Written by Ivan
on Aug 30, 2021

The Best Time For Whale Watching in the San Juan Islands

The Best Time For Whale Watching in the San Juan Islands

September is one of our favorite months!

After over a year of pandemic uncertainty, the Western Explorer II can offer one guarantee; an unforgettable whale watching tour through one of the most beautiful places on the planet.  We got great news this month, our border with Canada has recently reopened to us, which allows us to expand our search for whales and wildlife!  We’ve been overjoyed to be able to take guests back into some of the more beautiful spots throughout the Canadian Gulf Islands as well as the San Juans.  As we near the end of summer, it’s is the perfect time to start planning your fall getaway.  Friday Harbor is located just 90 miles north of Seattle, the perfect spot for a day trip or overnight stay.

We’re currently offering tours every day of the week from Friday Harbor on our fully open-air Western Explorer II.  This zodiac-style boat cruises through the islands at top speed, enabling guests to experience all the wildlife the Salish Sea has to offer.  This is the ideal time of year to start looking ahead at your fall plans if you’ve been craving a wildlife excursion.  Our entire trip experience is outdoors from start to finish to allow guests to keep their distance from check-in to the return to harbor.

Our whale sightings this season continue to be phenomenal, especially with our increased range throughout the inland waters, and September is usually one of the very best months.  Marine mammal feeding Orca (Killer) Whales are abundant in the Salish Sea and we’re seeing more and more groups socializing and hunting together. These Killer Whales aren’t migratory and are particularly beautiful to view as we head into fall and the changing leaves serve as their backdrop.  Views of their agile prey are also abundant.  We’re seeing lots of Steller Sea Lions, Harbor Seals, and Harbor Porpoises on our tours as well.

Humpback Whales have been reliably searching for food in the waters around the San Juan Islands, as well.  We’ve been delighted to see many of the returning females traveling with new calves.  These beautiful marine mammals are some of the most majestic creatures on earth and we’re lucky that the San Juan Islands is part of their home. They’ll continue to use the Salish Sea as their feeding grounds throughout the fall before making their long journey south for the winter.

We’re also fortunate to have amazing sightings of Bald Eagles, lots of marine birds, and porpoises throughout our trips. We’re excited by all this season has brought so far and are delighted to share what the fall has in store for us!

Call or email us today about booking your next wildlife adventure with Western Prince Whale Watching.

Written by Ivan
on Aug 30, 2021

The Best Time For Whale Watching in the San Juan Islands

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