Beautiful evening sail with Captain Ward at 4:30. The sound really clears out at that time so you…read morehave a ton of space to enjoy the wind and water to yourselves! We have some sailing experience and we were able to man the tiller nearly the whole cruise. It was so fun to experience the islands from the water and learn about all the sailing opportunities for adventure nearby. Thank you for one of the highlights of our trip! Definitely grab dinner at the BBQ joint at the Deer Harbor Inn after your sail, hearts and bellies full!!

What a fun afternoon on the water! Captain Ward was educational and funny. We sailed around islands…read morefor which he knew all the names and history. Great time and even flew the spinnaker. Highly recommended this wonderful experience!

Nat took my family out last month for an amazing half day on the water. It was truly the highlight…read moreof our month on Orcas! He has gorgeous boats but most importantly, is a very skilled sailor and guide and just such a kind human. We plan to do another sailing with Nat when we're next back on Orcas and I cannot recommend the experience highly enough!

We had an amazing lesson and a wonderful time with Orcas Island Sailing. Nat was so kind and…read morepatient in his learning style and also loads of fun. Highly recommend. We made our way over towards Blakely from the dock at Leiberhaven. Great teacher, great tkme

The sailing experience aboard the Spike Africa was everything I hoped for. The entire family…read moreenjoyed the sail. The captain, first mate, and deckhand were all knowledgeable and friendly. The captain even let kiddo steer the ship for a while. Booking can be difficult if you're not standing in the office. Online booking isn't an option. When you click the link it merely has the customer fill out an information card and they're supposed to call you. If you cal the number listed you'll always be routed to an answering service. Basically customers just have to leave a message and hope someone calls you back. Even through all that, the experience was totally worth it.

Spike Africa turned one of our unplanned evenings into a delight. We were accidental guests on it…read morewhen we discovered that they had slots open for a few more when it was just about to sail. Everything about the sail was memorable. Right from the humorous introduction to sailing and water protocols to the camaraderie and warmth of the crew. First hand Chris is a very interesting person and knows how to make visitors feel involved in the sailing by drawing volunteers for stowing ropes and hoisting the mast. He is helped very ably by his crew Rosy! Captain Gunner keeps a leisurely pace allowing even the most hesitant of sea-farers to relax and take in the sights. Sunset over Pugetsound onboard Spike Africa will be one of my most-cherished moments from the San Juan Islands trip. The schooner allows for your own beverages on board and the open sea makes for an excellent place to have a sip of wine. The sail is pleasant with the added element of other like-minded strangers joining you on a ride, added to that, the very reasonable price makes for an offer hard to refuse! An evening well spent..

My wife and I booked a 3-hour sailing trip with Jess and Karl while on Orcas. It was wonderful!…read moreTheir calm demeanor, friendly attitude, willingness to answer questions and just chat about sailing and life in general was refreshing. It is obvious they both have a deep passion for sailing and respect for our planet. We would HIGHLY recommend booking a sail with them!

WOW! What an unbelievable experience, with an amazing crew!…read more I rented a private charter, more on this later. My girlfriend (American) and I (Canadian) had never been on a sailboat so we were a little unsure what to expect. I did the majority of planning with Jess, she was extremely helpful and very response. I could instantly tell she wanted the experience to be a memorable journey, not just another sail on the water. Tip - they also work with a caterer, which I highly recommend as well. In early August we set out on sunset sail to Boundary Pass (water border of Canada, EH and the United States). It took about 2 hours to get to BP and on the way we saw a pod of orcas. Breathtaking. We reached the water border, it was time. I couldn't think of a better place to ask my beautiful and talented girlfriend to marry me. My hands were shaking, but I didn't drop the ring... and then she said YES! It was quiet, the sun was reflecting off the water, the moment was perfect. Jess captured the moment and sent us several amazing photos. The trip was perfect. Now, you know why I wanted the boat to be private.

The team and vessel were exceptional! Traveling group also included a baby. Our team was…read moreaccommodating and did their best to ensure we saw humpback whales, seals, and eagles! Thank you Captain David and Josiah!

