We had an amazing tour on a private chartered boat. Everyone got to see killer whales up close and personal. Our captain was extended knowledgeable and possessed a deep understanding of the surrounding environment and wildlife. Outstanding scenery!!! I highly recommend getting a chartered boat. read more

Had and amazing day at sea with Captain Paul and Sarah. Thank you so much! I highly recommend booking your whale watching experience with Outer Island Expeditions out of Orcas Island. read more

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Amazing time whale watching! It was a memorable trip we had on the little ferry that took us to Canada!! Well almost!! Me and wife went with a family member who was visiting us and it was a thoroughly memorable experience that we made us think we need to do this more often. The trip was very informative as well with the crew being very friendly, knowledgeable and ever willing to answer all the questions. Looking forward to doing it again this summer!! You guys rock!! Thank you! read more

*** BEWARE OF PURCHASING A GROUPON AND THEN TRYING TO BOOK A TOUR WITH OUTER ISLAND EXPEDITIONS **** I went onto their website and saw they had availability for an excursion on Thursday Oct 5 for 3 people. I then logged into Groupon and bought 3 vouchers. I immediately went back and tried to book the trip on the 5th only to find out that there was now no availability for people holding vouchers. I called them up and the girl who answered the phone was extremely unhelpful even when I said I would be more than willing to pay the difference between the voucher and full price. I have friends in from out of town and this was the only day that would work. She refused to help and said i had to book through their website. read more

On board the Blackfish II on 24 May out of Lummi. Had a ball! Many sightings of humpback whales up near Canadian border. Catamaran hull made for a smooth ride in choppy waters. Spotted two types of seals. Enjoyed the views and the ride! Laughed at people onboard who complained the whales weren't jumping close enough to the boat they didn't get better pictures . They're wild animals. Besides I don't want to be on a boat where a whale bigger than the boat jumps right next to it. read more

We had the most amazing time with Outer Island Expeditions. Our guides were incredibly knowledgable, recognizing whales by their dorsal fins instantly. On our way out, one of the guides spotted a group of three transient Orcas. We had the opportunity to follow them without other boats being around for awhile. During our tracking of these whales, we saw them corner a pod of porpoises and actually saw blood in the water from a kill. Talk about a dream come true! If you have the opportunity, go to Orcas Island and take a charter with Outer Island Expeditions. You will understand then and there what makes the Pacific Northwest so amazing. read more

Outer Island Expeditions - Transient Orcas. - Fishing Near Me - Eastsound, Washington

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We rented a double kayak one day and ferried over to Sucia Island. Fantastic experience! The employees gave us a map with little notes regarding the currents so we wouldn't end up in a bad spot. We found that really helpful. The next day we went on a whale watching tour and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The captain was great in the rougher waters and the host was full of interesting facts. And, yes, it is a FULL 3 hours so you get your money's worth! Definitely recommend using these guys if you're in the area and looking for adventure. read more

We have been fortunate enough to take several different whale watching tours in several different locations which might be why we were disappointed on this tour. The whales were not cooperating and we only found two humpbacks far from our starting point. I can not fault the company for that but what I have seen in the past is the crew then talk extensively about the wildlife and find something, anything, to look at. This crew did not do that. They did not express the typical love and extensive knowledge for the wildlife we have come to expect on these types of tours. That being said they did show us whales as promised and the boat was nice and comfortable. Might just have been the location or circumstances that left us desiring more. read more

We have done 2 whale watching tours through Outer Island Expeditions and they were both amazing! They were both such an enjoyable experience and we will definitely go on another one in the future. read more

Outer Island Expeditions - Fishing Near Me - Eastsound, Washington

We booked a whale watching excursion through Outer Islands leaving from Lopez Island back in August of 2017. The crew were all extremely friendly and knowledgeable. They were able to answer any questions about the area and animal life we had without sounding like the trip was a rehearsed performance. We got to see numerous orcas along with seals and bald eagles while on the trip. I would hate to call the tour a once in a lifetime experience because we fully intend on returning. I highly recommend if you are in the San Juan Islands to book a tour through them for some unforgettable views. read more

Outer Island Expeditions - Fishing Near Me - Eastsound, Washington

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What a great time! We were on the orcas in about a minute..... OK, 25 minutes, and we received a great show for quite a while. The entire trip was very informative and we also saw and learned many things related to the islands. This was morney well spent for a 3-4 hour excursion on the water. I would actually do a day trip to Orcas just for another adventure. read more

