Shearwater Kayak Tours

We had an incredible experience with Shearwater Adventures on the sunny and beautiful 3-hour kayak tour around Deer Harbor on Orcas Island! This was our first time kayaking, and our guide Dan made it such a smooth and enjoyable adventure. He was patient, clear in his instruction, and super attentive throughout the tour. (They provided all of the equipment including a dry bag for our things.) AND bonus was getting into the kayak from the dock so no wet feet!) Dan’s knowledge of the local wildlife and area really enhanced the experience—we saw harbor seals, a beach raccoon, bald eagles, and jellyfish up close! He struck the perfect balance of being informative, laid-back, and fun to be around. The group size was small (just two couples), which meant lots of personal attention and a relaxed pace. Dan is a fantastic guide and a real asset to Shearwater Adventures! We highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Orcas Island—especially first-timers looking for a safe, scenic, and memorable kayaking trip! We’ll never forget it!

— Chalice Springfield

We cannot say enough about our experience! The sunset was stunning- Seals were close enough where I could touch them with my hand. Mason was a 10. Thank you, Shearwater Kayak Tours for hiring the best of the best guides to give us the best of the best experience!

— Elizabeth Gray

We absolutely loved our experience with Shearwater Kayaks! We came on a Tuesday in mid July, so it was just us two and our guide. We did the Deer Harbor guided tour, so it was a great way to see more of the island. Our guide, Elizabeth, was incredibly kind and knowledgeable—my boyfriend and I felt like we were hanging out with a friend! We did 5.5 miles, saw seal pups, bald eagles, and had the most perfect weather ever. We each wore a light long sleeve over a swim suit, tevas, hat and sunglasses. Our binoculars came in super handy too. Afterwards we got lunch and icecream right in Deer Harbor. Thanks, Elizabeth, for an epic time!

— Ellen Lomonico

We had a wonderful experience on our kayak tour out of Doe Bay! Jeff was an excellent guide and was very knowledgable about the San Juan Islands, wildlife, tides, and more. I would recommend Shearwater Adventures to anyone visiting Orcas Island!

— Dana Cross

Fantastic 3 hour tour from Deer Harbor. The highlight of our weekend on Orcas. Really enjoyed the trip paddling around the islands past the harbor. Absolutely beautiful day and gorgeous scenery (and we saw a few harbor seals!). Our trip leader (Dan) was expert at guiding us through the winds and currents of the San Juans and kept up a very interesting narrative of both the islands and their wildlife. Equipment all in good shape, and Dan did a great job making sure everyone was comfortable with it and boats were set up just right for each person. Really an amazing experience, would recommend kayaking with Shearwater to everyone as the best way to get out on the water and see some nature while in the San Juan Islands

— Will Simmons