Choosing a Whale Watching Tour Company in Washington

Choosing a whale watching tour company in the San Juan Islands can be a daunting task. With over 170 islands making up the group of islands off of the coast of Washington state in the Pacific Northwest, the number of whale watching companies located in the region is overwhelming. Close to 100 Orca whales make their year-round home in the San Juan Islands Refuge, making the area an ideal spot for a whale watching excursion. Use the helpful hints below to make choosing a whale watching tour easier.

Knowing where the tours are located is an important part of deciding which whale watching tour company to book an expedition with. San Juan Island and its sister island, Orca Island, are the two main points for boarding whale watching tour boats. Hotels, bed and breakfasts and rental homes are readily available on the two islands for tourists and kayakers wanting to go on whale watching excursions. Being close to the whale watching boat dock will make for a less stressful trip.

The Orca whales who make their home in the San Juan Islands Refuge are most visible from early spring through early fall. Most whale watching tour companies offer expeditions from April through September, however, some offer tours beginning in late March and last until November. Although off-peak opportunities to whale watch are limited, they are available with some investigation into the companies available. Time of day that the excursions are run and the duration of each whale watching trip can usually be found on a company’s Website.

If a personal experience discovering the beauty of the San Juan Islands is the goal, consider whale watching from a small boat. Small boats offer fewer passengers, greater speed and the ability to maneuver where larger boats cannot go. While larger boats tend to see the same Killer and Orca whales that smaller boats see, the experience is vastly different. The lack of crowds and the addition of personal interaction from a knowledgeable captain make whale watching from a small boat a highly desirable experience.

Each family or couple has certain non-negotiable things that they want to experience during their whale watching trip in the San Juan Islands. By doing some homework and asking for the opinions of local Bed & Breakfast or hotel owners, making the decision about which whale watching tour company to book an expedition with will be made easier. A whale watching trip can the be adventure of lifetime, so be sure to enjoy the chosen tour and take plenty of pictures.

Find out more about whale watching in the San Juan Islands, the Pacific Northwest’s premier whale watching location, visit Carli Whale Watch.

Water Island – Tropical Paradise

Peaceful days. Starry romantic nights. Palm tree lined sandy beaches. This has to be paradise!

Water Island is the fourth and smallest main island of the U.S. Virgin Islands, or, the last virgin. At a mere 491 acres Water Island has the look and feel of a private island. With a summertime population of about 100 people and a wintertime population of approximately 200 people, you never get the feeling of being crowded.

A traffic jam consists of two or three golf carts being on the road at the same time. The roads are not in great shape and are only about 12 feet wide. That is why golf carts are the main mode of transportation.

Many visitors to Water Island say that the main attraction, Honeymoon Beach, is the best beach they have visited in the Caribbean. No wave action, great for snorkeling and crystal clear waters. The beach is lined with a row of Palm trees that complete the tropical setting. It is common to have the beach all to yourself. It is very rare when there are more than a handful of people on the beach.

If you are looking for a place to stay on Water Island some of the homeowners rent their homes out when they are off island. Colorful Bananaquit birds, or also known locally as “Sugar Birds”, Iguamas and gorgeous Hibiscus and Bouganvilla complete the tropical setting.You can quickly see why first time visitors fall in love with the island and return every year.

If you are looking for a lot of tourist shops and fancy restaurants you will not find them on Water Island. There is a little bit of commerce, a lunch wagon on the beach every day and on Saturday nights, a quaint little beach bar serving up libations and a small restaurant that is sometimes open. If you want supplies you have to transport them from St. Thomas.

Transportation to and from the island is by either private boat or the regularly scheduled small ferry. If larger items, such as cars and appliances have to be brought over, barge service is available.

If you are looking for Real Estate on Water Island the pickings are slim but there are always several houses and lots of land for sale. When a property goes on the market it is usually snatched up fairly quickly.

The island remains largely uncommercialized and is maintained by members of the Water Island Civic Association (WICA) and residents along with intermittent assistance from the Virgin Islands’ government.

Water Island was used by the U.S. Government in the 1940s when they partially constructed an underground fort, Fort Segarra, as part of the U.S. defenses during WWII. The site sits abandoned today but many visitors climb the steps of the lookout post to enjoy the panoramic view of the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean.

Administrative control of Water Island was turned over from the federal government to the territorial government on December 12, 1996, making Water Island the “Last Virgin”. In following years the Department of Interior started transferring land, for a price of course, to the long-time residential leaseholders.