Outer Island Expedition was a class act in all regards. We hired two boats since we had a party of 15 and we wanted to do both whale watching and fishing all in the same day. Beau and Paul were our guides and they both were very knowledgeable about everything....fish, killer whales, islands, etc. We not only saw the J-Pod killer whales and had fun following them for a while, everyone on the boat also caught at least one fish each. We had an awesome time thanks to Beau and Paul!!! read more

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We had an amazing experience with Sky our Captain. We witnessed Orcas mating, sky hopping, porpoising, whale tails and more. We saw five or six pod groups. Three large males, and we even had a curious male cross our bow. We went out on the small boat group of eight and it was intimate and a bit spiritual. We took the sunset cruise. Couldn't have asked for more! Highly recommend. read more

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We had a wonderful time on our excursion with Outer Island Expeditions. The crew was very knowledgeable and passionate about the environment and making sure that is not disturbed. We saw plenty of Orcas on our first trip and know that doesn't always happen. Thanks for making our day a memorable one. Scott read more

We did not have a good experience with Outer Island. We booked a six-person fishing trip and were not told our catch would be basically limited to sand dabs and that our boat would only be large enough for three people to fish at a time (the two on the same side of the boat tangled lines several times). The captain baited hooks once and left it up to us to bait a needed and we had to request additional bait. The trip ended early and we had to spend part of our time sitting at the entrance to the dock until the tide was high enough to enter. Expensive and not at all what we expected. Additionally, no rest room facilities were pointed out on the boat and the port-a-potties in the parking area were filled to the height of the seats (we checked three before we gave up). Will not be back. read more

Holy Moly. The BEST tour. We have gone on whale watching tours in Hawaii, Alaska and Vancouver Island...and we were IMPRESSED with our local company!! Captain Jon and Naturalist Chelsea were fantastic. Very personable and knowledgeable. Now for the whales. WOW.... We saw so many orcas! Breaching, playing, joining other pods and communicating. Thanks to Chelsea for dropping the hydrophone in...incredible... Now we are coming back because all my friends saw my video and want to go! We will be back soon... read more

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We did two trips with Outer Island Expeditions on our recent family vacation to Orcas. First, we went whale watching with Captain Dylan. With COVID and all that, we were nervous about doing a group activity but the boat was open on the sides and there was plenty of space. Here is my six-year-old son's review: "So, I loved going on the blackfish express. It was so fun. I especially loved how many engines it had on it. Two engines is pretty fast. We saw an orca spy hop out of the water, that is where the orca jumps it's head out of the water. On the way back I loved that we went 800 miles an hour and putting my head out the boat. Thank you for taking me out on a whale watch trip. It was delicious." Next, we rented kayaks and camped on Sucia Island for a couple of days. They helped us plan our trip around the tides, and their advice on when to paddle made me and my family feel very safe. They also told us to be sure to check out the bioluminescence at night. Once we got set up on Sucia I realized I'd forgotten my cooking stove. I contacted Beau and he arranged for a stove to be dropped off for me and my family. His help and generosity (it was his personal stove) saved our camping trip from disaster, and me from the hatred of my family! Thank you! read more

I had such a wonderful time going whale watching yesterday! Bobby and Eric are a very knowledgeable team that kept the boat entertained and informed! They showed us Harbor Seals, Sea Lions, a lot of birds, and several pods of Orcas! I definitely recommend booking a cruise through Outer Island. You won't be disappointed! read more

I was expecting that those whale watching tours were kind of tourist trap. But my family and I had such a wonderful time going whale watching on Orcas Island! Bob and Eric were a very knowledgeable team with lots of interesting information about the whales. I was impressed! They showed us Harbor Seals and Orcas. I could never imagine learning so much in a tour, metabolism, behavior and curious facts about whales. I definitely recommend booking a cruise through Outer Island. read more

I just want to say THANK YOU! This vacation has been so amazing, a large part of that was going on the whale watching tour & the kayaking tour. We saw a whole pod of orcas on the tour with Sarah and Eric, absolutely beautiful. They were both super friendly and knowledgeable, answering lots of questions about the islands and the wildlife in it. On the kayaking tour with Bobby we saw purple starfish, seals and their pups and so many jellyfish! We got to see the view from the Doughty Point and even got a kelp hood ornament to go home with us. I'd give all the tour guides six stars if I could! read more

