Outer Island Excursions offers whale watching and fishing as well as private charters from Anacortes, WA on the Blackfish fleet: truly the fastest tour vessels in the region! Anacortes is a short drive from Birch Bay and Bellingham and is about an hour and half north of Seattle. We offer daily scheduled Whale Watching trips from Anacortes from May to October. We also offer Fishing Charters and Private Charters year round.

See Whales Or Come Again For Free! 

OUR WHALE SIGHTING GUARANTEE

Guaranteed Whale Watching Trip

Our Afternoon trip takes you out for a 3 to 4 hour tour watching whales and wildlife. We head out into the San Juan and Canadian Gulf Islands to search for Orca, Humpback, Gray, and Minke whales. We’ll go wherever whales are sighted. We also see many other varieties of wildlife including porpoises, seals, sea lions, sea birds, otters and so much more!

Spring: March 1st – May 24th
1pm 

Summer: May 25th – September 3rd
Two departures a Day
11am & 3pm 

Fall: September 4th – October 1st
1pm 

Rates:

Adult… $109
Senior 65+… $99
Youth under 17… $89
Child under 12… $69
Infants under 2 are free with a full price adult ticket
Youths and Children must be accompanied by a paying adult.

PRIVATE CHARTERS

Want to have your own personalized experience? Customize your trip with whale watching, fishing, island hopping, lighthouse tours, birdwatching, fine dining, or a combination of activities. Learn more here…

No Ferry required! On the mainland in Anacortes we meet at 2201 Skyline Way in Skyline Marina just past the Skyline Marine Center. Parking is available any where along the street for free or in paid parking lots across the street. Meet your Captain at the truck painted with Orca Whale murals and a conspicuous sign.

Outer Island Excursions can start your charter from anywhere in the region including Lopez, San Juan, Shaw, Blakely, Lummi Island, Anacortes, Bellingham and most anywhere else you might be in the San Juan Islands. Please check our location pages for more information for your area.

We offer daily scheduled Whale Watching Tours from Skyline Marina, Anacortes, WA near Birch Bay and Bellingham. We head out from May to September in search of Orcas Whales, Humpback Whales, Minke Whales, and Gray Whales. We spot whales on over 95% of our trips. The best sightings for Orca are in June, July, August and September. Humpbacks and minkes are possible spring, summer, and fall and Grays are possible in the spring and fall. We also frequently encounter sea lions, seals, porpoises, eagles, otters and sea birds. Our boats are the fastest whale watching boats leaving from the mainland and we can accomplish more in 3 to 4 hours than what the big slow boats can do in 6 to 7 hours. We see whales more often than the bigger boats and once we find the whales we can get closer to them and stay longer. You will get plenty of one on one attention from the captain and our trained naturalists because there is never more than 30 passengers aboard our boats. Our primary vessel docked in Anacortes is the Blackfish II, custom built for whale and wildlife viewing with a heated cabin, top deck, and restrooms. Our boats are also equipped with hydrophones so we can listen to the whales after we find them. Tours last between 3 to 4 hours. Combination Whale Watch and Fishing Trips are available for your private group. Hourly rates apply; see the private charter section below or call for details.

Please arrive and Check In 30 minutes before your departure time. For directions and other locations consult our location/map page.

CHARTER FISHING

Bring your kids bottom fishing for crab, lingcod, kelp greenling, halibut, and more or patiently seek Salmon- Kings, Silvers, Pinks, and more await beneath the surface. Learn more here…

PRIVATE CHARTERS

Customize your experience with whale watching, fishing, island hopping, lighthouse tours, birdwatching, fine dining, or a combination of activities. Learn more here…

WATER TAXI

Want to explore islands where the State Ferries don’t go? Get off the beaten path anywhere in the San Juans with a water taxi. Even land on a remote beach! Learn more here…