PWWA Members

The PWWA has 30 member companies conveniently located throughout Washington state and British Columbia. PWWA companies vary when it comes to vessel type, departure schedule, and tour length. Take a moment to browse our membership and see which PWWA company is the best fit for you.

ALL ABOARD SAILING

Friday Harbor, WA

Founded in 2012, All Aboard Sailing is a family business operated by captain David Howitt, co-captain and naturalist Barbara, and their youngest crewmember, daughter Skye.

David began his whale career along the rugged coastline of Cornwall, England crewing for Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. He then spent a decade maintaining Orcalab’s hydrophone network in Johnstone Strait, BC. After a few years skippering for a local whale watch company, he purchased “Peniel”, a 42-foot classic yellow cedar on oak pilot house sloop, designed by Bill Garden and built in Seattle by the Prothero Brothers in 1956.

Barbara joined in 2015 after four years at the Center for Whale Research. She brought with her an intense passion for wildlife and an acute eye and memory that make her excellent at whale identification. One-year-old Skye was practically born on the boat and is already a budding naturalist in training, adept at pointing at animals and making guests smile.

Peniel is the only sailing ship in the PWWA. A different route is chosen each day based on current, winds, and best chances for wildlife. With a maximum of just six passengers, guests are ensured a personalized and relaxed adventure – and will even have a chance to take the helm!

BC Whale Tours

Victoria, BC

Our whale watching tours are located off the southern coast of Victoria, British Columbia on Vancouver Island. We view transient orca pods, migrating humpback whales, grey whales, and other marine mammals the reside in our coastal waters. Our company utilizes state-of-the-art, custom designed, locally built vessels that are leading in the industry for safety and eco-friendly standards. Our boats are also the fastest among the Victoria whale watching fleet with a tour range almost double the distance of our competitors which optimizes your chances for wildlife viewing.

With 600-700 hp powering our vessels, BC Whale Tours offers guests one of the longest ranges for whale watching tours in all of the Victoria whale watching industry. We find the whales wherever they are! We offer indoor and outdoor seating options, no crowds, private washrooms and a knowledgeable crew consisting of marine biologists and naturalists, BC Whale Tours is the company that caters to everyone!

DECEPTION PASS TOURS

Anacortes, WA

Enjoy the thrill of a fast jet boat ride through scenic Deception Pass, one of the most photographed attractions in all of Washington State, on your way to see whales and other wildlife in the Salish Sea. Sightings of orcas, humpback whales, minke whales, and gray whales are all possible aboard the catamaran Island Whaler in the spring and summer months.

In addition to their 2.5-3 hour whale watch excursions, Deception Pass Tours also offers 1.5-2 hour trips to nearby Minor Island Aquatic Reserve, a hotspot for several marine mammal and bird species, and exhilarating 1-hour adventures under Deception Pass Bridge.

DEER HARBOR CHARTERS

Deer Harbor, WA

Deer Harbor Charters has been offering whale watching and marine wildlife tours in the San Juan Islands for more than three decades. Captain and naturalist Tom Averna established Deer Harbor Charters in 1988, making it one of the longest operating whale watching businesses in the San Juan Islands. We were one of the founding members of the Pacific Whale Watch Association, and are the only whale and wildlife tour company leaving from Rosario Resort and Deer Harbor Marina on Orcas Island. Bring the family and join us for a cruise through the San Juan Islands. Our skilled and experienced naturalists give lessons on marine wildlife and local history while we cruise through protected waters in search of orcas, humpbacks, minke whales, and gray whales. Along the way we’ll also look for bald eagles, seals, and porpoises. Bird watchers will delight in the numerous species of seabirds we encounter.

Eagle Wing TourS

Victoria, BC

Eagle Wing Tours is an award-winning Victoria-based ecotourism company that has been offering year-round whale and wildlife watching adventures since 1997. We are at heart a conservation organization that happens to run whale watching tours. Our mission is to protect marine wildlife and the ocean environment through direct support of conservation and research activities; to build ocean awareness through our tours, education and outreach programs; and to promote environmental stewardship through industry-leading sustainability initiatives. We’re a long-time member of 1% for the Planet. We’re Canada’s first and only third-party verified 100% carbon neutral whale watching company. We’re certified Platinum with Sustainable Tourism 2030. And as a certified member of the World Cetacean Alliance, we operate to the highest international standard of wildlife viewing.

