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).

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.

Did the half day in the afternoon on Memorial Day (5/25/26). We went out from 3:30pm to 7:30pm and…read morewere able to see a few different kind of pods (T123's and T60's). Stanley from T123 is huge! We also saw some seals as well. It was definitely a "drive" going north west all the way up to Canada but it was totally worth it. Lots of good info and they were so nice.

I am unsure of the training/vetting process for their guides seeing as FALSE INFORMATION was given…read moreout regarding the wildlife we we were seeing. I am a professional environmental scientist who has studied and researched the effects of noise pollution on marine mammals. Upon being asked if the noise from boating activity affected the orcas and other marine mammals, the tour guide responded "Nah, not really. They're all used to it since they grew up around them." This information is inherently false, numerous studies have confirmed that anthropogenic marine noise pollution negatively impacts an orca's ability to communicate, hunt, mate, and survive in their environment. The harmfulness of noise pollution is nothing new, look it up and you will find a plethora of articles, research papers, and even award winning documentaries (Sonic Sea). If you appreciate and care about these species and their conservation, then you deserve to know the truth. I cannot speak to other eco tourism companies, but it seems Maya's Legacy relies on the ignorance of their clientele to save time and money on properly training their staff with accurate knowledge about the species that they charge hundreds of dollars to give tours on. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/why-cant-killer-whales-find-and-capture-food-ocean-too-noisy https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X21010109

Captains David, Barbara and Skye are delightful to sail with…read more We had a full tail sail and saw seals, orcas, and humpback whales, in addition to Eagles, falcons and lots of waterfowl. They knew exactly where to go to have the best wildlife sightings. They are wealth of knowledge and passionate about what they are doing. Skye is just the cutest and a pleasure to be around. Having seen the other whale watching boats in the area and how they behaved around the whales, we strongly recommend going with All Aboard Sailing. Not only is it the most professional and respectful of the whales , We believe it is the most knowledgeable, friendly, and personable option there is in the San Juans. The boat is comfortable with bean bag chairs on the foredeck with blankets to keep you warm. It is also great to ride in the cockpit and learn sailing tips and see the progress of the trip. David is a wealth of knowledge about sailing and the boat. Barbara is a tremendous resource for biological information. Such a complimentary couple. For a full day sail it is convenient to get sandwiches from Kings Market. After the trip they send you pictures they took and a plot of the route you took. Their photos were much better than any we took. Don't go to Friday Harbor without going sailing with All Aboard Sailing, even if you only have time for a 1/2 day or an evening sail - DO IT - you won't be disappointed.

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!

Captain Ward made for a fantastic day on the water. He was knowledgeable, informative, and a…read morepleasure to sail with. He quickly realized we enjoyed sailing ourselves and struck the perfect balance between offering guidance and letting us take the helm. Along the way, he shared interesting insights about Orcas Island, the surrounding waters, and local history that made the experience even more enjoyable. It was a perfect afternoon of sailing, and we would highly recommend Captain Ward to anyone looking for an authentic and memorable experience.

Unforgettable hands-on sailing for the whole family!…read more Sailing with Captain Ward on Aura was easily the highlight of our trip to Orcas Island. We were a 6-person group ranging in age from 3 to 65+, and Captain Ward made every single one of us feel completely welcome, safe, and entertained. He's remarkably patient and knowledgeable--not only about sailing, but about local history and geography as well. He even used his local knowledge of the area to make sure our kiddo got to see seals, which made their day! What made the trip so special was how hands-on it was: he gave everyone who wanted a turn a chance to take the tiller and help work the sails. It's a wonderful, personal experience on a stunning vintage boat. Highly recommend to anyone visiting Orcas Island!

Amazing whale watching trip! Nate and Nat were awesome and full of knowledge! You can tell they…read morelove what they do! Highly recommend if you're in town to book a trip with them! Will be back for sure!!

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

This review has been incredible delayed, but I would highly suggest Pacifica for a fun night out…read more We did the bioluminescent kayak tour and it was excellent. I had never kayaked at night before so the environment was pretty incredible and the bioluminescence was fascinating and quite beautiful. The silence, the darkness and the guides sharing stories and history of the area made it a really great experience. We will be back to take our kids once they are old enough!

I can not say how wonderful this company is!!! When I have guest visiting this is a must!! We…read morerecently did 2 kayak outings.. the first one was just a relaxing paddle around The bay and exploring Tods inlet..The second was absolutely mind blowing! We did the unique night glow tour.. if you decide to do it and are lucky enough to get a spot it is a must!! EJ who is the front desk gal is so sweet and accommodating! Sorry if I got your name wrong also the 2 owners are just fabulous!!

Very bad business practice…read more We booked a 3pm tour. It was the last day that we are in Vancouver, we would be flying home that night. At 1:45pm, after we have planned our whole day around the excursion and checked out of the hotel in preparation of this tour, Sea Vancouver office called and said they are cancelling my tour because they "need a minimum of 4 people and only 3 people booked". I explained that we are leaving the city that day, and we planned our whole day around this, and if there is anything they can do. It is unreasonable to only notify me 75 minutes prior to departure time - we were already on the way to the departure point! The only thing they said was that they will refund me in full (I'd better hope so since you cancelled it with incredibly short notice!) I understand that it may not be economical to operate a tour based on fixed cost, but this was NOT written anywhere when I booked it on the official website, but they were happy to take my money when I booked. The confirmation email stated "We reserve the right to delay or cancel a departure for events beyond our control (e.g. adverse weather conditions, technical or mechanical issues, etc.)" -- well, operating a boat when there are "only" 3 paying customers is definitely in their control, they just choose to screw over their customers. This has put a really sour taste on my trip to Vancouver. I would encourage everybody to stay away.

First of all, I would highly, HIGHLY recommend this for all! Specially if its your first time in…read moreVancouver or have not been around the harbor! This was our first time in Vancouver, and whats not a better way to experience it than by taking a boat tour! We honestly planned this boat tour super last minute, so we called a few places, but they were all closed. Fortunately, Sea Vancouver still had tours going out until 7pm which was the last one! The lobby is located in the Westin hotel and the ride is 90 minutes long, which takes you all around the harbor of Vancouver to the English Bay! There was so much to see at the waterfront and we even saw a few dolphins along the ride! We were hoping for orcas too but maybe next time haha. Overall the boat tour was absolutely amazing! Terry our captain, made the experience super educational a fun! Love that guy! Thanks Cap! And thank you Sea Vancouver!