CHASING WILD ORCAS A Day Trip from Seattle to the San Juan Islands

Since hitting the road 10 months ago, my wife and I have had our first in-the-wild encounters with moose, grizzly bears, wolves and bison—to name just a few. And while all of our wildlife encounters have been exhilarating, one stands out from the rest: wild orcas off the coast of the San Juan Islands. “What are the San Juan Islands?” you might ask. “How did you get there, Dan, and what did you see and do while you were there?” Great questions! Let’s get into it.

What are the San Juan Islands?

The majestic San Juan Islands are an archipelago between the coast of Washington state and British Columbia, Canada—so close to Canada that you can get a slight hint of maple syrup and Labatt Blue wafting over the waters. The archipelago consists of 172 named islands—the three main ones being San Juan Island, Lopez Island, and Orca Island—each offering unique landscapes and state parks.

While they’re famous