At Eagle Wing, we believe in the power of ecotourism and the difference it can make to the long-term health of the ocean. Our passionate and knowledgeable naturalists and captains provide personalized, science-based interpretation of what our guests are seeing. We stress biodiversity and the interconnectedness of life. Our goal with every tour is to inform, inspire and protect—to transform our guests into passionate advocates for the health of the Salish Sea and beyond. This top-quality tour product is why Eagle Wing Tours has been Trip Advisor’s top-rated whale watching experience in Victoria since 2007!

FIVE STAR WHALE WATCHING

Victoria, BC

Established in 1985, Five Star Whale Watching played an integral part in making Victoria, BC a world-famous destination for whale watchers wishing to see orcas in the wild. Our high-speed Expedition Catamarans are fast enough to maximize range and the chance of sightings all while offering an exhilarating ride. They’re purpose-built for whale watching and are great viewing platforms. Our vessels also have easily accessible washrooms and optional indoor seating with large picture windows. Our experienced and well-trained staff will ensure your voyage is fun, educational and comfortable.

Join us for Salish Sea adventures and lifelong memories! We're proud members of the Pacific Whale Watch Association and participate in the "1% for the Planet" carbon-neutral project, an alliance of businesses that believe in providing financial support to environmental initiatives. These measures deepen our commitment to supporting conservation of wild places. 1% of our annual gross revenue is donated to local environmental causes to help save the whales!

FRS Clipper

Seattle, WA

FRS Clipper offers two fantastic options for those looking to get on the water to experience the best of the Salish Sea.

Conveniently departing from Seattle’s Pier 69, San Juan Clipper offers the only half-day whale watching tour to leave directly from the downtown Seattle waterfront. With the guidance of a trained onboard naturalist, you’ll be taken on a search for whales and other aquatic life. Be on the lookout for migratory birds, bald eagles, playful porpoises, seals, otters, and more.

Looking to head to Victoria to see wildlife instead? Leave your car behind and travel in style and comfort on the high-speed, passenger-only Victoria Clipper V ferry. Enjoy a three-hour cruise through the Salish Sea on your way to Victoria's beautiful Inner Harbour. Once there, hop onto any number of great whale watching boats including our partner operator and fellow PWWA member company Five Star whale watching.

ISLAND ADVENTURES WHALE WATCHING

Anacortes, WA

Island Adventures has been a leader in responsible wildlife viewing since 1996. The company was founded and is locally owned and operated by Shane Aggergaard, who has served three terms as PWWA's President and two terms as its Vice President. Island Adventures Whale Watching have been longtime supporters of whale-friendly non-profits like Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group and The Center for Whale Research, donating a portion of all ticket sales to salmon enhancement and whale research.

It's not a fluke that our tour has been voted the best in the Northwest for years. Island Adventures holds the industry's highest orca sighting success rate and was one of the first and only companies to guarantee whale sightings on every tour. Our team of highly qualified crew will make your trip unforgettable! We boast more than 100 years of combined experience and have led thousands of excursions for hundreds of thousands of satisfied guests. Experience counts!

MAYA'S LEGACY WHALE WATCHING

Friday Harbor & Snug Harbor, WA

Maya’s Legacy Whale Watching provides small-group eco-adventures to experience whales in the wild. You’ll be immersed in an ecosystem born by volcanoes, shaped by glaciers, and fed by rivers tumbling swift and free from the mountains you see rising on every horizon. Engaging and informative, we offer memorable experiences with a passionate crew and the most innovative boats in the region. Departing from the heart of it all, San Juan Island, we offer tours from two excellent departure locations - Friday Harbor and Snug Harbor.

As part of your whale watching tour, our captains and marine naturalists provide information about the whales’ lives, habitat, history, culture, biology, and the challenges they face. Providing education is a fundamental component of our conservation efforts with the hope that we inspire others to engage in and support habitat recovery for the whales and other wildlife. In addition, we support a variety of research and conservation organizations. This support includes financial donations as well as scientific contributions toward numerous research projects.

