Gray Whale Tours from Everett Marina
2.5 - 3 hour tours March 6 – May 7, 2010

Our Gray whale tours from Everett are very convenient and affordable for our guests. We are just 30 minutes from downtown Seattle and getting to us is a snap. These tours are only available for a limited time of the year so be sure and take advantage of this unique opportunity! Most companies don't run tours this early in the season and a lot of private boaters are still hibernating - this makes for a wonderful experience for our guests as we're often the only boat on the water.

A Unique Opportunity to See Gray Whales

Although we are headquartered in Anacortes and run our peak season trips from here in the summer months, we are passionate about whale watching and this means that we exhibit a seasonal migration, just like the whales. In the spring time the greatest whale watching opportunities in Washington State are in the protected waters near Everett in Saratoga Passage. We relocate our vessel, the Island Explorer 3, down to the Everett Marina during March and April to take our guests out to see the migrating Gray Whales. Over 20,000 of these gentle giants will migrate from Baja Mexico to Alaska each year, some of them stopping to feed in the biologically rich areas near Everett along the way.

Our Vessel

These early spring tours provide a unique opportunity to experience Gray Whales in the calm, comfortable, and protected waters of Puget Sound rather than out in the swells of the open ocean. Our guaranteed 2.5 - 3 hour trips provide plenty of opportunity for a variety of wildlife sightings and maximum whale viewing time, as the Gray’s are typically feeding very close by. You may be surprised to learn that each whale has unique markings that identify them. Working with Cascadia Research Group, our naturalists will help you ID the individual animals that have returned to Saratoga Passage every Spring. Our favorite is Patch (#49) because he is often curious around the boat and likes to breach!

Departing from the Snohomish River Delta we have the opportunity to see unique species, many of which are different than those in the San Juan Islands. One of the most entertaining creatures (seen on nearly every tour) is the California Sea Lion. These animals are branded or tagged and tracked by National Marine Fisheries Service; we often call in sightings to NMFS, adding to their database of the sea lions current location. Some interesting species of birds commonly sighted include mergansers, Barrow’s golden eyes, and osprey (last year we watched an osprey build an entire nest from start to finish!). We also commonly see harbor seals, bald eagles, and a variety of diving seabirds.

Free with each tour…

With each tour you’ll receive:

• a FREE Wildlife Viewing Guide
• FREE use of our binoculars onboard

Take a look to see what food, drinks and amenities we have available on board.