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Bobby and the captain were very personable and outgoing. It was clearly stressful to find and track the whales, so be ready for 90% of your time to be spent enjoying the scenery. It was a gorgeous day and we were out for close to 4.5hrs. Beautiful part of the country. Boat in great shape. read more

Outer Island Expeditions - The whale we saw - Fishing Near Me - Eastsound, Washington

We had a great time salmon fishing and whale watching. I would highly recommend this outfit to anyone. Jason was an excellent captain and guide. read more

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Fabulous day trip for whale watching. We saw harbor seals, dolphins, transient Orcas, and a Humpback. Could not have asked for a better outing. And Sarah and Capt. Dylan were both superb on board guides. Sarah is friendly and has a font of info about the wildlife. Loved the ride. Lose to Speiden Island to see if we could spy the Asian deer. Saw one pretty far away. Highly recommend this trip. We did the kayak trip last year and it was also really well done. This is a first class operation. read more

The tour was wonderful; it was a beautiful day and we say lots of porpoises and one gray whale. Our tour guide and marine expert were a wealth of knowledge. I'd go again! read more

We were incredibly lucky to have an amazing wildlife biologist (Benson) and active orcas when we took this tour two weeks ago! Even though it was a windy day and the orcas were far away, Benson got us there ASAP and made sure we had a fantastic view, while ensuring he didn't infringe on the orcas' space. He also had endless patience (and a chill demeanor) while I pestered him with my questions. The customer service at this company is fantastic! I would recommend calling them before you book online - I was able to get the perfect date/time/location (we were on Lopez Island) and a good deal by contacting them directly. read more

We went on two whale watching tours in the same week with this team of nature lovers. They were hospitable, fun, knowledgeable and most importantly respectful of nature. We saw many orcas, humpbacks, seals, bald eagles, deer and much more. The guides use there time with tourists to educate about sealife and what we can do to preserve these sensitive creatures. I recommend them for your tour without hesitation. read more

Really great experience! We hit this place on a good day as we saw humpbacks and orcas. The boats were great size, staff were knowledgeable and excited for the passengers. Once we spotted whales they were patient and made sure everyone was able to see them. They explained what we were watching and also knew which pods we were looking at. I noticed all the whale tour groups talk with each other to make sure all the tourists get to experience the whales. I cannot think of one bad thing to say. read more

Horrible experience. No whales. Saw 1 eagle. Weather was awful. Tried to change day 2 days prior because of weather was not allowed to because of BS 72 hour policy. So rough people were getting sick children crying. They knew we weren't going to see whales before we left the dock and that the weather was bad. But they took our money cause that was what was most important. Complete ripoff. read more

We went on the whale watching tour last August and had a great time! The guides were excellent, taking time to talk to every passenger and get their questions answered. We saw many whales and wildlife along the way. I'd recommend taking a seasickness pill ahead of time just in case - most people were fine but it can get rocky if it's windy! Would recommend to anyone visiting the island. read more

