Puget Sound Express - Port Angeles

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Puget Sound Express - Port Angeles

See whales in the wild! Join family-run Puget Sound Express on our popular Port Angeles Half Day Whale Watching Tour. Visiting Olympic National Park?

Our tour allows you to see humpbacks & orcas during your visit with plenty of time to explore the Park. Our vessels feature comfortable inside seating for everyone with a heated cabin, an outdoor viewing deck for wildlife, TV monitors for naturalist presentations, a snack bar and restrooms. Don’t miss our signature, freshly-baked “blueberry buckle.” On-board you will have a trained naturalist that will guide you along the way and explain the scenery, geography, history and wildlife of the area.

10/14/2024

That's a wrap! Our 2024 Port Angeles season ended with a bang on Sunday. Our tours had a special day on the waters west of Victoria, BC on Sunday, watching a Bigg’s orca superpod (T49As, T35As, T65Bs, T46B1s, and T46C2), along with a lunge-feeding humpback near Race Rocks Ecological Preserve. An unusual encounter and a day to remember for sure. We'd like to thank our customers and partners - notably Silver Lining Cafe and Port Angeles Wharf - for a great season. Whale tours are still running through November in Port Townsend and December in Edmonds. Hope you can join us!

10/03/2024

Early fall on the Olympic Peninsula is my most favorite time of the year; calm winds, cooler evenings, and whales EVERYWHERE! Our September 28th tour was just about as good as they come. We kicked things off with a visit from the T46B pod of Bigg's orcas as traveled east, alternating resting and socializing. We then turned back west and drifted among at least 5 humpbacks (including a mom and calf) near Race Rocks. We have been seeing tons of surface feeding in this area in the last couple weeks, with some of the biggest lunges I've ever witnessed! As we inch towards the end of our season here in Port Angeles, we're savoring each and every incredible trip out in the strait. - Naturalist Rachel R.

09/11/2024

Our tour September 8th was a true whirlwind! We headed out in gorgeous weather, making our way north towards Race Rocks and reports of humpbacks. We were over halfway there when all of a sudden we got the best kind of text...shore report of an orca inside Port Angeles harbor! Since we had already journeyed over the border, we decided to check out the baleen whales first and got great looks at 4 humpbacks that have been keeping a solid presence in the area for the last week (Honu, Hammer, Pinnacle and Aerie). A quick swing through the rocks produced the sights, sounds and smells of several hundred sea lions, both on the rocks and swimming near the boat! We then high-tailed it back to Port Angeles and lucked out; the whale was less than 5 min from our dock, and we were able to spend some quality time with a single male orca, T69E (Kodiak)! All told he ended up spending 8+ hours skulking around the floating logs deep inside the harbor, making trips into the Boat Haven marina, and generally terrifying the local harbor seals. While on scene he appeared to have a successful hunt, one of several observed throughout the day. Another surprising and exciting day out on the water! - Naturalist Rachel R.

08/27/2024

This past week has been a bit gray and rainy, but the whales certainly don't mind and we continue to have spectacular days out on the water! As we get later in the season, we occasionally get the chance to see what we lovingly call the "herd"; larger aggregations of humpback whales - generally out west - feeding in dispersed groups. Yesterday morning we took advantage of the glassy seas and cruised all the way to south of Jordan River on Vancouver Island, were we had incredible views of 15-20+ humpbacks! With no wind or swells, we were able to shut off the engines and drift as we listened to exhalations all around us. For the afternoon we headed the opposite direction after getting reports of Bigg's orcas exciting Admiralty Inlet. North of Dungeness Spit, we caught up with the T46s and T124A1 as they traveled, throwing in a couple of tail slaps and breaches along the way. Both trips we also got to see some fun "fall" birds such as Sabine's gulls, jeagers and shearwaters. Temperatures might be cooling down, our whale season definitely is not! - Naturalist Rachel R.

08/19/2024

There are certain days where the weather, whales and timing all come together to create pure magic; yesterday afternoon was definitely one of those trips. With calm winds and rare summer storm clouds rolling in from the west, we headed north into the strait. Just south of Race Rocks, we spent a few minutes with a young humpback we have yet to identify. Afterwards, we cruised up to the Vancouver Island shoreline where two pods of Bigg's orcas (T60s and T109s, along with T69E) were hugging the coast. They played with kelp, socialized and hunted before turning and heading towards Race Rocks Ecological Park. We kept our distance while they entered the park, and the dramatic lighting from the clouds created a stunning backdrop as we witnessed several enormous breaches, tail slaps and even MORE hunting behavior! Before heading home we encountered the whales one last time on the south side of the rocks while they rested together after an eventful afternoon. Simply an incredible excursion that both crew and guests will not soon forget. - Naturalist Rachel R.

08/12/2024

Sometimes luck is simply on your side and you find orcas in the harbor! Yesterday (August 11th) was just one of those days, and we located the T75Bs hunting at the base of Ediz Hook minutes off the dock. After what appeared to be a quick seal meal, they slowly cruised eastbound along the shore before heading out into the strait. We decided to leave them to their post-brunch nap, and traveled a bit further north and stumbled upon a humpback (ID'd as Pinnacle). Though he was doing 15+ min dives, we got several good looks before heading back in.

