If you visit the Seattle area, go somewhere on a ferry. Or just get on one and ride it around. It's an enjoyable experience. The system seems efficient. Make sure you check the ferry schedules and get in line plenty early, especially at rush hour times or on the weekends in the summer months. read more

Washington State Ferries - Vashon Island - Ferries Near Me - Seattle, Washington

YOUR TICKET IS FOR ROUND TRIP TRAVEL!!!! We took the ferry to Bainbridge. The weather gods were so good to us and the ferry wasn't crowded at all. I think it's pretty cool to take your car over but when we got off, the traffic was a nightmare. Lucky we didn't have a car. There are a number of places you can perch to take photos. Inside is nice and warm, but if you're out in the front, prepare to freeze your toukis off! So when we decided to head back, we bought tickets. Little did we know, and we didn't see the small note that said, "You don't need to purchase a ticket to go back to Seattle." But too late...we did. However, when we got off, we walked through the terminal and saw two young couples walking up. We asked if they were going to Bainbridge and when they said yes, we gave them the tickets. I think that made their day because they were so thankful! But if you are on the Seattle side and heading over to Bainbridge... YOUR TICKET IS FOR ROUND TRIP TRAVEL!!!! Enjoy! read more

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The convenience of hopping on board and taking a short trips across Puget Sound beats driving for almost two hours to visit Baindridge Island. Embarking is simple, scan your ticket, board, and find a comfy place to take in the scenery. I paid $8.50 for peace of mind versus driving in traffic. I walked on but you can also pay to drive your car onboard. No reservations taken for the Bainbridge Island ferry. Be on time to board because the ferry leaves precisely on time. Cleanliness is not a top priority on board, crumbs on the table and in the seat cushions made it feel less comfortable but I can get over that. read more

Hot mess of a ferry system. Not super reliable. Dangerously boarding from car deck constantly. Sun deck constantly closed. Not commute friendly. read more

I think it's fair to point out for the absolute novice that taking a ferry costs a lot more than taking the bus, or crossing a bridge. Of course, you have your car with you when you get there, unlike riding the bus. Yeah, it's an extra $20+ on some routes if you have multiple passengers, so check the fares before you go. But thankfully they take credit cards now, so with any luck it shouldn't mean an extra trip to the ATM or anything. That out of the way, I can't say enough about how much I enjoy a ferry ride on my way to anything. Whether I am headed out to do something fun or put in a day's work on somebody's property, whatever it might be, the relaxing cruise on a ferry always puts me in a better frame of mind about it. The scenery is almost always great, and the salt air adds a lot to it. I dig everything about riding them, because being on them reminds me in no uncertain terms that I am headed somewhere I don't usually go. Yeah, they're just a form of public transportation, nothing more, but they get me to a lot of places I really like. I can't imagine the hassles of getting to Vashon, the San Juans, or the peninsula otherwise. And there are plenty of other places besides just those most key destinations. read more

Washington State Ferries - Mukilteo-Clinton, in January - Ferries Near Me - Seattle, Washington

making reservations for these ferries is literally the worst customer service experience I've ever had. the website takes so long to load that my cart almost expired before the payment page would load, and it seems like many others lost their reservations because of this issue. The call volume on their hotline was so massive they wouldn't even put me on hold. F-tier hot garbage. 0 stars read more

Took my first ferry trip to Bainbridge Island today. I am surprised it took me so long to do it. Nearly 4 years since I moved to Seattle. The ferry terminal itself is a very fair looking structure. There are two entrances, one for cars and one for passenger-only. The ferry terminal itself has several eateries and shops which you can peruse before you board. Though I skipped it this time to see what Bainbridge had to offer. Ticket counter is near the gate entrance to the ferry and there are several kiosks in which you buy your ticket via a credit card. Facilities are slightly dated and I was surprised by the restrooms in the terminal. Apparently they still use the cloth towel. The kind that you pull down and wipe your hands on. I have not seen that since college. I would think these are less sanitary, so I avoided them and dried my hands on part of my hoodie. The ferry boat itself is excellent. There is a restaurant and vending machines. Even some arcade games on the ship. The ferry ride was a short 35 minutes and went by very smoothly. Pretty comparable to the ferries that I have used in Vancouver. And the fare was pretty reasonable at under $7 roundtrip which I liked. All in all, I loved the ferry experience and will come back for a trip to Bremerton soon. read more

