getting here
If you are joining one of our kayak tours, please meet at the tour location, not at our shop in Eastsound. These tours meet at several different locations on the island. It is easy to confuse some names on the island, so pay attention to the details (example: Deer Harbor or Doe Bay).
More Information
Shearwater is located on Orcas Island in the San Juan Islands, about 70 miles north of Seattle, and just south of the Canadian border. Traveling to Orcas Island is part of the fun! Whether you come by ferry or plane, you enjoy fantastic views of the hundreds of small islands set in the Salish Sea — the body of water from Puget Sound to the South, the Strait of Juan de Fuca (leading to the Pacific) to the West, and the Strait of Georgia (in Canada) to the North. These waters and islands form a kayaker’s playground!
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Reservations for the Washington State ferries to Orcas Island are recommended (Anacortes – San Juan Islands route). We suggest arriving at the ferry terminal in Anacortes an hour before your reserved ferry sailing time. You must be through the ticket booth 30 minutes before sailing time or lose your reservation, and sometimes there is a line to get to the booth.
We recommend against coming to the island just for the day or scheduling a tour close to your expected arrival time. Ferries are sometimes delayed or cancelled due to weather, mechanical issues, or crew shortages.
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Regular scheduled bus service from SeaTac Airport (and several points in between) to the San Juan Islands Ferry Terminal. Ferry reservations are not required for walk-on passengers. There is no public transportation on Orcas Island.
Airporter Shuttle 800-235-5247
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Flying over the islands can be an adventure in itself! The following small local airlines provide service from Seattle or Bellingham to the islands. There is no public transportation on Orcas Island.
Kenmore Air 800-543-9595
San Juan Airlines 800-690-0086 -
Orcas Island has very limited transit options. Due to the size and layout of the island, it is most convenient to bring or rent a car. Rental cars, bikes and e-bikes, or taxis are the only options. There are no Uber or Lyft drivers on the island. If you come without a car, it is best to make transportation arrangements well in advance of your stay.
Car Rentals – 800-516-9010
Taxi – 360-298-1639 or 360-376-8294