I highly recommend a sailing with Capt. David. We live in Friday Harbor and scheduled a sail with…read morethem to celebrate our 25th Anniversary. We met another couple celebrating their anniversary as well. It was a magical sail with a beautiful sunset and we were graced with Orcas. Capt. David is a great photographer too. He sent photos to our emails and he captured a great moment of my husband and I. I had his photo made into a metal print to always remember the moment. The bean bag chairs are super comfy and you can bring your own special bottle to enjoy a toast with. When the sun goes down it is quite chilly, Capt David came out with blankets for all of us. He even supplies binoculars. This is one of my favorite things to do on the island. Whether you are a local or a tourist you will enjoy this experience.

We had an amazing whale watching tour! We went out in the afternoon and saw several pods of Killer…read moreWhales. Brooke, Sofia and Jeff were extremely knowledgeable, kind and courteous! Great trip with great people!

I'm extremely disappointed with how my situation was handled recently. Due to a family illness, I…read morehad to cancel my whale watching trip and provided what I believed was plenty of notice. Despite that, they refused to issue a full refund. When I booked, I expected a reasonable level of customer service and flexibility, especially for something as unpredictable as getting sick. Instead, I was met with rigid policy. It felt like they cared more about keeping my money than doing right by a customer who couldn't safely attend. I understand that businesses have cancellation policies, but there should be some level of compassion and common sense--especially when someone gives advance notice and isn't canceling last minute. Unfortunately, this experience left a bad impression. I would hesitate to book with them again and recommend others read the fine print very carefully before committing... because even with advance notice, you will not get a full refund if you need to cancel.

I live in the Seattle area, and it was on my bucket list to go whale watching and see some orcas! I…read morehighly 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

We loved everything about the Deer Harbor Charters Whale Watching and Wildlife tour!…read more 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!

Bucket List - Orca Jackpot!…read more Family of 13 (including 4 kids under 12) all really enjoyed the voyage aboard Odyssey. All were comfortable and plenty of room for a good view. The crew was amazing. Very knowledgeable, my grandkids loved learning about sea creatures and the Orca names of the two families we saw. This was a dream trip - bucket list!

Had the best trip out with Captain Pete!! The staff was incredibly friendly and knowledgeable…read more Would highly recommend for whale watching!

Under new ownership, captain Scott made me feel like part of the crew. NW sailing is classy. It was…read moregreat learning so much about weather, currents, local history, and exploring the islands. Go for a multi day charter, you do not want to miss Scott's coffee. I am a vegetarian and the food was so healthy and delicious! Scott has a clear love for sailing and sharing the islands with guests. Best vacation ever. If you are going sailing in the San Juan's don't mess with other charter companies.

Captain Scott and First Mate Todd were excellent sailors and hosts again. We have sailed with them…read more3 times now , once in the San Juan Islands and twice in the British Virgin Islands. They make sailing in the BVI easy, arranging the boat charter, provisions and details. Todd is a great cook. We always felt safe. This team is highly recommended and we will be sailing with them again.

Noah and Friday Harbor Boat Rentals (FHBR) were fantastic. I rented the Nordic Sun for an…read moreafternoon island cruise on 7/17/2024 to show my mom and wife more of the San Juan Islands. He is very professional as he sent me a text in the AM asking if we needed anything special to help us prepare etc...so first the Boat...Nordic Sun is a wonderfully restored tug that easily accommodates 6 so having 3 on the boat with Noah was very spacious...the boat is very clean and has a full head!!! Our tour was awesome and Noah added color and history as we cruised while giving us our space to enjoy the beauty and have a glass of wine!!! CAN'T RECOMMEND NOAH ENOUGH....oh and I thought the price for a 4 hour private cruise was very fair!!! we will us Noah and FHBR again!!! Tim B.

A wonderful day on the water with Captain Amio!…read more Since we were on Lopez Island, and the ferry to get back to Friday Harbor was so complicated, Amio picked us up where we were staying, and took us on a fabulous ride. The weather was perfect. We saw porpoise, heron, eagles and seals-as well as a host of beautiful boats The whales didn't make an appearance but we got to see a number of the different harbors through & around the different islands. . Captain Amio's knowledge of the area enhanced our journey. Great day on the water. Noah's communication made it easy to figure out everything. The boat was clean, had a bathroom and OUR 3 hour tour ended successfully. (It was supposed to be a 4 hour tour, but we sacrificed a half hour on each end since he picked us up on Lopez, we thought it was worth it).