At seattle orca whale watching in partnership with san juan safaris we take great pride in providing you with the best orca whale watching and wildlife tours in the pacific northwest. Kuow humpback whales enjoying the seattle summer in big. In recent years, march mayand october november, have had similar sighting success. The humpback whale migration passing sydney takes place between april and december each year. The best time to go whale watching is during the winter months of december through february and in the spring months of march through may. Biggs orcas differ from the resident orca pods that follow the salmon chum runs, as they eat mammals. These whales are particularly acrobatic, so you might see them splashing about on the surface of the ocean in addition to coming up for air.
Enjoy the experience of a lifetime with seattle s only halfday, guaranteed whale watching tour. Available march through october, this fullday whale watching tour package includes a scenic 45minute seaplane flight from seattles lake union to friday harbor marina on san juan island. Our meal was in generous proportion and perfectly cooked. In recent years, march may and october november, have had similar sighting success. Get up close with the orca whales off the san juan islands near seattle on this 4hour whalewatching cruise. Three excellent options for puget sound whale watching or sea life viewing while in the seattle washington area. A study prepared for international fund for animal welfare in 2009 estimated that million people went whale watching globally in 2008. Flights leave seattle in the morning and return in the early evening, and vary slightly depending on the time of the year. So i, along with a few other visit seattle staff members, made my way about 20 minutes north to the port of edmonds for a morning excursion. From the north or east seattle or north of seattle the map will help you to decide. The best time to see killer whales in the san juan islands this is one of the most asked questions that we get.
The migrating population is named the group 5 southern hemisphere humpback whale population or the australian east coast humpbacks. San juan island is where the southern resident killer whales live about six months out of the year, from midapril to october. Each spring march, april, may provides one of the best whale watching opportunities in washington. Gila river rafting, birding, and eco tour for one, two, or four at pacific nw float trips up to 47% off. Meet the real pacific northwest locals as we journey to the san juan islands and discover seattle whale watching through the eyes of captain jason mihok, clipper captain of. For the best whale watching in seattle, enjoy the beauty of san juan island on a whale watching cruise from friday harbor, a quaint town on the island. One year of whale watching in just one infographic. Travel inspired cuisine by way of the northwest, the whale wins roasts the very best from local beaches, gardens and farms in its rustic wood fired oven and serves it to share on plates large and small in a light filled, converted warehouse space.
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. The best time to see killer whales in the san juan islands. Surviving the rain season in the amazon until the dolphins return is a documentary about the ashaninka people striving to survive the rain season in. The whaleplanner february a whale watching infographic. Sw looking for more spots on the shore that are good for whale watching. That said, when i was asked to participate in a whale watching tour with puget sound express, i couldnt refuse. With some research and planning, you can go whale watching in seattle and other puget sound cities on your own. Whale watching is the practice of observing whales and dolphins in their natural habitat. Whale watching for one, two, or four at orcas island whale watch up to 59% off. Humpback whales enjoying the seattle summer in big numbers. And of course, feel free to share it with your friends who might be interested in seeing whales.
Whale watching from land whale watching is a favorite activity in and around puget sound. Just a 90mile drive from downtown seattle, anacortes is a convenient starting point for your wildlife adventure no ferry required. Best whale watching deal in the area, just 30 minutes from seattle. Its also considered the best place to view orca whales. See orcas, humpback whales, minkes, and all the majestic wildlife in the san juan islands departing just 15 minutes north of downtown seattle. In most cases it is a good idea to call ahead and make reservations in advance of. And thats typically when we go to enjoy the islands. Its the perfect time to see mighty orcas breach, splash and play in their natural habitat. With multiple families spotted within our range, we chose a company favorite for todays adventure the t65as.
