We did two trips with these folks on our recent trip to Orcas- a whale watch and the Sucia kayaking (full day) trip. Both of the trips themselves were great, no complaints and plenty of fun to be had. We saw whales on the trip and the boat wasn't crowded, which was awesome. Kayaking was fun- saw harbor seals, eagles, otter, etc.They are very knowledgeable and it was a good experience, overall. The way things were managed however, was less commendable. First, beware of the check in process which is a zoo- there are people everywhere throwing elbows to check in and one guy behind the deck who is completely stressed out trying to get everyone's information and get you on your way. Meanwhile the phone is ringing and he's trying to deal with people on the phone. We accidentally overpaid when we booked the trip. Upon my phone call one month before we went, they told me we could straighten it out when we got there, but because of the chaos for check in, they suggested we come back after the trip. When we came back afterward, the next boat was checking in and the chaos was even worse than when we left. We skipped it, thinking when we came back for the Sucia Kayaking trip, we'd iron it out then. Same thing the next day, so we ended up not tipping and hoping they'd pass along our overpayment to the guides. The whole thing was run very unprofessionally and left a bad taste in our mouth. The main guy who runs the place is always on his cell phone and seems to always be arguing (although not aggressively) with someone about problems. Lastly, the one of the kayaking guides was using some foul language (as normal conversation- not in anger), and there were children close by. I found this to be very unprofessional and a bad reflection on the company. If you can handle the chaos of the management, the trips are worth it and the price is right- especially if you go through Travelzoo. Arrive early for the check in, if possible.
TIPS:
If you are going on the Sucia kayaking trip be aware that they don't give you a check list or too much detail about your trip before you go. Here is what we wished we'd known! 1) Lunch is NOT provided. Bring your own. 2) Be aware that you may need to carry a tandem kayak very far at low tide through muddy tidal flats. I ended up going barefoot because my flipflops got stuck in the mud. I cut my foot on a shell or a sharp object. Wish I'd known to bring watershoes! 3) Be in good shape. If you can't carry a kayak, the guides may do it for you, but we didn't see them doing this. Also, be aware that you'll be paddling about 9 miles around the entire island and it's a very long day. There is a light current in some places and you have to power through it, which isn't a biggie, but is tiring. Getting in and out requires flexibility and you have to be able to bend your knees tightly and flex your hips a bit. Anyone who is on the fence or has any physical challenges had best sit this one out. 4) There are several stops along the way at coves where you can snack, each lunch or reapply sunscreen. 5) Dry bags are provided and they are large enough to fit a DSLR camera or a large backpack. 6)The kayaks are very stable and not tippy, which is a bonus because that water is COLD! 7) The trips generally get back around 4pm, but it depends on how they decide to use their shuttle boats. After our trip, they brought one boat to shore which could only bring back 6 people, so the rest of us waited on Sucia for about an hour, until it came back to pick us up. We were never informed that we'd be waiting and hanging around for an hour after the trip and they seemed completely disorganized about what boat was taking whom and what the situation was to get us all back to Sucia. Oddly enough, the boat captain was also the guy who was always on the phone dealing with problems. It was strange to see him out of the office as a captain- even then he had his cell phone glued to his ear until we left the harbor, and then again as we arrived back at Orcas. We ended up getting back closer to 5pm that day. If you have plans later that evening, make sure you don't schedule yourself too early.
Hopefully this post will help you in your planning and give you some information that might be relevant should you decide to go with Outer Island Expeditions.