I live in the Seattle area, and it was on my bucket list to go whale watching and see some orcas! I highly recommend deer harbor charters, especially if you live in the area. The first time we went out we didn't see any orcas, so we were able to go back out another time for free for a second chance! The naturalist and boat captain were amazing and knowledgeable on all kinds of facts, and you can ask any question, and the experience of seeing orcas was incredible! They also provide professional photographs taken on your outing after the trip read more

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We loved everything about the Deer Harbor Charters Whale Watching and Wildlife tour! Trey, our Naturalist was very knowledgeable, easy going and made the experience fun! He took amazing pics that were included with our tour also. Robbie, our captain, was also very nice and pointed out wild life. We saw multiple whales, sea lions, eagles and even goats on nearby islands that we passed. We also saw a lion head jelly fish swimming next to the boat. We would highly recommend them! Thank you for an amazing experience! read more

Easy to book. On time & binoculars included. The staff has a passion for their job and many years of experience. Very clean boat with plenty of room. Best part was what we came for...ORCAS! A whole family that actually swam to our boat and said hello. We had to keep a certain distance from the whales but when the crew realize the whales were surfacing right next to our boat, they cut the motors just in time . The whales came to us! Incredible experience thanks the the wonderful staff read more

My parents that live on the island recommended we go out with them for a tour and I'm happy we did so! The staff was super and knowledgeable answered any questions we had in depth. They have everything you need on board besides food, books, binocular of different types, catalogs of all the orcas around. No to mention that's the guide we had who was extremely enthusiastic about orcas was equally as funny. In our tour we also went to see some other parts of the San Juan (not sure if it's a standard things) with some history of the island and some of their land animals (which I enjoy even more than the orcas) it sounds like this summer has been a little slower than usually for them which is sad since they do such a good job. We had only us (group of 4) and 3 other groups and it didn't feel crowded and I'm happy we went on a smaller cruise like this it felt much more personal and welcoming. Thank you for a great tour read more

Our guide Trey was just awesome!!!! He was so incredibly knowledgeable and just super fun to be with! My husband and I consider ourselves privileged to to be shown around the islands by him and the whole crew. It's not just about the whales though we did see both Orcas and a humpback! Dear Harbor Charters is the only way to go if you really care to learn about the land and sea around the San Juan Islands! read more

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We had a great time and an extended viewing of a beatuiful group of Orcas. Overall it was a great experience with Captain Tom and naturalist Natalie. The boat was great and the scenery stunning. Natalie had a camera with a zoom lens that allowed her to capture some great photos which she shared with all of us - I'm not sure if that is part of every trip but it was a delightful bonus. read more

I want to say the Capt Nate and female with him were very nice and skilled. We had rough waters coming back and they put our safety first as well as professionalism and customer service. They have a great rule that if there isn't a whale spotted they give you a free trip within a year. There are two recommendations that I'd say. One, is to have a microphone so that the entire boat inside and back and front side can hear the history speech and the wildlife spots. Secondly, I would say the nature guy (I can't remember his name) seems very arrogant, and not friendly when he would answer a question. He seemed annoyed and almost sarcastic. These are the only reasons I didn't give five stars. read more

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If you go to Orcas, I really recommend Trey and Nate! They are super fun! They were also very patient when we told them that the ferry was delayed because there is no earlier one :( Of course we know we should follow their ocean knowledgement about timing etc ;) Already at the sea they explained detaildly everything about whales, sea lions, birds, ocean, etc. They tried to answer every question we had! They even knew where whale were going to get into surface to breath. Wow We saw all those animals and followed whales for hours! It was an amazing experience. I've been on other whale tours and sometimes you get to see them and other don't. So this was a great experience finding there are resident whales here :D We brought some snacks but time went through so fast and you are into the whale watching mood, that you forget the 4 hours you are on the water. And also imaging it flying into the water because of wind. It would pollute the water :( read more

Deer Harbor Charters - An amazing time! - Boating Near Me - Eastsound, Washington

Great 3 hour tour. No whales but it's off season time. Lots of nature/wildlife and tray & Nate did a great job of finding the great spots to see all the cool stuff and tell us all about the wildlife and history of islands we passed. Great trip. read more

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This was a great tour. We had low expectations given the time of year, but they were far exceeded. Tray was a terrific naturalist and the masters of bad jokes. We saw seals and eagles and cormorants nesting. And on a day when no one had reported whale sightings, the captain got a last-minute report and we were able to extend our trip long enough to see 10 whales in a pod feeding on a recent kill of a minke whale. It was a spectacular sight and great day all around. Trey is an amazing font of knowledge! He took a million pictures and generously shared them with us. Book this without hesitation! read more

