Wildlife of San Juan Island Photography Tour

Posted by: Diana McPherson

This 3-night, 2.5-day tour will provide numerous photo opportunities for orcas, gray whales, bald eagles, seals, foxes, and more. We'll venture out into the Salish Sea by sailboat. Why a sailboat? It provides a much closer and intimate experience with nature and it's really fun.

Itinerary:
Thursday: Arrive Friday Harbor afternoon/evening by ferry or plane. Pick up dinner on your way to the Lake House where we'll get to know each other better by the fire pit and review photography tips for photographing on a boat.

Friday: After we've grabbed breakfast in town or on our own, we'll set sail with Capt. Dave for a full day of viewing and photographing a variety of wildlife around San Juan Island. Lunch is included. The sailing route will depend on the weather.
Grab dinner on your own at a restaurant or bring it back to enjoy by the fire pit overlooking the lake.

Saturday: After breakfast, we'll head over to the Whale Museum to begin a presentation on Marine Mammal Acoustics. The presentation will continue at Lime Kiln Lighthouse (a.k.a. Whale Watch Park) where we can listen for orcas and other marine mammals that may be in the area and get a tour of the lighthouse. We’ll enjoy some lunch while we watch for whales and orcas from the rugged shoreline overlooking Haro Strait. There are also hiking trails with brilliant red Madrona trees.


Grab dinner on your own at a restaurant or bring it back to enjoy by the fire pit overlooking the lake.

Sunday: We’ll head out early to the south end of the island to photograph the red foxes for 2-3 hours. There will be time to return to the lake house to finish packing and check out at 11. We’ll then return to Friday Harbor for lunch on our own and your afternoon/evening ferry/flight.

Depending on your return ferry/flight time, you should have some time to explore the local shops.