bioluminescence kayaking Kayaking after dark is a magical experience, when your non-visual senses become more attuned to the environment. Bioluminescence (living light) in the form of glowing plankton is a fantastic sight. We offer limited tours on the darkest nights of each summer month to enjoy this wonder of nature. Long, sunny days create conditions…
June 25, 2023
Every spring as we begin our San Juan Islands kayak tours, one of our favorite specialty tours is the Spring Wildflower Experience. The months of April and May see a fantastic variety of colorful flowers blooming on tiny Yellow Island, near Deer Harbor on Orcas Island. Our wildflower tours include a lunch stop on a…
March 4, 2023
Shearwater Adventures celebrates 40 years in 2022! Started in 1982 by Tom Carter and Lori Wilson, Shearwater has a long history of offering fun, educational, and exceptional experiences on the water in the San Juan Islands. Lori Wilson Tom Carter Now led by Jeff Zbornik and Corey Homewood, we continue to provide high-quality kayak tours and…
January 23, 2022
The health and safety of our guests and guides are always top priorities for us at Shearwater. Managing risks during fun and exciting outdoor activities is what we do. We are happy to be able to offer our kayak tours with a few changes. This year we have added new procedures to respond to the…
June 11, 2020
Deer Harbor Marina Deer Harbor is one of our kayak tour locations on Orcas Island. Due to the sheltered location and dock launch, we offer tours here earlier and later in the season than our other sites. Almost anyone can enjoy kayaking from Deer Harbor. For centuries the area was used by the local Lummi people, part of…
March 15, 2018
One of the most common wildlife sightings while kayaking around Orcas Island is the bald eagle. It is a rare day that we do not see at least one eagle on our tours. Often we see them soaring high overhead or perched near the top of a fir tree on shore, and occasionally our encounters are very…
March 15, 2018
A curious harbor seal pup has been spending time with some of our tours recently. Usually lone seals are shy and keep a distance. This little one has been swimming right under our kayaks and popping up very close to us. Kids on one of our tours named it “Chubbers”, and it certainly looks well…
March 15, 2018
The Huffington Post published a very nice article about Orcas Island, featuring Shearwater Kayak Tours, Doe Bay Resort, Rosario Resort, and other island businesses and locations. Check it out, then come for a visit!
March 15, 2018
daily tours • through October 7
Get a taste of sea kayaking while exploring beautiful Deer Harbor and the Wasp Islands on this easy adventure. Sheltered waters provide a great location for experiencing fantastic views and marine wildlife.
Join us in 2024!
Explore the “far side” of Orcas Island on this three-hour kayak adventure. Enjoy views of Mount Baker in the North Cascades, along with a variety of marine wildlife. Strenuous tidal conditions on some dates — call for details.
Join us in 2024!
Get a taste of sea kayaking while exploring near the historic Rosario Resort on this three-hour adventure. Glide along the shores of East Sound with us!
Join us in 2024!
Pack your favorite picnic lunch and join us for a great day exploring the islands. Kayak to a small, uninhabited state park island or isolated beach. We have a long break mid-day to enjoy trails, explore tide pools if the tide is low, or just relax. After the break, we take a new route to loop back to the harbor.
Join us in 2024!
June – Sept • limited dates on the darkest nights of the moon
Experience magical, twinkling lights from the depths of the Salish Sea! Join us as we paddle after dark through the beautiful phenomenon that is bioluminescence.
