Orca Whale Hotspots

If you want to photograph orca whales also known as killer whales there are two places in North America where they can be found relatively easily.

Robson Bight

The Robson Bight in Johnstone Strait off the northeast coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada is considered the world’s best place to find them. Robson Bight is 25 miles southeast of Port McNeill, Vancouver Island.

Telegraph Cove is a popular and quiet village just southeast of Port McNeill along the coast where boat tours can be arranged to see the orcas. They have lodging off a boardwalk near the boat marina. You can practically step right out of your room and onto a tour boat.

The tour out of Telegraph Cove is a group tour accommodating several passengers.

There are several other places nearby in addition to Telegraph Cove where whale tours can be arranged among them are Port McNeill, Port Hardy, and Alert Bay. Lodging can be found at these places as well. A 35 minute ferry ride can be taken out of Port McNeill to reach Cormorant Island where Alert Bay is located.

Kayaking tours for whale viewing are available in Port McNeill and Port Hardy. Advanced reservations are encouraged for all whale tours off Vancouver Island’s coast. The best time for viewing orca whales is early June to late September.

There are sites on the internet that track the whales. I recommend consulting one of these before you venture out for the season. Nature can be unpredictable. A good site can be found at this Whale Sightings Log Other critters you may see on a whale tour are porpoise, dolphins, sea lions, humpback whales, and Minke whales.

San Juan Islands

The San Juan Islands is a group of islands off the northwest coast of Washington state where orca whale sightings are very common. The more popular islands for whale tours are San Juan and Orca Islands.

My visit to the islands took me to San Juan Island where we docked at Friday Harbor. I will limit the remainder of my discussion to San Juan Island. The ferry ride from Anacortes, Washington north of Seattle to Friday Harbor takes approximately 1 hour. The ferry is equipped to handle cars and foot passengers. There are plenty of whale tours available within the town of Friday Harbor.

If you take a short drive north from Friday Harbor to Roche Harbor you can also find whale tours available there. Roche Harbor is also a very photogenic village especially near the marina.

Whale tours are regularly scheduled in early April through the end of October. Kayaking whale tours are also available in both Friday Harbor and Roche Harbor.

Lodging is available in both towns as well. Reservations for lodging are recommended for San Juan Island due to the small size of the island which limits availability.

Take a cruise around the island by road between whale tours for some photogenic scenery. Take in Lime Kiln State Park while on the island to see the lighthouse there. This can also be a good vantage point to view whales from the shore.

There are no large carnivores on the island. There are no opossums, skunks, or cottontails, and no poisonous snakes. Birds are abundant and include wild turkeys(introduced). Black-tailed deer may be found in the woodlands.

Look for Minke whales, porpoise, harbor seals, California or Stellar’s sea lions or elephant seals in addition to the orca while on the water.

River otters may be found along the shoreline and minks may be found in or around ponds and lakes. Some introduced species you may see include European rabbits, red fox, muskrats, and Douglas squirrels.

If you want a good chance for some photos of orca whales these two spots: Robson Bight and the San Juan Islands are locations where you are almost guaranteed to see them at the right time of year.

authored by Lon Britton