I've been traveling to the northwest area for the last 6 years. I've been using the Ferry each of these times. We never had any major issues with them. Except 2 years ago, the ferry broke down and cost us $600 in changing our flight and paying $200 for an UBER to the airport. This year they were a mess. First it says that if you have reservations, you must be at Anacortes 30 minutes earlier. We hit some massive traffic from Woodenville - Anacortes. It took us 2 hours and 15 minutes to arrive with 15 minutes remaining. The guy accepted my $84 and said you need to be here for 90-120 minutes early. I said will I get on tonight. He said probably not, I said what about the 9 PM, and he said probably not very disgustingly. The woman in charge of putting people in a certain lane must of felt bad and let us in the good lane. Then guess what, it was supposed to leave at 6 PM and it was late and didn't arrive until 7 PM. When we were on the ferry to Orca's Island and we were supposed to leave at 11 AM, and never left until 12:45 PM. The same on the way back from Orca's Island to Friday Harbor, it was 2 hours late. Then when we finally left to go to Anacortes, it was 2 hours late. What the heck is going on. I know that they are operating on the winter schedule. But why is it always late. This was a disappointment, and do not want to be on here for a while. They did restrict a lot of seating on the boat, and recommended that people stay in their vehicles. One thing that I did notice some people on the boat didn't have masks on and they didn't do anything about it. read more

The Washington State ferries are very efficient and punctual. They even offer discounts for seniors. The online reservation system leaves a bit to be desired, especially for non-residents. Understanding the rules/expectations can be challenging. Because a few of the ferry runs are booked weeks in advance during the summer months, a person tends to believe there is a revenue stream possibility that would pay to have vessels on standby during high traffic periods. read more

Washington State Ferries - Ferries Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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When I was visiting Seattle, I stayed on Bainbridge Island. Needless to say, I kinda needed a ferry to get to Seattle. Now I'm new to ferries - I didn't quite know what to expect out of having to make a daily 30+ min trip to Seattle (and 30+ mins back- $6.50 roundtrip). One word: Wow. Large, clean, and family friendly, the Washington State Ferries are punctual with their arrival and departing times, and the people who run it can control the guest and vehicle moving to and from the ship really really well. The ferries themselves are smooth rides...and provide some incredibly scenic views of the areas surrounding Seattle. I never got sick of the view of downtown Seattle emerging from the morning haze as the ferry headed towards it, nor did I ever get sick of the view of the city glistening when heading back to Bainbridge. read more

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5:20 PM inter island ferry from Friday Harbor to Orcas is cancelled. Excuse: Staff shortage. With temperature expected to drop below recent records, passengers are made to go back to Anacortes on a 7 PM ferry that'll then bring them back to Orcas!! 7 PM ferry is nowhere to be seen at 7:15. So, someone expected to set foot on the island around 6 PM will not be able to do so, if at all, until 11 PM!!! read more

No other option across the water. Staff loading cars is historically impatient and often rude. Now they have an announcement of a zero tolerance policy for harassing Ferry workers. Lol - they can harass whomever they want and now taking the victim mentality to their customers - the riders. In years past they were mostly on time and friendly, but WSF has changed with the times. read more

The weather gods were kind to us during our stay in Seattle. One AM we walked down to the ferry station and bought 2 tickets to Bainbridge Island for $16.40. There is a 25 cents per person fare capital surcharge included in that price. Going to the island is a charge but you do not need to buy another ticket returning to Seattle. The boarding and disembarkation is easy and the ferry has plenty of room with 2 ladies room on one level. On the way back, the food concession is open and the smell of popcorn was tempting. Gorgeous views each way and opportunity for tons of pictures. On Fridays and Saturdays, the last ferry to the island is after mid-night. The staff all have glum looks on their faces. The only helpful guy was the one at the entrance who showed you need to hold your ticket with bar code against the reader. I was trying to swipe it. read more

