Full Day Kayaking Tour
Full Day Tour Summary
Our Exploratory Day Tour is 6 hours so you will get to paddle until your hearts content! Your naturalist guide will give you a brief introduction to paddling technique, safety and wildlife viewing laws and practices and then take you out along the evergreen coastline into prime orca habitat. Keep your eyes alert as you might witness orca whales, seals, migratory birds, bald eagles, sea lions, porpoise, minke whales, mink, deer, river otters, and harbor seals. Your guide will point of places of interest, talk about the wildlife you are seeing and answer any questions you might have. Half way through the day tour, your group will stop along one of the pebble stone beaches. Here you can eat lunch and go beach combing while you give your arms a rest. Afterwards you will paddle back to the kayak docks noticing that the coastline looks different because of our large tidal exchanges here in the San Juan Islands. Up to 14 feet! Singles, couples and groups welcome. Our Exploratory Day Tour is not recommended for children under 10.
Recommended to bring:
- T-Shirt + sweatshirt + windbreaker
- Water resistant camera
- Water + snack lunch
- Comfortable footwear
- Pants or shorts
- Sunglasses
- Sun block
- Lip balm
- Hat
Helpful Travel Info
Coming just for the day? It’s easy! Just leave your car parked in Anacortes and walk on the Washington State Ferry to Friday Harbor where we will pick you up in our shuttle and take you to our private kayak docks.
Already going to be here? We are happy to pick you up at the ferry terminal in Friday Harbor or you can meet us at our private kayak docks.
- Bald Eagles
- Shorelines
- Sea Stars
- Seals
- Dall's Porpoise
- Lighthouse
- Orca Whales
- Beaches
- Madronas
- Blue Herons
- Bull Kelp
Frequently Asked Questions:
Is this the best area for killer whale kayaking and when can we see them?
The San Juan Islands offer a unique opportunity during May through September to see orcas in the wild. The area where we paddle is deep nutrient rich water; perfect conditions for migrating salmon. So this is where the resident orcas come every year to find their favorite fish; the Chinook salmon. We do not guarantee that you will see orcas on your tour because they are wild and swim up to one hundred miles per day but we do kayak where they are most commonly seen, giving our guests the best opportunity for seeing an orca by kayaking in Washington State.
How safe is sea kayaking near orca whales?
There has never been a single incident of aggression against a kayaker or boater by an orca whale. 98% of the diet for the resident orcas consists of one type of fish; the Chinook (king) salmon. Other than that they eat fish. Orcas are the largest of the dolphin family so sometimes they can be seen being playful. At times they will peak their heads up out of the water which is called spy hopping...just to look around. When the orcas do get near, they will just pass gracefully by. We have a special protocol to follow when we see the orcas coming our way. We follow the Be Whale Wise Guidelines as well as local, state and federal laws anytime we are in a kayak with orca whales in the vicinity
Full Day San Juan Island Sea Kayaking Tour Schedule:
April 1 2012 - June 16 2012
| Pick-up at the Friday Harbor Ferry Terminal | Tour start at Snug Harbor Marina and Resort | Tour end at Snug Harbor Marina and Resort | Drop-off at the Friday Harbor Ferry Terminal | |
| 11:30am "Day" Tour | 11:00am | 11:30am | 5:30pm | 6:00pm |
June 17 2012 - September 22 2012
| Pick-up at the Friday Harbor Ferry Terminal | Tour start at Snug Harbor Marina and Resort | Tour end at Snug Harbor Marina and Resort | Drop-off at the Friday Harbor Ferry Terminal | |
| 11:00am "Day" Tour | 10:30am | 11:00am | 5:00pm | 5:30pm |
September 23 2012 - October 31 2012
| Pick-up at the Friday Harbor Ferry Terminal | Tour start at Snug Harbor Marina and Resort | Tour end at Snug Harbor Marina and Resort | Drop-off at the Friday Harbor Ferry Terminal | |
| 11:30am "Day" Tour | 11:00am | 11:30am | 5:30pm | 6:00pm |
Complimentary transportation. Prices, times and tour location subject to change. Includes launching and landing fees. Does not include 7.8% Washington state sales tax or gratuity. Prices per person in US$. *Sunset Tour ending times vary depending on time of sunset.
Please contact us for custom dates and trip lengths.
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