Frequently Asked Questions

Vessel Accessibility

Due to Coast Guard requirements such as raised threshold on all doorways, we are not handicap accessible. That said, we have helped many folks pre-board to make it work with their families. Some mobility is required or the ability for someone in your group to assist or carry the person on-board. For instances like this we can use your foldable wheelchair down to the dock and then the guest would have either walk up our boarding ramp or be assisted/carried into the cabin. There are many windows throughout the cabin and our captains work hard at positioning the boat on his/her side so that they can see the wildlife from their seat. If you have a guest that falls into this category, please contact the office ahead of time so that we may arrange pre-boarding for your family.

Our Whale Watch Guarantee

The Salish Sea is home to an astonishing variety of whales, including orcas, humpbacks, gray whales, and minke whales. With thousands of departures over 40 years, our local knowledge is unmatched. As a result, our success rate is the best in the industry. If you don’t see whales on your whale watching tour, we will gladly give you a voucher for a cruise on a later date – no questions, no hassles, no expiration. Guarantee is not valid for split trips, specific whale species, or cash back.

Service Animals and Pets

Pets of any kind are not allowed on our vessels, including emotional support animals. The American Disabilities Act (ADA) defines a service animal as any guide dog, signal dog, or another dog individually trained to work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability, who if asked, must be able to describe the specific task performed or work done by the animal. The work done or tasks performed by the service animal must be directly related to the handler’s disability. If you have a service animal, please call our office at 360-385-5288 when making your reservation.

What camera or lens should I bring?

The renowned National Geographic photographer Sam Abell used to answer this type of question by saying (as others did as well) the secret to great captures in the real world is nothing more than “f/8 and be there.”

It’s a little more complicated with wildlife photography, but not much! Folks take amazing photos on our trips using a wide range of equipment.

The most important consideration in terms of camera gear is familiarity. Bring what you know how to use or are comfortable using. We say this because whale watching can involve periods of waiting…and then suddenly you have to leap into action to capture whale behaviors at the surface. Nature is unpredictable, and we don’t want you to miss photographing something due to equipment issues.

For cameras, you will get better photos with higher-end equipment, of course. That said, almost any modern digital camera – DSLR, mirrorless, point-and-shoot, or newer phones – can produce excellent photos. If your camera body has built-in image stabilization, that is helpful, as we are shooting from water, and the boat can also produce vibration.

For lenses, the key consideration is that for the benefit of these wild animals, we stay anywhere from 100-400 meters away (depending on the species). If our engines are off, whales can approach more closely than that. The bulk of our encounters take place in that 100-400m range, but variable zoom lenses are handy if whales approach the boat. Folks using long lenses sometimes switch to phones at that point. If you are using an external lens, anything from 200-400mm should be plenty, but if you have experience with longer lenses those are fine. You will want those longer lenses to be image-stabilized if possible. Bringing a monopod might also help to stablize you.

Please do not bring tripods, as they take up too much space.