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Today was a bittersweet day as we laid my husbands father Bob to rest! He passed back in March but this weekend was his memorial and he wanted to be scattered in the Puget Sound! His wife organized a grand send off memorial which was yesterday and then today we boarded a Washington state ferry and they slowed the boat down while she threw his ashes overboard into the water and then the captain blew the horn three times! Jeffery was the 2nd mate and out GO TO guy and he was very patient, kind, caring and compassionate to Bob's wife! He gave her a big hug after she threw Bob's ashes overboard! It was an emotional time and weekend for our family and WSDOT made everyone feel welcome and that our loved one was cared about even though they have never met! It was quite an organized thing and she received a beautiful certificate with Bobs name and the latitude and longitude of where his ashes were released in his earth friendly package! Then we went to lunch at The Crab Pot! It was a beautiful weekend and a beautiful day to hold in our hearts and minds the memory of Bob! We love and miss you Dad! read more

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In March, before COVID-19 Lockdown, I had purchased 5 senior trips on the Seattle/Bainbridge run. Today was my first opportunity to use them and I was told at the ticket booth they had expired! What world has the WSF been living in that they cannot extend expirations as everyone from the IRS to the airlines have done? This is just stupid and insensitive to island dwellers who depend on the ferries. read more

One of the oldest, largest and most widely used in the world, the Washington State Ferry system is a ideal way to travel into Seattle! Since Seattle is surrounded by water and much of downtown is on the waterfront, it is a very practical means of public transportation and passengers are treated to a picturesque view of Seattle, including the Space Needle, Pike Place Fish Market, Safeco Field, and a large extension of the Puget Sound area. The ferry boats are accessible, running frequently and seem to arrive and depart right on time. We rode the Kitsap Ferry Boat , from the Bremerton Terminal to the port of Seattle. The ride was about an hour long and very smooth the whole way, both to and from Seattle. The price to ride the ferry is very reasonable. It costs an adult passenger $6.90 for a one way pass. There was a long wait in line to get on the boat. We learned that the three morning trips are always the busiest. Once on board, I was amazed at how many people they can pack into the boat. There were numerous seats next to the windows or directly across from them. Some chose to remain on the deck of the boat the whole trip. It appeared relatively clean inside the boat. There are a number of restrooms and vending machines and a small cafeteria. It was very foggy this morning and the fog became thicker as we began our route, crossing Puget Sound, to Seattle. The closer we got, however, the visibility got much better. We were treated to a great view of the Seattle skyline and saw large cruise ships moving into the port. Seagulls, in search of food, got very close to the passengers standing out on the dock. They almost seem to be escorting us along for the ride! The fog burned off and the skies cleared up quite nicely by mid-afternoon, as we left the Seattle terminal on our way back to Bremerton. The view of the skyline was even more picturesque and, this time, we could even see Mount Rainier in the distance! It was just gorgeous! As we made our way back to Bremerton, we saw many more scenic viewpoints, including seaport villages of Manchester, Bainbridge Island and Port Orchard along the Puget Sound. So have your camera ready because you will be able to take some amazing pictures if the skies are clear as it was this afternoon. Really the one negative I noticed was that the large crowd of passengers can get quite rowdy. Some were even intoxicated. There were quite a few drunk passengers, some appeared "high" on marijuana or methamphetamine. What I really found troubling was that a majority of them seem to be teenagers. But they did not bother us and the noise seem to level off as passengers settled into their seats for the ride. It did not deter us from enjoying the experience of riding the ferry and we would gladly ride it again on a future visit. So if you are visiting Seattle, riding the ferry should be on the list of things to do! It is a smooth ride, very convenient and reasonably priced. Moreover, you get to experience a unique way, with great accessibility, to enjoy stunning, panoramic views of Puget Sound and the Seattle skyline like no other! read more

Horrible! ALWAYS late and constantly just CANCELLING routes like people don't have lives. I live on an island with no bridge and am completely dependent on them. They have a total disregard for people's lives. They apologize for any inconvenience...it's not an inconvenience, what a joke! Definitely stay off islands with no bridge or you will get stuck. read more

It's nice that they are trying to accommodate people who don't eat meat but $6 for a meatless patty and a bun doesn't seem worth it. They really need to step up their game, I'm disappointed. read more