My Mom and I had a wonderful time on the whale watching tour from Rosario Resort. We really enjoyed that it was a smaller more intimate boat than some other tours. There were only 14 on our tour so we had plenty of room to move around and we got plenty of one on one time with the Marta, the naturalist on board. Bill was the captain and Marcus was also on board. They were all amazingly helpful getting my Mom on board. She uses a wheelchair when it's too far to walk and it was a super low tide so the ramp down to the dock was super steep and the 2 guys helped wheel her down and then she was able to walk onto the boat with their assistance. Everyone was so kind and friendly and accommodating. The binoculars and blankets they supplied were a wonderful bonus. We saw harbor seals a couple minke whales and we found 1 Humpback whale. Bill did a wonderful job enabling us to watch and enjoy the humpback whale for an extended time and many deep dives. We ended up circumnavigating the entire Orcas Island so that was cool too! I highly recommend! read more

I have had two experiences with whale watching on the islands and this was by far the best! The staff were so friendly and knowledgeable it made the experience great! Even though we didn't see orcas on our trip we did see humpbacks and seals! SO it was definitely worth it! They also usually have great deals on groupon so I highly recommend! They provided us with blankets when it became cold, and there were snacks available to buy which was nice! There was also a bathroom on board the boat which was very convenient. read more

Deer Harbor Charters - Boating Near Me - Eastsound, Washington

This charter company has a policy that if you don't see whales you can come back within a year. We took them up on that offer, but when we went out on the boat again we were erroneously charged. I called 5 times and spoke to two different staff people who claimed they would talk to the owner and get back to me. I also emailed explaining the situation and did not get a response. Finally, I called the last time and sent my personal credit card statements to prove that I was not making it up, I did, indeed, get overcharged. What they were saying didn't even make sense. We didn't see whales either time we went out, and I tipped really well because it wasn't their fault, but to have this difficulty getting their mistake refunded was so frustrating and insulting. I cannot recommend this charter. read more

My dad and I flew up to San Juan Islands for a dad-daughter trip with the goal of seeing Orcas whales and bald eagles and boy we weren't disappointed. The naturalist and captain were both super informative, had great energy, and pointed out as many animals and plants as possible, which was great. Our boat was the first to see a group of whales, and it was really interesting to learn more about the logistics that the companies use to support one another in discovering pods. Really great stuff. Can't wait to do it again! read more

We didn't see whales but not for lack of trying. Staff were great, very informative and friendly. Fun your!

We went on a whale watching tour on May 5, 2018 and it was MAGIC. Captain Tom was awesome and the naturalist Alex was so friendly and knowledgeable. We saw Orca whales. Bald eagles. Harbor seals and some seal lions. The boat 20 people and some people this was their second tour with Tom and that speaks volumes. If you are considering Deer Harbor Charters, you WILL NOT be disappointed. I should also add that my friend and I took the ferry from Anacortes amd drove from Seattle. There are closer tours, but nothing would top this. read more

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On Aug 26, 2022 our family of 7 adults enjoyed a private Whale & Wildlife Tour from 12:30 to 4:00. Our Captain was Nate and our Naturalist was Trey. They were wonderful and made this an excellent experience for all of us. I have been on other whale watching tours and none can even remotely compare to this one. Nate knew where to take us to see the whales, seals, eagles and various birds and Trey had more information about what we saw than we can ever remember. Such a fun yet educational experience mixed with Trey's humor was the highlight of our trip to Orcas. Thank you Nate and Trey for this fabulous experience. Highly recommend!! read more

This was a good charter co. to use for whale watching. He headed right over to where he had heard there were whales earlier. We saw several transient Orcas (mammal eating) - one really up close. I'd choose them again. read more

Highly recommend! Trey was amazing, like a talking encyclopedia about whales and the islands. It was so worth the trip for all four members of my family. Trip was well organized , and we saw a lot of whales along with other wildlife on Orcas like goats and sea lions. Was a relaxing wonderful day even in early April! Good for all ages! Nate was an amazing driver and also very informative. Highly recommend! read more

Review for July 9, 2019. We booked a sailing trip with Deer Harbor Charters out of Rosario Resort. Note that this was not a whale watching trip, but just a nice couple hours of sailing with Captain Bruce. Bruce's love for the sea and sailing were evident. He is a skilled sailor and personable story teller. Why out on "Simplicity," Bruce told us (five passengers) his story and about his 11 year sail around the world. I appreciated his perspectives and learned there are different ways to live! Thank you Bruce! Here is a video about his journey: https://vimeo.com/139102400?ref=fb-v-share read more

