Full Day "Exploratory" Tour

"Our guide did a wonderful job and gave us a truly extraordinary experience. It was during our return that we stopped and saw a group of orca whales moving along the west coast of the island. It was a fantastic experience for us." - Lynn & Susan Patterson

Our full day "exploratory" kayaking tour is our most popular tour for those who are visiting San Juan Island for just a day or two and want to spend a greater portion of the day kayaking. These tours are designed to give you the best chance of seeing wildlife because of the length of tour and location. We will provide transportation from Friday Harbor to our launch site at Snug Harbor Marina and Resort and then back again to Friday Harbor when our tour comes to an end.

- Sea kayaking in the San Juan Islands provides the opportunity for kayaking with killer whales nearby in their natural habitat although it is not guaranteed. All photos and videos of orca whales and kayaks on our site were taken while following the Be Whale Wise Guidelines and the San Juan County, Washington State and federal laws.

• Kayak in the prime orca whale waters of San Juan Island's "west side"
• Depart from our private kayak docks and keep your feet dry
• Small groups of 8 or less
• Free transportation from Friday Harbor to our kayak docks
• No experience is necessary

Exploratory Day Tours: We will arrive to our launch site, will familiarize you and provide you with the equipment necessary for sea kayaking and give you an informative kayak/safety lesson. Once we are comfortable and ready to launch, we will depart on the first leg of our 6-9 mile round trip paddle along the beautiful coastline of San Juan Island's "West Side." With the magnificent mountains of Washington's Olympic Peninsula and British Columbia's Vancouver Island in our view we will paddle by vivacious kelp forests and evergreen covered terrain. Approximately half-way through our paddle we will land on a beach for a snack break and some mild exploration.  After our refreshing break we will head back out onto the water and begin our trip back.

Examples of some commonly seen flora and fauna: As you kayak San Juan Island, possible wildlife includes Bald Eagles, Cormorants, Black Oystercatchers, Pigeon Guillemot, Pacific Harbor Seals, Orcas (Killer Whales), Dall’s Porpoises, Great Blue Herons, Ochre Sea Stars, Pacific Madrones, Douglas-firs, forests of Bull Kelp and Eel Grass beds.

Location: These tours leave from our custom kayak docks at Snug Harbor Marina and Resort located on beautiful Mitchell Bay which is located on the west-side of San Juan Island.

No experience necessary. Our goal is to ensure your experience kayaking Washington State is extremely memorable, fun, safe and stress-free.

Recommended to bring: You will want to bring a sack lunch, water, layered clothing (T-shirt, sweatshirt, wind breaker or an outer shell), long pants or shorts, sunglasses, sun block, hat, lip balm, comfortable foot wear,  a small snack, camera (may possibly get wet) and a great attitude.

Cost: $89 (includes complimentary transportation from Friday Harbor, includes launching and landing fees, does not include sales tax)

Times: 11am, 11:30am, 12pm & 1pm (custom tours and times are available)

Whales and Kayakers: We are often asked  "Will we see an orca by kayaking?"  Our answer is - The orcas are wild animals and are not on a predictable schedule. The orcas are constantly swimming -about one hundred miles per day.  Our tours paddle along a deep nutrient rich coastline which is a favorite salmon migration route for the orcas; so we do see killer whales often during the summer months. Our day tour gives you the longest duration on the water in the best location therefore, giving you the greatest opportunity to kayak with killer whales nearby ...although we do not guarantee it.  It is deeply important to us to be respectful to all forms of wildlife so our tours follow the Be Whale Wise guidelines and our guides educate all of our guests about wildlife regulations and state and federal laws.

More Information: Schedule & Rates   Photo Gallery   Tour FAQ   Book this Tour

See also:  3-Hour "Taste of Sea Kayaking" Tours, Sunset Tours, Multi-Day Kayak Camping Tours, Multi-Day Kayak Inn to Inn Tours, Multi-day Bicycle & Kayak Camping Tours and MMulti-Day Bicycle & Kayak Inn to Inn Tours