Where can one go canoeing in the Puget Sound and see Orca? The west side of San Juan Islands are a popular spot for whale watchers to see orca. Canoeing might be a bit risky because of the inherent instability of a canoe. We recommend a sea kayaking tour instead. :)
How much does it cost to go canoeing in the Puget Sound to see orca whales? There are no outfitters on San Juan Island that rent canoes so you would need to bring your own to the island ( or paddle all the way to San Juan Island ) . Again; we recommend sea kayaking and not canoeing. A sea kayaking tour on the west side of San Juan Island runs about $125 for a three hour tour ( plus tax and tip ) per person. More details on our three hour sea kayaking tour here.
Where else in the Puget Sound could we go Canoeing to see orca? One needs to be very lucky to see orca in a canoe or kayak; they are fast swimmers and can swim over a hundred miles per day. Orca are known to explore into the deepest bays in the south Puget Sound ( Shelton for example ) but this is a rare occurrence. To give yourself and your family the best chance of seeing orca in the wild we recommend a whale watching tour with San Juan Excursions which departs from Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. These whale watching tours are $99 per person plus tax. The have a guarantee where if you don’t see orca whales they will give you a rain check to go out with them again for free. The rain check never expires.
If I stay in a vacation rental in Friday Harbor/San Juan Island will I get a discount on whale watching tours and sea kayaking tours? Yes; if you stay at a rental managed by San Juan Property Management you get a coupon for 15% off orca whale watching and 10% off a sea kayaking tour.
