After a lot of research online, I selected Eclipse Island Charters based on the stellar reviews, and it turns out they were well deserved! The whale watching excursion was the main part of my wife's surprise 30th birthday trip from Tampa to the Northwest to hopefully see orca whales, her favorite animal. I booked two back to back days, one of them using Groupon (they are on there quite a bit from what I've found at 50% off), and I was very glad for booking the two days. We got there the first day and was told that there was a humpback in the are, which are quite larger than orcas and apparently more rare in the area and that the orca were all out to sea, well out of the boats range. Captain Dan took us out in the Orcas Express, which compared to all the other whale watching boats we saw around the humpback, was the best (heated interior, indoor seating, an upstairs for viewing, and fairly fast). We went out and spent quite a bit of time watching the humpback surface and even breach out of the water. Next he took us to see a really active minke whale that was feeding on a school of fish (I think), and then harbor seals and bald eagle nesting spots.
It was pretty great, but we were really praying that the orcas would be back in the area the next day. Knowing that they had been out of the area for the past 6 days, I didn't have much hopes, but my wife kept the faith. We arrived the next day and Captain Dan excitedly told everyone that the orcas had been spotted coming in east of Victoria, but were fighting the current, which was slowing them down. Captain Dan had the option of staying nearby and showing everyone seals, bald eagles, and minke whales, but I think in part of seeing us there, and knowing that we had traveled from Tampa just to see the orcas for my wife's 30th birthday, he made the decision to book it past the normally daily limits of his tour range so that we could hopefully see the orcas. He's the best!
We spent about 90 minutes going at full speed over open water just to get there, but we saw the orcas! My wife cried at the sight out of happiness and even though we only got about 20 minutes with them, it was worth every penny I had spent on getting her there. Captain Dan does a great job of getting as close as he is legally allowed to be to the whales and his crew does an fantastic job of telling the people about the whales and can even tell you the names of lineage of each whale based on their unique fins. Captain Dan says they usually get a full hour or more with the whales when they are close to Orcas Island, which would have been great, and we plan on making another trip one day to find see that.
I can't recommend Orcas Island Eclipse Charters enough. The boat is great, the crew is great, and Captain Dan is the best. Be sure to spend some time in the wheelhouse with him while traveling on the boat. He loves the area and loves sharing his decades of knowledge about it with anyone who listens. Also, be sure to look on Groupon for them to save some money, but even if you can't get one, they are worth whatever they charge :)