See orcas, humpback whales, minke whales, gray whales and all the majestic wildlife in the salish sea on our tour departing from edmonds just minutes north of downtown seattle. Pacific fishing the business magazine for fishermen. Family activity center at the seattle aquarium to learn more. The seattle aquarium and our partners are working to help protect these amazing creatures. From the mighty caribou and the grizzly bears to humpback whale and seals, theres a good chance youll be close to more than one type of wildlife when you visit alaska. Even given the time it took us to pick up and drive home, the meal was still hot and oh so tasty. Our guides and naturalists work to create educational, fun, and engaging tours that provide our guests with memories to last a lifetime. Read on to find out how you can help, and come visit us at the puget sound orcas. The whaleplanner june a whale watching infographic. Seattle new technology could help ships and ferries navigate around whales in washington, reducing the chances of a deadly ship strike. It looks like the way to start narrowing down whale watching trips is to decide on the departure point. Another whale species you might see in the off season is the humpback whale, whose adults range in length from 40 to 50 feet and often appear from april to june.
Our guides and naturalists work to create educational, fun, and engaging tours that. The data also confirmed that the whales sing almost continuously from november to early april, when the. Juneau is the best spot for whale watching in alaska. North pacific fishery management council meeting, jan. Whale watching seattle or victoria eagle wing tours.
Its not always the case that we get to choose which whale sighting we pursue on our daily departures from friday harbor. We also regularly encounter beautiful humpback whales through november and minke whales in the area. With 3 generations of family dedication and experience, we guarantee youll see whales or your next trip is free. The puget sound, an inlet of the pacific ocean, is home to a number of marine mammals like harbor seals, dalls porpoises, sea lions, and otters. The season is split into two distinct sections depending on the direction of travel of the majority of whales at that time. Whale watching with puget sound express visit seattle. Pacific fishing magazines digest of upcoming management meetings and other notable events.
A new set of songs debuted each season, and no song type was ever repeated between years. Orca whales range through the san juan islands the most between march and october and you can expect to see them on the vast majority of our tours during that time, although we do have sightings throughout the year. Thank you to all the people who made it a great experience. A number of charter boat companies run whale watching cruises and you can find such charters at various ports around puget sound and the coastal waters of british columbia. International pacific halibut commission annual meeting, feb.
San juan island is considered the best place to view orca whales because of the large salmon population, which is their primary food source. While we have wonderful boat tours that give you a great perspective, sometimes the whales schedule doesnt exactly match tour schedules. Could anyone comment on which departure city is best for orcas at this time. Whale watching from land whidbey and camano islands. San juan excursions whale watching seattle seattle. Joining a whale watching tour makes spotting whales of all sorts much more likely. Tour leaders have resources that help them know where the whales are hanging out each day, but that doesnt mean its the only way to go whale watching. Anacortes is our flagship location where island adventures first began back in 1996. As the third largest estuarythe other two being san francisco bay and chesapeake bayin the u.
An awesome boat ride with friendly and educated hosts. San juan excursions san juan islands whale watching. The keystoneport townsend ferry if you are driving the length of whidbey island. While we do not guarantee whale sightings on our tours, 20 years of sightings data shows that we do have a 90% chance of seeing whales during the peak months of june september. Whale watching seattle and whale watching washington are commonly associated with whale watching in the san juan islands. February is also a good time to see the big whales around the baja california, mexico. Spend a day with orcas, humpback, minke whales and more as you cruise through the waters of the salish sea aboard five stars sleek, 40passenger vessel on a victoria whale watching adventure. While we do not guarantee whale sightings on our tours,20 years of sightings data shows that we do have a 90% chance of seeing whales during the peak months of june september.
Visit alaska to enjoy a unique whale watching experience during your cruise. Anyone can do that by downloading the whale report. To download the full whaleplanner as a graphic, please just click this link and save the graphic on the next page. There is a reason so many people come from all over the world to the san juan islands north of seattle to catch a glimpse of the worlds top ocean predator. This west seattle beach is a popular spot for seals and their pups, leading to the presence of biggs or transient orcas. Whale watching is mostly a recreational activity cf. A locals guide to whale watching in the san juan islands. More than 20,000 gray whales migrate along the west coast each year.
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