Morning vs Afternoon Whale Watching Tours: Which is Best?

If you’re planning a whale watching trip in the Pacific Northwest in the summer months, you’ll need to figure out where to stay, a departure location, and what tour time to choose. 

A pod of transient Biggs orcas traveling in the afternoon. Photo Credit: Sheila Bolka

Spring and fall, the ‘shoulder seasons’ of the whale watch industry, typically offer one afternoon tour time. However, if you’re traveling to the area between Memorial Day and Labor Day, Outer Islands Excursions offer three tours options a day: a Whale and Orca Tour at 10:30AM and 3:30PM, and an Orca Only Tour at 3PM. 

With daylight in northwestern Washington averaging fifteen hours during the summer, both tour times offer plenty of opportunity to see marine life in their natural habitat. 

The Pacific Whale Watch Association 

Whales are wild animals, and they’re constantly on the move, traveling to socialize and feed. They’re also not tagged, meaning when the day starts, every boat on the water is keeping an eye out for blows. While this might sound like finding a needle in a haystack, whale watch companies actually work together to locate wildlife in the area. 

Logo of the Pacific Whale Watch Association (PWWA)

Across the U.S. and Canada, over thirty whale watch companies are part of the Pacific Whale Watch Association. Every company works together on the water, sharing real time sightings throughout the day. 

However, whales don’t always remain in the same general area. Orcas, in particular, can travel up to one hundred miles a day, meaning that whales spotted in the morning may already be gone by the afternoon. On other days, it’s the afternoon tours who locate whales the morning tours missed. Regardless of which time you choose, every second on the water is a moment spent scanning the horizon for signs of whale activity. 

Advantages of Morning Tours

Morning whale watching tours with Outer Island Excursions out of Anacortes start at 10:30AM and typically end between 1:30 and 2:30PM. They can be a great option for travelers who prefer to start their day early and leave the afternoon open for other activities. 

A humpback whale lunge feeding early afternoon in the Salish Sea. Photo Credit: Naturalist Sophia Madden

Weather and sea conditions can sometimes be calmer in the morning, which some guests find more comfortable. Morning departure also means you’ll return to land earlier, giving you more time to explore Anacortes or Orcas.  

Morning tours are the first eyes of the day searching the Salish Sea for whales. Guests are encouraged to help naturalists and captains look for whales by scanning the horizon for blow spouts, tail flukes, or other signs of whale activity. Being the first person on a boat to spot a whale in the wild is a very exciting thing to cross off your bucket list.

Advantages of Afternoon Tours

Afternoon tours start at 3:00 for Orca Only tours and 3:30PM for the classic Whale and Orca, and typically wrap up between 6:30 and 7:30PM. This later start offers a more relaxing morning for travelers keen to sleep in on vacation. Late afternoon in the Salish Sea also offers prime lighting for photography, allowing guests to snap pictures they’ll want framed immediately. 

Sunset as seen from Deception Pass Bridge. Photo Credit: Naturalist Tiffany Waldner

Because of the communication between vessels, afternoon tours may have updated information about whales that have been spotted earlier in the day. If whales from the morning have already traveled out of the area, sometimes it’s the afternoon guests who get the unique experience of spotting whales no one else has seen that day.

Choosing the Best Time for You

Whales are wild animals, and they’re constantly on the move, traveling to socialize and feed. During the summer months, humpbacks, gray whales, and minke whales visit the Salish Sea to feed in nutrient-rich water and will consume up to one ton of food per day. For this reason, feeding is a common sight regardless of time of day.

A Biggs orca spy hopping. Photo Credit: Naturalist Katie Dunbar

In the end, the best whale watching tour time usually comes down to convenience and travel plans rather than wildlife behavior. Both morning and afternoon tours regularly encounter whales, and Outer Island Excursions offer a whale guarantee for both time slots.

10:30 AM Tour

Pros:

• Wind can be calmer in the morning versus the afternoon

• Gets the adventure done early, leaving the rest of the day free for other activities

• A great option for families with young children who are fresher earlier in the day

Cons:

• Requires an earlier start

• May be difficult for those arriving the same day

• Can be foggier in the morning

3:00PM/3:30 PM Tour

Pros:

• A more relaxed start to the day

• Beautiful afternoon lighting 

• Whales may have already been found on the morning tour

Cons:

• Wind and seas can be choppier in the afternoon

• Ends later in the day, which could conflict with dinner reservations or traffic

• Whales spotted in the morning may not always be in the area in the afternoon

Whether you choose the 10:30AM, 3:00, or 3:30PM tour, rest assured, you’re about to explore one of the most biodiverse places on the planet and revel in the beauty of whales in their natural habitat.