Washington State Ferries - Ferries Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Ridiculous wait times to get on if you have a car had to wait 1.5 hrs to get on a ferry back from Bainbridge ... Shameful way to run the ferry system. read more

WSF sadly is easily the worst in the country with the Vashon routes. Extremely unreliable, never leave on time when they show up, and every single week , there is a route that has been cancelled because of staffing or broken equipment. When it is the ONLY way to leave the island, and when there is a doctors appt, a flight to catch, or moving your kids back and forth...it's the most frustating and horribly run ferry. Two star because it actually does work somedays. read more

Being a Native in the Bremerton - Kitsap Peninsula Area, your generally going have to tend to rely on Driving to The Tacoma Narrows Bridge or Hopping a ride on the Washington State Ferries to go to any destination. You can Take your Vehicle or Walk on!! The inside of the Ferry is very comfortable and plenty of room also there is a Galley to buy Food and Beverages. Some of the Ferries have Internet Wi-Fi. The Sights of the Sound are Amazing, especially to and from Seattle in the Evening to see the Lighted skyline of the City. Riding the Ferry is on my list of things to do with Visiting Family Members or Friends!!...its nice to see some jaws drop here in there =) The Prices have slightly gone up over the years but with Fuel prices these days who would imagine. Check out the webpage for the WA State Ferries for more Info about Prices, Schedules and Destinations http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/ The Best Cruise for the Bang for your Buck!! I always count on the WA State Ferries =) read more

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The closest thing to riding a ferry was the boat ride from to Pier 39 to Alcatraz Island. The thing is it was a pretty scary trip. The water was choppy and made for a rough ride. When the boat hit a wave or something, the freezing bay area water came over the railing and splashed yours truly. The worst part of the ride was when a seagull swooped down and snatched my twinkie out of mind hand as I was about to take a bite out of it. Man, those birds are vicious. It was not a pleasant experience. So when I learned we were taking a ferry out to Bainbridge, I made sure I had enough Alka-Seltzer to feed a million killer seagulls. I'm only kidding. But does that actually work? Anyway, the ride over to Bainbridge and back was a very enjoyable one. The ferry was big enough so it didn't shake violently during the ride. The main deck had comfy seats and served food and maybe beer. And the observation deck on the second level had a great view of Seattle. The best part was experiencing something the locals would do out here. It's was cool ride and good experience. Oh yeah, no seagulls. read more

This was my second time in Seattle and first time taking the ferry. We took an $8 round trip ride over to Bainbridge and it was a lot of fun that affords great views of the city and space needle. Last time, we shelled out $90 for one of those lunch cruises. Not anymore-- for just $8 dollars you can get the same view and bring on your own food. There is also some okay clam chowder and other food and wine available for purchase. The views are breathtaking. Once on Bainbridge, a short walk will take you to some cafes, shops and restaurants. An hour or two is all that is necessary to devote to walking around the town, and the ferry ride is only about half an hour each way. I plan on going again this trip, hopefully in the evening time to get some great evening shots. Definitely was one of my favorite, most relaxing parts of the trip. I wish Hawaii would create such a ferry system! read more

Washington State Ferries - Night view from the ferry from Bainbridge - Ferries Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Washington State Ferries is a good way to see the view of Seattle. It reminded me of Staten Island Ferry in NYC. Even in summer, it can get really windy and chilly on the deck. I endured the coldness one way to see the sight, but coming back I just stayed inside. The ticket counter lady was very unfriendly and pretty much hated her job and life so that was bit unfortunate. But overall, it is a reasonable way to get to the other side of Washington and take your trip out of Seattle. Unfortunately we didn't have much time so we came back right away without exploring. read more

Took the family on a ferry ride since they had never been. Easily the least expensive thing to do in Seattle. The employees were friendly, the beer on the ferry was cold, kids loved their snacks and the cafeteria. Great views of Seattle from the water and an experience the family will never forget. I'd highly recommend the Ferry Service. read more

