is the
only San Juan Island that doesn't require a costly ferry ride
to access. This is why it is known as the "Home port of the
San Juan Islands". Anacortes only takes about 90 minutes
to drive to from Seattle, and less than an hour from the city
of Bellingham. There are no ferry hassles to deal with. The best
marina to depart from would be Skyline Marina on Fidalgo Island's
west side. This marina enjoys the protected waters of the islands
and in minutes you are in prime Orca habitat. Whale watchers are
frequently treated to whale sightings less than ten minutes into
the trip. Island
Adventures is the company to call
out here. Even though they operate close to where the whales are,
they run a 5-6 hour trip. This allows enough time to experience
a wide variety of wildlife as well as covering the range of the
Southern Resident Orca whale families that call the San Juans
"home". If a trip is shorter than 5-6 hours you have
to ask yourself "what happens if the whales a far away?"
Any trip longer than 5-6 hours can be hard on kids, and adults.
Incidentally, Island Adventures has led the industry in whale
sightings for several years. In 2005, they reported seeing whales
a stunning 234 trips in a row! In 2008, Island Adventures report a sighting success of 258 out of 264 tours. This, and their professional
service, is probably why they are the most popular whale watch
company in Washington.
Friday
Harbor, San Juan, and Orcas Island: If you choose a tour
from San Juan Island (Friday Harbor), or Orcas Island you will
be required to schedule a ferry ride, or a plane flight, into
your vacation. If you plan on staying in the islands then this
may be a good choice for you, but it is important to keep in mind
that the ferry lines, between June and September, can be horrendous.
You may even miss your tour if you get stuck in one of the frequent
3-4 hour wait times. If you are just looking for a day-trip, and
are coming from the mainland, you will experience a long day of
travel, a short whale watch, and a lighter wallet. The ferry always
fills in the summer months so you will want to arrive at least
two hours prior to sailing if you are driving on. For walk-ons, arrive
a minimum of one hour before the scheduled sailing (and hope
the ferry isn't late, again). The tours in the islands are about
the same price as mainland whale watching trips, but are shorter
in duration. This can limit their ability to even see whales if
they are not nearby on the day you go out. When you factor in
the cost of the ferry (around $50 for the car, $13 passengers),
and parking fees ($10/day), you will find that you get less- and
pay more for it. If you do choose to leave from one of these two
islands, be sure to go with a company that is less of a "tourist
trap" and more dedicated to the whales.
By
the way, Orcas Island is not named for the whales. It was named
in honor of Don Juan Vincente de Guemes Pacheco Padilla Horcasitas
y Aguayo Conde de Revilla Gigedo (!!), the patron of a Spanish
explorer out here, and viceroy of Mexico.
Vancouver:
This beautiful
city has some great tours available. The down side is that they
often deal with long runs, and rough water crossings. If you are
already in Vancouver then this may be your best choice for seeing
whales.
Victoria:
Another great city,
Victoria offers some quality whale watch cruises. In fact, there
are more companies operating out of here than anywhere else. Most
of the boats are open deck Zodiac-type vessels that can be exciting,
but very uncomfortable on those frequent windy days that make
for rough water out in front of Victoria Harbor. The average run
time is the same as that from Anacortes, but the crossing is very
exposed and the boats are smaller. Make sure to choose a style
of boat that suits your needs, there are many choices. Ask if the
boats have a bathroom on board. Remember, the disclaimers that
the small boats have about pregnant women and bad backs are there
for a reason. Don't risk your well-being, there are better choices.
Seattle
or Everett: Leaving
from either of these two cities ensures that you will spend approximately
4 hours traveling outside of what the Seattle Aquarium considers
to be "core Orca viewing waters." So for about half
of the whale watch trip that you paid for you won't even
be searching for them. Some of these trips are described as a
ferry type service to Friday Harbor (not a dedicated whale watch
trip). This is why they do not guarantee sightings. These trips
are 8-9 hours long which can be tough on family groups. Most people
would rather spend less time searching for, and more time looking
at, whales. In March and April, however, Gray Whale Tours depart from Everett with Island Adventures. The tours are 2.5 - 3 hours in duration with a sighting success rate of 100% in 2008 and 2009 - the Gray Whales are migrating northward and are very consistent. These tours are a great value, $49 in 2009, and Everett is an easy 40 minute drive from Seattle. Island Adventure's boat, The Island Explorer 3, is parked right in front of Anthony's Restaurant which makes for a great seafood dinner, apres whales.
Bellingham:
This city is a
departure point that works well for many folks. Just make sure
that you pick a whale watching company, and not a ferry service.
Bellingham Bay is often the roughest bit of water in the Salish
Sea, but the boats that leave from here can handle the water.
The average distance to the whales is shorter than that of Vancouver,
or Seattle and Everett, but longer than than of Anacortes.
Port Townsend: If you are traveling on the Olympic
Peninsula then Port Townsend may be a place that works into your
schedule. This quaint little town has a lot to see and do while
you are there. Look at a map of the area and get a marine weather
report before signing up for a whale watching trip from Port Townsend.
They have perhaps the most exposed crossing of any other departure
point in the region. The common westerlies that blow into the
east entrance of the Stait of Juan de Fuca are impossible to avoid
when you leave from, or are returning to, Port Townsend. If rough
water doesn't bother you, then you may enjoy one of the quality
companies that operate out of here.
As you can see, there are many choices out there. With a little
bit of looking around you can find the whale watch cruise that
best fit you needs. Hopefully this helps shed some light on the
subject and makes your decision easier. No matter where you choose
to leave from, you will be whale watching in the best place in
the world to see Orca whales. Good luck, enjoy your trip, and
don't forget to bring extra film.
Happy
whale watching!
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