Half-Day Kayak Tour San Juan Island: Chance to kayak with Orca Whales!

Name: Sea Quest Kayak Tours
Price range: $

WHY CHOOSE SEA QUEST FOR YOUR HALF-DAY KAYAKING TRIP ON SAN JUAN ISLAND

Best prices for kayak tours on San Juan Island – near Seattle, Washington.
Our routes are the best places in the US for kayaking with killer whales!
All routes visit either a National Wildlife Refuge, National Historical Park or State Park.
Two kayak tour times: morning and sunset departures available.
The longest history of operating kayak day tours on San Juan Island – since 1989. A perfect safety record thanks to expert guides with extensive safety training & professional experience.
Unlike others, we provide new high-performance kayaks on our day tours. Our easy to paddle kayaks are perfectly maintained and modern. The best sea kayaking equipment in the San Juans!

Ready to Start Your Adventure?

Half-day morning and sunset kayak tours are the perfect choice for time limited kayak enthusiasts! In a short amount of time, you can still fully experience sea kayaking in the San Juan Islands. Half day kayak trips also work well for beginners or first time kayakers. If you aren’t sure if you will enjoy sea kayaking, come get a brief first taste of the sport! Join one of our half-day kayak tours. The only requirement is a healthy sense of adventure!

Kayak Tour Half-Day Routes!

The east side route is a the best location for Bigg’s killer whales close to Friday Harbor.

There are huge seal populations in the area which provide food for the orca whales.

Both the west and south side routes take you to the best salmon orca whale watching waters in the United States.

Our local salmon orcas follow a pattern that loops back and forth between the two sites.

If your main goal is to see orca whales, we recommend the afternoon kayaking tour or multi-day trips.

Route Selection: Half-Day Kayak Tour From San Juan Island

You may explore either the east, south, or west side of the island. We choose the best route for you based on recent whale reports, weather forecasts and wildlife sightings. All half-day kayak trip routes are scenic and visit parks and refuges home to diverse marine life.

Orca Whale Sighting Information

Time of day is not important to killer whales. However, the total time spent in orca whale habitat is important. Our statistics show that your chances of a killer whale watching experience are twice as good on the longer afternoon (6-hr) kayak trip. If you only have time for a half-day kayak tour you should consider these stats to set realistic expectations. From 2005 to 2018 we found orca whales on close to 20% of the 3-hour kayak tours during the peak months of June through September. The entire whale watching season runs from April through October and our sightings were about half that rate in the shoulder months.

There Are Two Species Of Killer Whales In The San Juan Islands.

Bigg’s killer whales hunt marine mammals. They are thriving and number over 400 in our area.

Salmon orcas are endangered. They struggle every day to find enough salmon to eat.

Most of our historic encounters on half-day kayak tours have been with the friendlier salmon orcas. Bigg’s killer whales travel in small, quiet stealthy pods and are harder to locate. Due to the mismanagement of our salmon spawning rivers, we can no longer count on salmon orcas to be as frequent as they once were.

Our Experience As Local Guides And Prime Location Still Afford You The Best Chance Of Seeing Orcas Whales In The USA

Please read our Whale Watching Info page for important details.

Please note: Orca whales may be absent during your kayak trip. Killer whales may move quickly out of range, or alter their normal patterns. Weather and waves may interfere with whale watching success and may force us to alter our normal routes to prioritize safety.