Keystone to Port Townsend ranks right up there as one of the most pleasant short voyages anywhere. Twice now my daughter and I have been doing the Titanic thing on the bow (you know, arms outstretched, wind in hair, that bit) and have been thrilled to see porpoises leaping in front of the ferry at great speed, clearly enjoying themselves. One of these days was a sunset crossing, and it was just completely magical. My daughter still asks me if the porpoises are going to jump for us when we're waiting in the line for this boat. :-) Like I can guarantee that! The ferries they use on this run are smaller and older and somehow that makes it even better to me. Sure, it would suck if I lived there and HAD to use this ferry on a regular basis, but for a day trip, it is near-perfect. Washington State Ferries are awesome. I'm still pissed at Tim Eyman and his stupid confusing initiatives which have sucked so much money out of the transportation systems, but I'm glad that the state is not letting the funding issues destroy the ferry system. read more

Washington State Ferries - Ferries Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Every time I've been on the ferry staff have always been kind to me ! Whether it be when paying to get on or waving hello and goodbye ! Very pleasant experience riding Washington State Ferries !! read more

Washington State Ferries - Ferries Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Why are the white male ferry workers always so surly? The other workers are pleasant enough but as a woman of color I feel they always yell and sneer at me for very little reason. I know there's a pandemic and worker shortage but jeez! read more

I live in Seattle and work in Redmond so I can't vouch for the Ferry as a tool for commuting. But for the occasional weekend trip or for a cheap water tour for tourists it can't be beat. I regularly bring my out of town friends on the Bainbridge ferry just so they can get on the water and see the spectacular views. When I was out of work years ago and had days where I felt completely flattened by the job hunt I'd jump on a ferry just to pick up my mood. The food is still pricey but it's gotten better in the last few years. And you've got to love the addition of alchohol. I could see that being a huge perk of commuting(believe me, there are times I'd like to crack open a bottle of Knob Creek while I'm stuck on 520). I prefer the Wenatchee for it's huge upper deck with lots of places to catch some sun or hide from the crowds. read more

I took the ferry from Anacortes to San Juan/Friday Harbor. I was surprised by the cleanliness of the ferry, especially the seating areas and tables. The ride was calm, no worries about seasickness. Bring some snacks with you & enjoy the view! My only tip is to get there early because some of the ferries fill up, especially at peak hours and on the weekends. For the return trip back to Anacortes, we just went ~2 hours early to park our cars in the line for the ferry at Friday Harbor. We left our cars there & grabbed a meal in town, and by the time we returned to our cars, it was time to load onto the ferry. read more

We took the ferry to Bainbridge Island as our version of a cheap cruise while visiting the great city of Seattle. For $7.50 (round trip), you get a nice 30 minute ride on a clean, efficient ferry that always came on time. You also get a awesome view of downtown once it gets going. Lots of Kodak moments, folks. It was quite cold being out there on the waters. Luckily there are great seats both inside and outside. Too bad Bainbridge Island was like the most boring place on earth. We wandered around for about an hour then turned around and took the ferry back to Seattle. The only saving grace about Bainbridge was the little hut right by the ferry terminal that sells the BEST paninis on Earth. NO JOKE!! The Boyfriend and I bought a pastrami panini and a giant chocolate chip cookie to share. We ate on a little bench coming back with the wind blowing the crumbs off our faces and downtown Seattle coming into view. It was quite spectacular. read more

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LOVE this mode of transportation! Even though I live on the so-called Third Coast, we don't have regular public boat transportation. There's a Chicago Water Taxi on the river but it really operates more like a bus (with a set schedule) and it only goes like four places. Boats only go out onto the lake or the river to show tourists around... not ferry them to southern Michigan. I was very happy with the Washington State Ferry. The ticket was pretty inexpensive, there was tons of seating (inside and out), there were drinks and snacks if you needed them, and you can bring your car if you need to. We had fun seeing the sights and just enjoying a nice boat ride. It didn't take too long, nothing was too choppy, and the schedule was such that we didn't really have to wait long for a ferry to take us back. Everything was on time and worked exactly as it should. Definitely recommend even if you don't have any business on one of the islands... just get on, go somewhere new, and enjoy yourself! read more

