All Aboard Sailing — Local services in Eastsound

Found these guys through trip advisor. I believe, they are the only whale watching sail boat right now. I don’t normally write so much, but it was a wonderful experience. (It reminds me of cruising in the Galapagos where we were on a first name basis with the crew of the 40 foot yacht.)

The best way to describe it, was it felt like we were sailing with friends. It was relaxing, informative and exciting—no high speed race to the whales, the joy is in part, in the journey—-to hear about the whales from people who are uniquely close to them (Barb brought out pictures and explained about the pod we were seeing and other orcas)—to getting to lean back and look at the unfurled sail overhead. (There are two sails... uhh... a headsail and mainsail? Sorry if I got it wrong!) But, so cool to watch David adjust the sails for the wind and then on the return later, to feel the boat swoon back and forth with the eddies of the tidalrace.(At first, I thought he was messing with us, but the current is strong at max flow/ebb. It was crazy to see how much like a flowing river it was.) David patiently answered my random questions as I tried to soak up as much knowledge as I could—he has been around the block (or really world is a better description.)

I initially, wondered what it would be like as I shot off an email to see what was available. No magical reserve and pay without interacting with a human (darn). But, I listed our availability and they emailed back by the next day. They kept us up to date every step of the way. From before we launched—they texted us and they were able to take us to see orcas and still get us back in time—-even though it meant that they missed dinner.

They didn’t demand a credit card deposit or even payment prior to launch—which was disarming, (also part of what made it feel like we were sailing with friends), but we enjoyed it so much, we have discussed cancelling our other cruise to go back with them, if they have an opening because it was so awesome!

Several of the other passengers, have sailed with them numerous times—they also added a lot to the experience. (Thx Toy and Pam!) I think that says a lot—when people keep coming back.

I did use the head, which involves some water pumping. While stumbling back, I noticed liquid in the sink and thought, (OMG, I did it wrong!!!!) but they reassured me it was just water from the sink. Also, the mast ran into me when I was walking back. I know it is firmly attached to the boat and doesn’t move, but somehow I think it was someone else’s fault.

To compare to the other company, which was solid, we didn’t feel deaf from the sound of the engine afterwards, though the other boat went twice as fast (which was cool for 15 minutes of that 3 hour tour.) It’s like the difference between a mustang and a European touring car—-additionally, David does have a cool accent.

7/2021: We went back and stay on Lopez Island (San Juan Island last year 8/2020.) The trip was just as wonderful, but this time we reserved the whole boat and took our kids and niece and nephew. It was just as awesome as the first time, but we were able to go farther and spend more time sailing. We again were lucky to see the Orca's. The whole family was onboard: Captain David, Co-captain Barbara and First Mate Skye! They picked us up on Lopez, which was worth the extra $$ since the ferry to San Juan Island and back would have necessitated an extra 6 or more hours!!! If you want to see the whales and have a good time with the emphasis on good time, go with...

My mom and I had an incredible full day sail with All Aboard in early May. David, Barbara and Skye were so welcoming and informative, we honestly left their vessel feeling like we had gained extended family. Whale watching was our primary goal (orcas have been a favorite of mine since I was a child), so we were thrilled to learn that there was a group vocalizing on the SW side of San Juan Island! We got to sail wing on wing in their direction while Barbara (and Skye) told us all about the islands we were passing, recounting history, and pointing out any other other animals we could spot along the way. All of this while listening to the orca chatter on the Lime Kiln and Orca Sound hydrophones. The binoculars and blankets offered were very helpful through out the trip. We were even offered extra beanies and whale guides to check out. Luckily, the orcas (virtually) stayed put and we were able to catch up to them near Vancouver Island. The unforgettable encounter lasted for at least an hour, made even more special by the continued vocalizations heard over Peniel's hydrophone. Once the orcas hung a right toward Victoria, we departed and continued our journey around the island. David and Barbara hit up all of the important wildlife spots, so by the end of our journey we had seen orcas, porpoises, seals, sea lions and many different kinds of birds (bald eagles, oyster catchers, cormorants and a common loon). What made all of this even more incredible was the shared joy and wonder at each sighting. It was clear that the Howitt's did not take these opportunities for granted and were just as appreciative. The following day, we received an email from our new friends summarizing the trip, including a route map of the sail and almost 80 photos of all that we had seen. I cannot tell you how nice it was to be able to put down my phone and enjoy our time, knowing they were documenting everything along the way with a much better camera and eye! I cannot recommend All Aboard Sailing more. They were incredible people who have spent a significant amount of time and energy ensuring you have the best experience possible. Also, Skye is my new favorite human. Thank...

You know when you're planning a vacation and you want everything to be awesome? But then there are SO many different places saying they are the best for the same activity, and your head is spinning trying to figure out which tour is really best... and on and on?!?! Ladies and Gentlemen! Boys and Girls! Do I have news for you! 😁 All Aboard Sailing wins ALL the gold stars!!! Today, we experienced an unforgettable family trip! 💖 Sailing with David and Barbra was by far the best decision we could have ever made! From the second we were on the ship, it was clear we were in for a day of fun with our long-lost best friends we never knew we had! My daughter and Skye became best buds who were even kind enough to treat me to a "spa day" by doing my hair while I relaxed in the bean bags. We saw absolutely all the animals, including J-Pod and K-Pod, playing along the coastline. Then, as we sailed back around, we encountered some of L-Pod. We saw a couple of Minky whales. And a couple of humpback. In fact, we SAW one who thought it would be fun to surface RIGHT NEXT TO THE BOAT!! That was just like AAAAMAZING! Trailed them as we went back into the harbor, and it was just.... phenomenal! Truly breathtaking to have such an incredible experience ❤️ I was telling my husband a couple of hours into our excursion (when we had only seen the raccoons, bald eagles, sea lions, and otters). Even if we don't see a whale, this trip is already well worth the money. Sailing is the way to live. We know this now! And Barbra knows so many interesting facts and information about the wildlife here. You can feel the passion she has for the animals. It is an absolute delight to be a passenger on their ship! Thank you for an...