I don't normally give bad reviews but when I do it is because things could have been handled better and in this case it was emphatically not! I will say that the weather was EXTREMELY bad the day of this trip which took place on 10/11 /2020. Three reasons for this review in the hope procedure changes in the future for bad weather conditions. Reason 1- extremely poor communication from all staff that we either called or called us. No one seemed to be on the same page with when check in time should be for a 1pm boat departure. Emphasis from all who spoke to us was don't be late if you are not staying on Orcas Island and even this message was rudely communicated. In fact, our interactions with staff on the phone could be categorized from rude to unhelpful with information. We originally had reservations to go out on 10/9/2020 but were told there would be more ferries running on the weekends so we agreed to switch to 10/11/2020. More ferries was not the case and we had to take the ferry that ran closest to our departure time versus a 6:10am ferry. This also meant we would be going out on a day forecasted for bad weather, which is the basis of this review. Reason 2- no covid guidelines followed, granted we assumed the risk by traveling in the first place and signing a waiver that basically said we could almost for sure catch covid but they did indicate social distancing would include operating at 50% capacity, but that was not the case. We were pretty much full in our boat and there were two boats that went out that day. When I say full, the entire indoor cabin was completely full-sardine style. Reason 3- there was a small craft advisory that was issued that day because of a storm. Lay person like me could see we were in a storm. The fact that the captain of our boat that day was listed as "naturalist" and not his real name spoke volumes as to how much these guys knew we were not going to enjoy the stormy day. They had also JUST RESCUED KAYAKERS before loading us on the boat that RESCUED THEM! No mention of life jackets or safety instructions being given out by the crew. (We were the second of two boats that went out that day) They guaranteed whales would be seen, I guess that applies only to summer season, and what we saw were some islands, deer, and two bald eagles and spent the entire almost four hour ride being battered around by waves and pelted by rain.. it was so bad that we made a NEVER been done before stop at Roche Harbor which I think happened because the first boat out that day, probably experienced what we were going through so they quickly made the decision to stop because it was dangerous to continue ( so dangerous that a three hour tour became almost four hours due to a NEVER BEEN done before stop and navigating slowly at times through extremely rough waves and rain). I understand caveat emptor but, I feel that all of the customers that went out that day were forced too because no refunds would be given and this owner decided that despite the EXTREMELY bad weather a risk would be taken because we ALL signed waivers. These guys are experts, they should know we trust their judgment, we are looking for a fun experience to see nature in a safe environment and THAT WAS NOT THE CASE THAT DAY. If it was a sunny day, I am sure I would have never written this negative review, but it was not and the weather was extremely bad! Feel free to look up the small craft and weather advisory warning due to high winds and waves that was given that day 10/11/2020. Knowing this, the owner should have offered a refund or different day for all of us to return. I get that tourism and staff getting paid is real during these covid times, but there needs to be some responsibility and due diligence exercised as well. It was truly a dangerous and unsafe experience that my friends and I were put through and that could have been avoided. I am sure this is but a small blip on the radar given the bad weather but when it does happen again, hopefully policies might change. Humans don't control the weather, but experienced humans can control safety and exercise due diligence. I give this review two stars for Kudos to the captain and crew of the boat that got us back safely, (the female guide remained calm the entire time and never expressed fear but probably because she is used to those types of days or maybe she was also great at hiding her fear for the sake of everyone else) we in fact slowed down and endured rough waves and battering at some points because the waves were that rough and dangerous, but again that should have never happened in the first place. It should be pointed out that there are two other yelp reviews from that day and I agree wholeheartedly with them on this and as further proof that there were others that day that felt it was too dangerous to go out and alternative options should have been provided. read more

Amazing experience! Very kind and knowledgeable staff. We saw TONS of whales! Very fun day, would definetly return!

Awesome day out on the Blackfish II with Jim and Dana. Incredible Orca sightings, super friendly crew and fun to learn more about the area wildlife! read more

Went a second time and it was twice as good. I can recommend them twice over. Saw killer whales and humpbacks. Boat was fast and clean. The crew was funny and informative. read more

Outer Island Expeditions - Fishing Near Me - Eastsound, Washington

Knowledgeable crew and awesome boat, worth the ferry price and ride to get out to the island. Just remember to get a going home reservation for the ferry. read more

Awesome!!! We actually didn't see orcas, but had a great time. Staff was so nice and informative. The trip was a blast! And we are going to come back again soon. Very happy customers. read more

Unprofessional and inept at problem solving. The girl who checked in customers and gave the whale watching talk had very poor customer service: made people line up and walk back and forth when some initial directions could have solved it all. She also didn't care to know the ferry time and was less than apologetic when the boat was late (low tide). Finally the crew managed to solve the problem, since so many of us were concerned about missing the ferry and were angry at them. We got the coupons on groupons but still had to pay another $16 for reservation. Kind of ridiculous, considering the poor service. read more

The boat was very nice, not too big or small. The team was very informative and kind. They took us to see a hump back, two transient orca pods having a "tea party" together. It was an amazing experience and I would go through them again. read more

We took the afternoon trip from Anacortes. I would do this again and again. Great service, easy laid back people. We saw sea lions, puffins, and humpback whales. One whale even breached!! read more

Outer Island Expeditions - Fishing Near Me - Eastsound, Washington

I went out with them a few days ago and it was awesome! We saw a pod of orcas, a humpback whale, and stellar sea lions, the crew (Paul and Adam) were both very friendly, knowledgable, and fun to be around. The boat was comfortable and fast too which was great because we did travel a ways to get to the orcas. We also stopped to look at 2 river otters right outside the harbor read more

Wow what an amazing day. We saw transient whales up close and personal thanks to Steve and Dana. We came here with a party of 7 and our expectations were exceeded. Steve got so close to the whales. I was able to record 3 mins of whale heaven. Dana was extremely informed, very happy to answer any questions anyone had and her love of her job is obvious. I highly recommend them. read more

Outer Island Expeditions - Fishing Near Me - Eastsound, Washington