Was lucky enough to experience both the all day Kayak Tour of Sucia Island and the Sunset Whale Watching tour. Both were wonderful. Benson, our naturalist/tour guide was very knowledgeable and fun to be with. One of the reasons we chose Outer Island Expeditions was that they have knowledgeable guides who really care about the environment and use these experiences to not only provide a great time, but to also teach about the importance of protecting the fragile eco-system of the San Juan’s. You could really see how Benson loves what he does and loves the area in which he works and how much he cares about the environment.
All Day Kayak 8/3/15 Tour-Not only included being on the water and seeing Harbor seals, Bald Eagles and beautiful sea life, but Benson also took us on a small hike on part of the island that provided us with beautiful views and introduced us to local plants and trees along the way. Even got to taste some wild berries!
Plenty of rest stops along the way, so even though we kayaked around 8 miles, we had lots of breaks in between paddling.
Sunset Whale Watch 8/4/15-So much fun! We saw a group of around 8 transient Orcas! Again, what I really appreciated about Outer Island Expeditions and our guides, which just happened to include Benson, was that they respected the whales and gave them plenty of space. We were about 100 yards or so away, but it was still thrilling to see.
The boat was clean, fast and we were even provided with jackets. Dress for warm & cold, as the ride back can get a little chilly. We were encouraged to bring a sack dinner & drinks, so we enjoyed toasting our incredible guides after with a cold one.
Always be prepared to tip your guides. They deserve it!
I will definitely be back someday and when I do, I’ll reserve another great experience with them!