The afternoon was equally exciting! We again caught up with the T75Bs in gorgeous, glassy waters near Hein Bank. While there, we got a tip from our sister ship Saratoga about several minke whales another 2 miles to the east, so we headed that way. With the incredible conditions, we were able to mostly drift and watch them quietly lunge feed around the boat. All the crew agreed, it was the best encounter we've ever had with these generally elusive and slinky baleen whales! This summer just keeps delivering truly magical moments ✨ - Naturalist Rachel R.

08/09/2024

It's prime whale season around here, folks! This month alone, we've seen between our Port Angeles, Port Townsend, and Edmonds locations: BIGG'S ORCAS (T34s, T36Bs, T37s, T37As, T65As, T75Bs, T77s, T117A & B, T60D & E), HUMPBACK WHALES (Thunderbolt, Orion, Vertigo, Aerie, BCY1210, BCX2064, numerous juveniles), MINKE WHALES, and last of the GRAY WHALES (2557, 2559) departing to continue their migration.

(Photo by PSE crew Zoe Olson)

08/01/2024

Rare Bird Alert! On Wednesday's Port Townsend half-day whale watching tour, our eagle-eyed naturalist Colleen Farrell made a terrific discovery of a Red-footed B***y on a buoy off of Dungeness Spit. Our Port Angeles half-day whale watching tour was also able to see this beautiful bird on its tour.

This is a tropical seabird, and according to Ian Paulsen of the American Birding Association's Rare Bird Alert group, this would be only the second confirmed live sighting of a Red-footed B***y in Washington.

Learn more about this bird: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/.../Red-footed_B***y/overview

Photos by PSE Naturalists Rachel Rodell and Colleen Farrell.

07/31/2024

Both our trips on July 26th included orcas and humpbacks, but each went entirely different directions had saw none of the same whales! The morning tour headed west from Port Angeles and encountered 2 humpbacks, one named Hemlock, who we saw pec slapping for several minutes. We then found a mixed group of 10 Bigg's, which included members from at least four different pods! For the afternoon we instead headed east. Near Protection Island, we caught up with the T46Bs, and then stopped for fan-favorite humpback Scratchy, who wowed us with a few cartwheels on the way home. An incredible wildlife-filled day from start to finish! - Naturalist Rachel R.

07/24/2024

We always say, "every day and every tour is different"; a morning trip can look very different than afternoon trip, as these wild animals are constantly on the move. July 19th was a perfect example of this for our Port Angeles guests and crew. In the morning, we encountered a large group of Bigg's killer whales absolutely charging westbound along the Vancouver Island coastline. There were so many moving so fast, it was hard to tell exactly how many total whales we saw (we estimated anywhere from 20-40)! In the afternoon, it was a humpback bonanza, with 6 different individuals (Yogi, Sage, Hendrix, Titan, Exclamation and Meqe) circling and feeding on the US side of the border near Salt Creek Recreation area. With the sun setting, we got to see some incredible "rain-blows" from their exhalations. There's simply so much wildlife here in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, you never know what you'll come across...and that's what keeps us all coming back for more. - Naturalist Rachel R.

07/10/2024

Tuesday's afternoon trip was true humpback madness and we were lovin' every moment of it! Not only did we see the more whales than we have any day so far this season, but we witnessed just about every behavior in the book; breaches, cartwheels, lunge feeding, pec slapping and more. Perhaps most excitingly (at least for the crew), we finally welcomed back one of our all-time favorite whales, BCX1358 Frankenstein! This well-known male humpback has been returning to the Salish Sea to feed every summer since 2013. Today, Frankenstein was spending quality time with Zephyr and her calf, and all three of them kept rolling, splashing and lunging at the surface the whole time we watched! It's always such a joy to see whales we recognize returning year after year, knowing they've survived another long migration, and thriving here in the wild PNW! - Naturalist Rachel R.

07/03/2024

June has simply flown by and boy, did we have some spectacular trips! June 28th was a particularly special day, with both morning and afternoon tours seeing humpbacks AND orcas in probably the glassiest conditions of the season thus far! The 10am sailing encountered at least 5 humpbacks. While watching our first whales, we spotted the T36As and T49A1 in the distance, and cruised with them as they headed west. In the afternoon, in an very rare occurrence, we had orcas (T35s) and a humpback (Yogi) traveling in the same direction, going the same speed, only a couple hundred yards apart...we were able to slowly travel watching orcas off the left side of the boat and Yogi off the right! Neither seemed to acknowledge the presence of the other. After leaving the scene with those whales we caught up with the T38s and T75Cs as they looked for a meal tight along the Vancouver Island coastline. We even got a glimpse of Ollie the sea otter at Race Rocks swimming right beside the boat as he munched on some urchins. Here's hoping for even more good weather and great sightings as we enter July! - Naturalist Rachel R.