Absolutely awesome tour. Huge kudos to Captain Nate for guiding us to the best places and to Naturalist Trey for giving us tons of info. (Thanx for the pics). We've done many whale watch tours, this was, by far, the best. Highly recommend this company for a super experience. read more

We just did a private boat tour with Deer Harbor Charters.It was simply amazing!We had Captain Ashley Ryder as our captain and she was great!!Knowledgable,Easy Going,Safe,Etc.We say a great pod of about 8-10 whales I would estimate and you could them and hear them when they would surface(A loud blowing sound)and Ashley even had a device to put under the water to hear them communicating!!It was awesome!She also pointed out a Bald Eagle from a distance which fulfilled 2 of my goals, to see whales and an eagle!The do provide some snacks and drinks and also binoculars!Very nice touch.Thank You Deer Harbor Charters and especially Ashley for an unforgettable afternoon!!!!! read more

We had a great trip. We selected a private charter. Our driver, naturalist and guide, Ashley, did a great job, We were impressed by her knowledge of the wildlife and geology of the area. We were impressed by how well she could predict the path of the whale we followed. She understood how to position the boat for photos. We would definitely use them again when we get a chance to go back. Parking in the area is tight. Otherwise the facilities are good, read more

The whale watching tour arranged by my mother with Deer Harbor Charters was definitely the highlight of my recent trip to Orcas Island. Our tour group was only 19 people, so we boarded their smaller 36-ft boat, the Pelagic, which was faster than the bigger boat used for larger groups. This was an advantage, as the skipper Cameron took us beyond the usual areas in the sound in search of some orcas. Luck was on our side, when a pod of 3 killer whales surprised us by swimming within 10 feet of our boat, and caused some serious excitement onboard! Trey, our naturalist who assisted Cameron and provided educational information during the trip was delightful to talk to. He had a great sense of humor and was incredibly knowledgable about the islands, the mammals and aquatic life in the sound, and the natural and non-native species in the area. A great experience and fun for all ages. Bring extra layers, including a warm hat and gloves, and raingear to stay dry if you prefer to ride outside the (tiny) covered cabin. read more

It was fabulous! They were in contact with the entire group so we could an early start because they knew where the Orcas were. We saw a LOT of whales! The biologist was very informative and funny as hell! read more

Had a great whale watching tour with a lively skipper and informed biologist. Although it was only supposed to last 3 hours, it ended up being 4 hours since we went way out into Canadian waters to find the one whale that was out that day. They also had a bunch of candies, chips, and other snacks you could buy for $1 while on the boat. It was so neat to see an orca in the wild, I just wish there had been more! Well, one is better than none! read more

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Truly a phenomenal experience. What a crew! Our Naturalist and Captain where both great. We saw a few pods of Transient's as explained by our naturalist (who was absolutely hilarious and engaging). Not only did we get to see the beautiful Orcas we where treated to a full tour of the islands with each one having its own extensive history all explained by our host. Not only did we see Orcas but we also enjoyed watching bald eagles in their nests, harbor seals and stellar sea lions. The boat was clean well kept and comfortable. All where able to get spectacular photos from multiple vantage points. Would do it again and recommend it to friends and family. read more

Knowledge and friendly crew. They know the waters and are part of an Orca spotting group. Boat fits about 30 people and is very seaworthy. We did see Orcas, but this is never a guarantee. We got a great tour of the waters and islands around San Juan. A bonus were an up close view of Sea Lions. I would go out with them again. read more

Deer Harbor Charters - Boating Near Me - Eastsound, Washington

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Great customer service and very knowledgeable staff! We booked a whale watching tour and a three hour sailing trip through Deer Harbor Charters, both were amazing. I have done whale watching before and didn't think it was worth it, but Deer Harbor changed my mind. I went out with zero expectation of seeing any whales, but we saw a ton of minky? whales. While we didn't see any orcas, it was totally beyond Deer Harbor's control (apparently there is a lack of salmon for them to feed on). They made up for it with the minky whales and a ton of sea lions and bald eagles. Our sailing trip was actually with the owner of Deer Harbor who was a great guy, very nice. He gave us a lot of great information about the island and its history, along with a great sailing experience. read more

What an amazing experience! The guides were so friendly and knowledgeable and we saw Orcas within 30-45 minutes of starting the tour. I would go back in a heartbeat. read more

Defiantly worth the money. We saw 4 Orcas and we were out there for about an hour. It was a lot of fun and very educational.

