StLouisvacationer52
Jul 2015
We vacationed in Seattle for 1 week, but knowing how close were were to the San Juan Islands, we booked a seaplane for a day trip to take the Whale Watching Tour.
A huge shout-out to Joan and Amanda, who were working the booth on the Friday Harbor dock. Joan was so welcoming and friendly. She told us exactly what time and where to meet, and offered to hold our jackets and a purchase we made for a few hours before the cruise, so we could explore Friday Harbor without lugging them around (it was a hot day!) While we were shopping and having lunch (at the Blue Water Grill - delish), we received a call from Kenmore Air letting us know that our seaplane had a mechanical problem and we would be rescheduled on a wheel-plane for our return flight to Seattle. Kenmore told us we just needed to make our way to the airport (a rep told us we could make the short walk, which we later learned was a good 2 miles, and hilly, at that!). It was all so convoluted and confusing, but Joan had the back number to Kenmore, and then Amanda took over and straightened out the whole mess - there would be a shuttle van at the harbor to pick us up and deliver us to the airport. There were a lot of back and forth calls and miscommunication, making us fear that we might get left behind. These 2 gals SAVED THE DAY - huge thanks to Joan and Amanda! You rock!
The Whale Watching Tour: Captain Mike and Naturalists Mike and Rachel were awesome (yes, 2 Mike's.) They provided a lot of interesting information throughout the trip, and were available for questions at all times. Comfortable boat with plenty of room to get rail-side for viewing without crowding, bathroom on board, and they passed out blankets when it got chilly on board (bring your jacket - it DOES get cool and windy on the water, even on a sunny warm day!)
We saw 2 pods, but I have to say they were at quite a distance. Remember, this company practices "respectful" wildlife viewing (that's a good thing), so unless you're extremely lucky, don't expect the brochure pictures of whales up close. I took over 100 pics with my camera and even with the zoom and cropping, they are small and far off. What you will hear and experience, however, is the majestic "snorting" sound they make when surfacing that carries through the wind right to you. That alone was worth the trip! Really cool. We also saw an eagle's nest, then later an eagle in another tree. A few people saw some seals, but we were on the wrong side of the boat, and by the time we ran to the other side, they were also at a distance and barely visible, camouflaged by the rocks. While our photo ops on this particular trip were limited, I would do it again! Wildlife viewing can never be guaranteed, and we had a wonderful time. San Juan Safari's - class act and good job!
BTW, Friday Harbor was so picturesque, so clean and charming with friendly locals - a lovely place with a gorgeous harbor, especially if you happen to be a boater (we wish!) We want to live there!