Reviews

Trip Details For The Half-Day Kayak Tour From San Juan Island

Schedule: Morning Kayak Tours offered daily; Sunset Kayak Tours only available from spring to early fall
Trip Fee: $109 per person plus 8.3% state tax & $10 government launch fee. On rare dates, the fee is $129 due to limited resources, and this will be noted in the online reservation system.
Meeting Place: Friday Harbor, San Juan Island. Look for our van and kayak trailer in the traffic circle. The circles is near the Friday Harbor Ferry Terminal.
Meeting Time: Half-day San Juan Island kayak trips usually begin at 8:00am and 5:00pm. On some days these times may be altered slightly. However, our online reservation system will indicate altered times if you specify a date. If the times don’t work for you, ask us about a custom start time!
Finish Time & Place: Friday Harbor Ferry Terminal; 11:00am for the morning tour and 9:00pm for the sunset tour.
Total Time: Approximately 3 hours from meeting your guides to finish. Be aware that whales, winds or currents can occasionally delay half-day kayak tours! But there will always be plenty of time to catch one of several departing ferries if you are planning to leave the island.

Duration

3 hours

Group Size

All Group Sizes

Age Range

All Ages

Activity level

Beginner Friendly

Starting From

$109

DEPARTURES

8:00am, 5:00pm

Every Day

LOCATION

San Juan Islands, WA

Rated 4.6 / 5 (754 Reviews)

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need any experience to kayak in the San Juan Islands?

Beginners can absolutely join our half day kayak tours. Kayaking in the San Juan Islands is safest with a expert sea kayak guide! Sea Quest Kayak Tours provided all the expert instruction and equipment you need to have a comfortable and safe experience.

Do I need to worry about capsizing on a sea kayak tour?

There is very little need to be concerned about capsizing during a sea kayak tour. The odds of a capsize occurring on a guided trip sea kayaking trip are extremely low and we constantly monitor conditions so we are always paddling in the safest routes.

Will I be tired after my half day sea kayaking tour in the san juan islands?

We make an effort to choose calmer and less aggressive routes for our half day kayak trips because we promote our tours for people of all abilities and all ages. It is possible that you may experience some fatigue during your kayak tour.

Gear List

We provide the following:

Sea kayaks, all related sea kayaking trip gear, safety equipment, transportation to and from Friday Harbor and the launch beach, instruction and expert guides.

What you need to bring:

Suitable clothing and footwear for the beach, water bottle, hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen. Bring a warm sweater and rain jacket if windy or rainy. Click prepare for a San Juan Islands kayak tour for some tips.

Maps & Routes

Click on this map to open a full-size map in PDF format that you can save, zoom, or print!

The shaded zones are the primary orca whale watching and wildlife areas. Different colors represent the two species of Orca

East Side Route Features A Huge Seal Population

These seals make it the best route for Bigg’s killer whales. The route is also often great for otters and the greatest variety of sea birds. Other whale species and porpoises both occur here. It is the most protected route and our choice during stormy days. It is uncommon when winds make routes unsafe for sea kayaking. However, the east route is often the safest route during these days. Families or groups of friends that have very limited time often request private kayak trips on the east side route. This is because the beach is just a few minutes from Friday Harbor. The east route greatly reduces shuttle time.

West Side Route If Salmon Orca Pods Are Confirmed In Haro Strait

It features some of the best whale watching waters in the United States! When whales aren’t present we typically see a few seals and some marine birds. There is also an active bald eagle nest and often porpoises.

South Side Route Explores Some Of The Best USA Whale-watching Waters

Minke whales and both types of orcas hunt there. The shallow Salmon Bank just offshore is where prey concentrates. Like the east side, it is excellent for seals! A great variety of marine birds live on the south side too. And the vista is spectacular! The south side is very exposed to wind and waves and is often unsuitable for beginners. If we believe whales are there during your tour, we may paddle the south side route. However, the weather must be cooperative. Groups and families often request private trips at this location.

Please note: The San Juan Islands can experience extreme winds or currents even in summer. This can occasionally cause us to alter half-day kayak tour routes if safety demands it. Nevertheless, we will always be able to view the orca whale-watching waters from the kayaks, shore, or both.

Please Note:

The San Juan Islands can experience extreme winds or currents even in summer. This can occasionally cause us to alter half-day kayak tour routes if safety demands it. Nevertheless, we will always be able to view the orca whale-watching waters, from the kayaks, shore, or both.