06/17/2024

The Port Angeles crew had a wonderful Father's Day out on the strait of Juan de Fuca! Our morning trip started off with the T002Cs, a family of four Bigg's orcas, just west of Race Rocks. We got some amazing looks at this pod as they slowly cruised the Vancouver Island shoreline. On the way home, we stumbled upon perhaps the most famous humpback in the Salish Sea...BCY0324 Big Mama! The afternoon trip was a humpback party with at least 8 individuals spotted. Early on we found Zephyr and her 2024 calf (granddaughter and great-grandchild of Big Mama), as well as Scuttle just north of Ediz Hook. We then swung up to Race Rocks, and were treated to gorgeous views of harbor seals, a bald eagle and Ollie the sea otter. On the way home we spotted several more humpbacks feeding mid-strait, including Sandstorm, Eros, 2022 calf of BCY1075 and a couple mystery whales that we have yet to ID. A month into our 2024 season, and it just keeps getting better! - Naturalist Rachel R.

06/11/2024

On Sunday June 9th, we braved some windy weather and it definitely paid off! Not far off the dock, we came across a humpback we've been seeing a lot of over the last week; BCX2046 Pinnacle. On this day, Pinnacle was circling and feeding near the surface, affording us many excellent views as we simply drifted in place. After a trip north to Race Rocks Ecological Reserve to look at some eagles and pinnipeds, we started making our way back south in buildings seas. However, no amount of white caps could conceal the highlight of our trip...a frisky humpback calf! We got to watch mom BCZ0414 Zephyr and her calf cartwheel, dive and breach several times before finally heading home. This was our first time seeing Zephyr this season, and we have our fingers crossed her bouncing baby continues to thrive and grow all summer long (and that we get to watch it happen)! - Naturalist Rachel R.

06/06/2024

Our 2024 PSE Family! Each year we gather our team from all three of our locations for a picnic at the Hanke homestead. This group of talented and caring individuals make it possible for folks near and far to learn about - and become enchanted by - the whales and wildlife of the Salish Sea. We are so grateful for their dedication and passion!

06/04/2024

We kicked off our first double day of the season with some incredible humpback action and fantastic weather! Our 10am trip headed east towards Dungeness, where we had our first sighting of humpback whales BCX2046 Pinnacle and BCY1123 Sandstorm this year. While on scene, Pinnacle thrilled us with an epic series of cartwheels (or caudal-peduncle throws) and tail-lobs, all with the beautiful Dungeness Lighthouse in the background. Since we had such good luck in the morning, we headed east for our 2:30pm trip as well. Around the same area north of Dungeness, we found a total of 4 humpbacks (Sandstorm, Pinnacle, 2022 calf of BCY1075 and BCX1641 Windsock), all spread out and lunge-feeding non-stop! It was an amazing sight, seeing all of these whales filling their bellies after a long winter fast. On our way home, we stumbled upon a fifth whale, fan-favorite BCX1795 Scuttle, in his typical spot north of Ediz Hook. With all these whales returning to our waters, it's finally starting to feel like summer...and we sure can't wait to see what the rest of the season brings! - Naturalist Rachel R.

05/30/2024

Daily Double Time! Starting June 1 we will be running two daily whale watching departures in Port Angeles: 10am and 2:30pm (with occasional modifications due to tides). Join us to see humpbacks and orcas - and Ollie the sea otter! https://www.pugetsoundexpress.com/port-angeles-half-day-whale-watching-tour/

Video by PSE crew member Reef G.

05/20/2024

On Sunday we got to see both humpbacks AND orcas, our first "double-header" of the season! We caught up with the T77s just off of Dungeness Spit and watched them mosey their way northwest in calm seas under sunny skies. We even got to witness the oldest male in the pod, T77C Neftali (2006) leisurely dragging some kelp along with him as he passed by the boat. We then got word of a humpback just a couple miles north. When we arrived, this whale seemed to be sleeping, bobbing slowly just beneath the surface; a behavior often known as "logging". All in all, a practically picture perfect spring afternoon! - Naturalist Rachel R

Address

15 E Railroad Avenue
Port Angeles, WA
98362

Telephone

+13603855288

Website

https://www.pugetsoundexpress.com/port-angeles-half-day-whale-watching-tour/

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Videos

Bigg's Orca Superpod and Lunge-feeding Humpback

Port Angeles Orcas

Our first trip of 2024 featured sunny skies and humpback whales "Split Fin" and "Smiley" near Smith Island. This male and female duo has seemingly been "going steady" for years. We also saw Tufted Puffins!

T137 124D and 71B familes of Bigg's orcas, along with 124A2. In addition, we spent time with Humpback Whale "Zephyr."

We are exactly one month away from the start of our 2024 Port Angeles Half-Day Whale Watching season on Mother's Day weekend (hint hint). Orcas, Humpbacks, Minke Whales await! We are located downtown at the Port Angeles Wharf. Daily tours will run from May 11 - October 13 with 2 trips/day June-September. Info + reservations: https://www.pugetsoundexpress.com/port-angeles-half-day-whale-watching-tour/. (Can't wait until May? We are currently running Gray Whale tours in Port Townsend 🙂) This post features a video captured on opening weekend last year - with T137 124D and 71B families of Bigg's orcas, and humpback Whale "Zephyr."