Boats stay at least 300 yards from resident orcas, and our captains turn off the engine when animals approach on their own. It means fewer photos of dorsal fins, but longer, quieter encounters.

Bring a long lens if you have one and binoculars if you do not. The best views often come from the bow, with the engine off and the group silent.

On a typical summer departure we see harbor seals, bald eagles and porpoises; whales on roughly four out of five trips.