On June 28th around 1:30pm I spoke with an amazing woman on the phone with Washington State Ferries who very patiently helped me with an alternative route. By accident, I had made a reservation leaving from the city that I was supposed to be arriving in, so would not make that ferry or the next since they were all fully booked. She gave me very detailed instructions about the alternative routes that I could take to get to my destination. She was the kindness soul. I wish there were more people like her in the world. Sorry I didn't get your name, and hung up before I could take the survey. I'm sure your coworkers would know who I'm talking about and hope you see this. Thanks for taking my call that day. read more

If your considering employment that requires a ferry ride, I HIGHLY recommend you don't take the job. This service is disgrace to our beautiful WA State. I pay almost $300 fo 2-3 wks of their unreliable, substandard service. You will not know from one day to the next, what the schedule will be. And if you need the Edmonds/Kingston ferry when they're running one ferry you will be sitting in your car for HOURS!! If you get there really early, you may catch the ferry you need but arriving early ALSO means your sitting in the cold, twiddling your thumbs Especially if you have to do roundtrip. The Covid excuse is old & tired. They have had TWO YEARS of this pandemic to figure things out. Avoid WSF like the plague, (I wish I could) especially the route Kingston Edmonds...it's guaranteed to disappoint. read more

"Slow day" or people didn't show up for work so they decide MID day to change the schedule. Cancelled ferry and now have to wait another 90 minutes for next one with ZERO to do inside this dodgey terminal. No respect for people's time and no apologies. read more

One of the things I really miss most about the Northwest is riding the Ferries! This particular ferry, goes both to Bainbridge Island and Bremerton. When we first moved to Seattle I took the ferry to Bremerton and back just for fun -- I was hooked. As Ferris Bueller once observed: "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." Enjoy the ride! read more

I visit family in Seattle about once a year (I'm from Los Angeles) and my absolute, hands-down favorite thing to do every time is ride the ferries. I consider it my Seattle happy place. I've taken the Bainbridge Ferry several times, including this past trip when I took it by myself! I rented a car and decided that it would be a great way to spend the day. It was absolutely beautiful weather and as always, it was great. Driving on is super easy and I only had to wait about 10 minutes. Once parked on the ferry, it's a quick trip up the stairs to the view deck. Many choose to sit inside, but the real joy for me is outside. Make sure you have a jacket (no matter the weather) because man, it is WINDY there but oh so fun. Inside, there is a cafe with snacks and drinks (wine + beer! woo!) but I usually barely have time for that because I'm too busy staring at the beauty outside. This is the BEST way to see Seattle's gorgeous skyline. If you time it right, you could even make it a sunset cruise. Both the trip there and back are beautiful. Bainbridge is super cute, and if you didn't drive, is a short walk into town with cute little shops and restaurants. If you drove, you can venture further into the island. After a 20 minute beautiful drive, I ended up at Poulsbo, a super cute Scandinavian town. It's right on the water with a boat harbor. There's a lovely little park with benches so I got a sandwich from a coffee shop and had a relaxing picnic by the water. So great! read more

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We took the ferry to spend the day at Bainbridge Island. And wow, it is bigger inside than expected, with its own small cafeteria, wide leather chairs, and vending machines. The trip to the island was about half an hour, but what fascinated me the most was how cyclists and cars just loaded onto the lower level of the ferry, sat in their vehicles for the ride over, and when we docked, just drove right off to carry on with their commute. read more

We showed up Friday before noon and we're told we would probably make the 4:15 ferry. I'm from out of state, but I thought this is what this area specialized in? The staff said "it's Friday and school just got out." I camped next door and it made me wonder why the ferries didn't start earlier than approximately 10:30 that morning if they knew volume would be high? Not a "cool northwest experience" by any stretch of the imagination. Just a long wait to pay for a ride. Would never trust this system without a reservation. read more

My family and I had a great experience on the ferry from Seattle to Bainbridge Island! The staff we encountered were all very nice and helpful, and there were multiple options of seating indoors and out, so everyone could find somewhere to sit. About half way, the captain announced that a pod of orcas were swimming at the front of the boat so we had to practically come to a stop until they swam away. It was awesome though! People pay a lot of people to go on whale watching tours, and we got to see orcas on a commuter trip! read more

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