OCEAN ECOVENTURES

Cowichan Bay & Parksville, BC

Are you ready for awe-inspiring whale watching memories from Vancouver Island? Our whale watching tours focus on orcas, humpback whales, gray whales, and minke whales. You’ll also encounter sea lions, bald eagles, harbor seals, Dall's and harbour porpoises, as well as a myriad of marine birds on your whale watching ecotour. A small, owner-operated family business, Ocean EcoVentures is committed to providing you with an intimate and informative whale watching experience. Small tour groups ensure personalized service while your Transport Canada-certified captain provides a safe and knowledgeable tour of the scenic Strait of Georgia, Canadian Gulf Islands, and U.S. San Juan Islands.

Whales are our passion. We love sharing Vancouver Island's marine ecosystem and all that inhabits it. We are dedicated to responsible and ethical whale watching and wildlife viewing. We consider our vessels floating classrooms. Our captains/naturalists have a vast amount of knowledge of the region's local natural history and the most up-to-date science regarding local whales and the rest of marine ecosystem. The more we learn about our local ecosystem, the harder we’ll work to protect it, and we can’t wait to share our knowledge and passion with you.

ORCA SPIRIT ADVENTURES

Victoria, BC

With daily departures from multiple locations, the region’s largest selection of open and covered boats, free shuttle service, and a passionate team who does everything possible to make sure you have an amazing experience, we are Victoria’s whale and wildlife watching tour company of choice for guests from around the world.

You won’t find a group of people who appreciate and respect Vancouver Island’s marine wildlife more than the crew at Orca Sprit Adventures, which is why we are a proud proponent of the Pacific Whale Watch Association guidelines for responsible whale watching. A portion of all whale watching adventure proceeds goes to support local marine research initiatives. We’re also a Climate-Friendly company, proud to provide carbon neutral whale watching trips and harbour cruises! We stive to be leaders in the ecotourism community by not only on maintaining, but improving the environmental standards by which we operate.

OUTER ISLAND EXCURSIONS

Orcas Island, Lopez Island & Anacortes, WA

Outer Island Excursions offers high quality, unforgettable marine experiences in and around the San Juan Islands of Washington State. Our whale watching excursions leave from Anacortes (on the mainland), Orcas Island, and Lopez Island.  These 3 to 4 hour adventures on our high-speed vessels are the best way to see the scenic San Juan islands while looking for humpbacks, minke, grey, and orcas. Along the way we'll encounter stunning scenery, seals, sea lions, porpoises, bald eagles, and more!  With experienced captains and trained naturalists on board, our tours are both fun and educational.

In addition to our regularly scheduled whale watch tours, we also offer private charters that incorporate many activities into one trip – whale watching, wildlife viewing, charter fishing, crabbing, kayaking, lighthouse tours, island tours and gourmet meals served in an island park. We’ll customize a perfect day that you’ll never forget.

PRINCE OF WHALES

Victoria, Vancouver & telegraph Cove, BC

With 15 boats, locations in Vancouver, Victoria, and Telegraph Cove, and almost 100 staff in peak season, Prince of Whales Whale & Marine Wildlife Adventures is proud to be the largest whale watching company in British Columbia. Despite our size, are still family-owned & operated, and are proud to be seen as both innovators and leaders by the industry. As a founding member of the Pacific Whale Watching Association, we serve as an educational platform for sharing local whale research. We promote and uphold sustainable whale watching practices and participate in numerous conservation initiatives.

We have three magnificent locations, Victoria, Vancouver and Telegraph Cove, all boasting a different adventures. From the Georgia Strait to the Juan De Fuca and up Vancouver Island into Queen Charlotte Sound, our range covers more than 10,000 square kilometres of ocean. While on scene, you’ll be thoroughly entertained and educated by the industry’s best and brightest marine adventure guides aboard what we have coined our “floating classrooms”. Whether you choose one of our large enclosed catamarans or exhilarating open-air Zodiacs, we promise an unparalleled viewing experience you won’t soon forget.

Committed to conservation, education, exploration and innovation, we are constantly striving to go above and beyond when you book your ticket to the lasting memories we leave you with. We look forward to introducing you to the beauty that is British Columbia.

PUGET SOUND EXPRESS

Port Townsend, Edmonds & Port Angeles, WA

Three generations of our family have helped visitors have life-changing experiences with some of the most majestic creatures on the planet. We’re blessed to live in what’s been called “the American Serengeti,” with some of the highest concentration of whales and dolphins and sea life anywhere in the world — including our totem species, the orca. Few people know these waters like we do. Our experience and dedication makes it possible for us to guarantee that you’ll see whales on your trip — or we’ll give you another trip absolutely free.

