Naturalist

Learn from the Best Naturalists

One or two professional Naturalists will be on board the Island Caper during the whale watching cruise. Our Naturalist can answer questions you may have about the scenery or wildlife and will narrate the cruise. This is a service that very few boats provide, and it allows our captain to concentrate on what he does best, navigation and piloting.

Island Mariner has the best Naturalists in the industry. They are experts in birds, marine mammals, and all other wildlife we may encounter. One of our naturalists is presently working on a master’s degree in marine biology.

Our Naturalists will tell you about the history and present day activities in the islands, state marine parks, towns and resorts, including smugglers both past and present. You will learn about geology, botany, fault lines, the effects from the last Ice Age, and our Naturalists will talk about tides, currents and water depths. You will hear about other vessels, ferries, and even aircraft as we see them, including Island Mariners own whale spotting seaplane.

Our Naturalists walk throughout the vessel both inside and outside mingling with passengers. They use wireless microphones taking questions and giving answers. The wireless microphones work through the sound system, which has 34 speakers throughout the boat. If you puzzle one of our naturalists they have backup. Both of our captains have over 50 years of experience cruising in the 172 San Juan Islands. There are not many things we cannot answer.

On our way back to Port we encourage photographers to bring their cameras forward and our naturalist will display the photos on our big screen TV. This is a way to share your experience with others and ask questions about the wildlife shown in the photos.

If you have questions, please contact us by email at mariner@orcawatch.com or call (360) 734-8866 or toll free 1-877-734-8866.

Read our San Juan Island Whale Watching blog.

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Reserve your seats now for the Island Mariner Whale Watching Boat Cruise!