Our private charter, navigated by Ashley, did not disappoint. We were very fortunate to see Orcas but it would have been a great trip either way. Ashley's imparted knowledge was fascinating and her talent in predicting where the whales would pop up was uncanny. She was also very patient with our 7 year old daughter. We had a great day! read more

Being a local and never having taken the opportunity to go on a whale watching trip, I was keenly interested to book the right company when we finally decided to book a trip when friends from Fort Worth visited. I knew we wanted a small operator and our hopes were realized when we overheard another family tell their server at Rosario Resort that Deer Harbor Charters provided an awesome trip earlier that day. We eagerly anticipated the trip and the next day left the protected waters of Deer Harbor for the north east shore of Decatur Island and followed Pod 49 all the way to the west side of Blakey Island. Tom's expertise in predicting where the pod would surface was precise and Natalie's explanations of the pod were both helpful and insightful. We were then able to migrate to see a humpback on the north shore of San Juan Island followed by an encore from POD 49 transiting Pole Pass as we returned to Deer Harbor. It is clear that Tom is a resident expert and cares deeply for the well being of these majestic animals of the sea, so if you're looking for the best crew in the best setting in the San Juan's, it's Deer Harbor Charters! read more

A Fun Activity while at Rosario! While staying at Rosario Resort, we took advantage of the Whale Watching Tour that picked us up from our resort. A fun way to spend a leisurely afternoon. We only saw a few whales briefly during our time out -- it appeared that the whales weren't very active on our particular day. But the boat ride was relaxing, we learned about the island from the crew, and had a fun all around trip out. They provided binoculars, blankets to those who needed them. We went on a beautiful, sunny day. read more

Three hour tour. 1 hour out on the small boat (and 1 back) meant we only had 1 hour to actually be in the area of the whales. We spent that second hour going full speed (20 knots) towards the open abyss only to turn around once we were in the area of a humpback due to the seas being too rough. If you are going to spend the better part of your vacation day on a boat, make sure it is on a fast one and that you are going to west san juan. Better yet, just get a charter on san juan and save yourself the slow, miserable trip of seeing nothing for 2 hours. One of the worst times of the trip, if not my life. read more

My sister recently booked a whale watching tour and a sailing excursion with Deer Harbor. We had a great time on both occasions! The weather for the whale watching tour was foggy out in parts of the water and that along with a slow salmon return made it hard to find any orcas. Deer Harbor did not disappoint! They found a pod of minky whales and they put on an awesome show! We had plenty of space on board the Squito and were able to go inside if we got too cold. The staff, Cameron and Natalie, did an amazing job, were very informative and also ver passionate about what they do! I highly recommend this charter to anyone taking a visit to the San Juan Islands! We also got to go out on sailing on the Simplicity for a 3 hour cruise in Eastsound. The weather forecast called for rain, but it turned out to be sunny and a delightful experience. We were able to bring some wine and snacks while we just relaxed and conversed with the owner Tom and they guy he was training (sorry I forgot your name!). We really enjoyed the sailing experience and I would again highly recommend it for a relaxing afternoon activity! read more

Bill and Trey were amazing. Trey was super knowledgable and hilarious!! They worked really hard to get us to see orcas. Great time!! read more

We had a great time on the trip, both the Captain and the Marine biologist on board were engaging and answered all of our questions. The boat we were on was an old lobster boat that holds 20 people. Our boat was full the day we went out, but it never felt over-crowded or too full. The boat does have a fully functioning head as well. They provide blankets for those that were cold, and also had binoculars to share, they had enough for each family group to share one or two pairs, which made the trip even better. We were lucky, we saw both J and K pod Orcas, Including a mother and her calf. They make it very clear there are no guarantees to see whales, but they did a great job finding the whales this day, and my entire family had a blast. read more

We had a great sail on Simplicity with Captain Philo. He was a lot of fun, very patient with our kids and had some great stories. We used a living social deal and the owner was extremely kind in extending it because if weather. He worked around my schedule! It was a great day with lasting memories for all. read more

A wonderful afternoon boating around the San Juan Islands and learning about the local wildlife. We saw two Orca whales, several seals, porpoises, and a bald eagle. The crew were well seasoned and extremely informed. Trey, our guide, is a marine biologist and extremely informative about the wildlife in the area including the history and habits of the Orca whales. We especially loved the convenience of getting on the boat right at the Rosario Resort. read more