In season, roughly June through September, travelers flock to the San Juan Islands, Washington, in the hopes of spotting killer whales, gray whales, minke whales and even the occasional humpback. Not only do numbers tend to be at their highest during these months, but it’s also the warmest time of year in these parts, which makes for a very agreeable union between would-be watcher and weather. For the best views, of course, you’ll want to be on the water. A number of area operators offer a variety of boat-based whale watching expeditions, some of which even leave from Anacortes, on the mainland and offer guaranteed sightings. But even without booking a charter tour, you very well might see a whale or two on one of the passenger ferries that regularly plies these waters.

One of the most frequently sighted whales is the orca, though if you can’t distinguish an orca from a dolphin you might have a problem. A knowledgeable guide will be able to help you tell the difference, but just in case you’re going it solo, we can point you in the right direction. Killer whales, aka orcas, are big black whales with white underbellies and eye-patches and a grey saddle behind the dorsal fin. They get the “killer” because they prey on just about anything from sharks and seals to other types of larger whales (and their trainers at SeaWorld). There are three types of orca around the San Juan Islands, Washington area, but the most commonly sighted are the Transients (which prowl a long stretch of coast) and the Residents, who tend to stick around. For a really useful introduction to orcas, check the Center for Whale Research website; they’ve been studying Southern Resident Killer Whale around the islands for more than three decades. In general? Keep a good pair of binoculars handy and get ready for a great killer show (hopefully).