Whale Watching, Birding & Wildlife Private Tours
My name is Ken, and I will be your captain, tour guide, photographer, and certified naturalist for an unforgettable and personal experience on your tour. On some tours when Laurel is not working as a nurse, she will be with us and sharing her knowledge and love of our whales and wildlife.
Whatever your interest, be it primarily whale watching or birding.
We will see other wildlife on your adventure here among the San Juan Islands in the Salish Sea.
Join us as we explore the Salish Sea and the San Juan Islands. We depart from Anacortes, Washington, one of the best places in the world to see orcas.
The tour starts with a required safety briefing 15 minutes before departure time. Please arrive dockside 15 minutes early and ready to go. Then we begin our adventure, during which I will take photographs. Once edited, I will send you the best images. While this is not a service I charge for, I do it as my pleasure to share our day’s experience with you. Furthermore, all photographs on this site are from my previous tours!
Our tours are private, three or six hours, and perfect for one to six passengers. In other words, this means you are poised for optimal viewing and a truly extraordinary experience for you, your family, or your small group. Spirit of Orca can run 37 knots (43 mph) at top speed and around 30 knots (35 mph) at cruising speed, getting us to the whales quickly.
We Care, as can be seen, reflected in our private whale watching, birding & wildlife tours.
Spirit of Orca is privileged to work, play, and educate thousands of local and international visitors within the traditional territories of the Coast Salish-speaking peoples of the Samish Indian Nation. Hóy7sxwq’e si7ám. (“Thank you, respected or honorable one.”)
It is important to recognize that protecting whales in their wild and natural environment is one of our greatest passions. After touring with us, I am confident it will become one of yours, too, so that you will have the knowledge to take home and advocate for our whales.
Firstly, we practice responsible viewing, conservation, and education of our guests. Moreover, we are a first line of defense by serving as sentinel guardians of the whales, alerting other vessels unaware of their presence, and notifying marine mammal rescue of entanglements with fishing gear or injured mammals. In addition, we also supply photos to marine biologists to further their studies and work.
Equally important, our viewing guidelines are among the most conservative in the world. With this in mind, the state of Washington has taken our viewing guidelines and adopted them into law for all vessels. Furthermore, our top priority is the safety and well-being of our guests and the whales.
What do we see?
You may see orcas, humpbacks, minkes, and maybe a gray or fin whale. Additionally, we may see stellar sea lions, harbor seals, dall’s porpoises, harbor porpoises, pacific white-sided dolphins, bald eagles, tufted puffins, kingfishers, great blue herons, pelicans, and many other species of marine life.
This is ‘the place’ to see orcas and whales. Another key point is that there are only a handful of days a year when whales are not seen.
No two whale-watching tours are the same. Each is a unique and beautiful experience as you take in the beauty and marine life of the Salish Sea.