Port Townsend - Our half-day Port Townsend whale watching tour is the perfect trip for visitors and travelers with a busy schedule. Puget Sound Express has been running wildlife viewing tours from beautiful Port Townsend for more than three decades. Come aboard the most comfortable and spacious whale watch boats in the industry, and don’t forget to pre-order a slice of our signature blueberry buckle!

Edmonds - See orcas, humpback whales, minke whales, gray whales and all the majestic wildlife of the Salish Sea on our tours departing from Edmonds – just minutes north of downtown Seattle. Our vessels are the fastest and most comfortable whale watching boats in the Northwest making them idea for wildlife viewing in any weather conditions!

Port Angeles - May through October, Puget Sound Express offers our signature whale watching tours from Port Angeles, conveniently located on the Olympic Peninsula just outside Olympic National Park.

SALT SPRING ADVENTURE CO. LTD.

Salt Spring Island, BC

Your destination? WILDLIFE!  Since the locations of many animals are determined by the tides, weather, time of day, breeding cycles and food supply, Salt Spring Adventure Co. does not confine our journeys to one particular route. The speed and maneuverability of our specially-built vessel and the daily observations of our crew make a tour with Salt Spring Adventure Co. the best way to experience the nature and splendor of British Columbia’s Gulf Islands. Every journey truly is unique. Sightings of whales vary day to day and generally sightings are greater between April and October. Salt Spring Adventure Co. belongs to the extensive whale spotting network of the Pacific Whale Watch Association and will provide passengers with the most up to date information prior to departure.

The Gulf Islands are a wild place, full of amazing wildlife, and inspiring landscapes. It is also a region that's facing growing conservation concerns. Salt Spring Adventure Co. is committed to observing federal guidelines with respect to marine mammal and whale viewing. Learn first-hand about endangered species and ecosystems. Wildlife sightings can include orcas, humpback whales, minke whales, grey whales, harbour seals, porpoise, sea lions and bald eagles! Departures are from the Salt Spring Marina with pick-ups (on request) available on nearby Galiano Island, Mayne Island (Miners Bay) and North Pender Island (Port Washington) at no extra cost.

SAN JUAN CRUISES

Bellingham & La Conner, WA

Welcome aboard San Juan Cruises! Experience the beautiful San Juan Islands as you never have before. Enjoy the sights and sounds of its incredible marine wildlife on our signature whale watching adventure cruises. Each day we look for whales, eagles, seals, porpoises, sea lions, and more as the captain tells you about the history, wildlife and geology of the area. Around noon we serve our delicious, complimentary lunch, with freshly baked lasagna and bread, Caesar salad, and dessert. We also offer specialty cruises such as birding tours and day trips to Friday Harbor, a vibrant seaside town filled with interesting shops, artist galleries, pubs, and more.

San Juan Cruises is a locally owned and operated based in Bellingham, WA servicing the San Juan Islands since 1987. We have three beautiful, comfortable passenger vessels with unparalleled onboard amenities. San Juan Cruises is a longtime active member of the Pacific Whale Watch Association, committed to responsible, sustainable wildlife viewing in the region.

SAN JUAN EXCURSIONS

Friday Harbor, WA

Join us aboard the Odyssey and experience the thrill of seeing orcas, humpback, gray, and minke whales, harbor seals, California and Steller sea lions, Dall's and harbor porpoise, bald eagles, cormorants, great blue herons and so much more on one of our whale watching trips. The Odyssey departs just steps away from the ferry landing in Friday Harbor on Washington’s San Juan Island. Built in 1941, this converted U.S. Navy search and rescue vessel welcomes you aboard to experience her class and comfort as you cruise the San Juans.

For over 20 years, we’ve offered whale watching and wildlife cruises in the San Juan Islands. Our goal is to give our guests an enjoyable and exciting tour, while always practicing the highest level of respect for wildlife and boating safety. We want to set an example for other boaters on the water ensuring the continuation of wildlife viewing for years to come. Our captains and naturalists, who live year-round on San Juan Island, are among the best in the business. Not only are they experts about the wildlife and natural history of the San Juan Islands, but they are entertaining and fun. They get excited every time they see wildlife and this enthusiasm is one of the main ingredients that keeps our guests coming back year after year.