Ferndale, WA Outdoor Activities

Since 1962, owner and U.S. Coast Guard–licensed captain Terry Buzzard has gotten to know the San Juan Islands and surrounding miles of water pretty well. Having hauled mail for the Post Office, salvaged wrecks, assisted in oil spill cleanups, and ferried passengers throughout the San Juan Islands, he has built quite a resumé of seafaring. This relationship with water isn't so surprising considering he began boating at the age of 3 when he was allowed to pilot a single-horsepower boat by himself with his trained rescue dog, Rusty.

Regardless of the actual job he's performing, Terry is always drawn to whales. By 1978, this fascination lead him to chartering trips specifically for whale watching, especially toward the schools of orca that made the region their home. Looking back, he's pretty certain his boat was the only one in the area at the time dedicated to the thrill of witnessing some of the world's largest and most beautiful animals. Today, the waters are spotted with various boats filled with passengers snapping pictures of the great aquatic beasts and shouting ululations whenever one smacks its enormous tail against the water, takes a playful leap, or belts a Mariah Carey song.

Terry's boat, the 110-foot Island Caper, provides generous sightlines to all passengers via its spacious outdoor deck and ample indoor viewing areas, and is decked out with a 34-speaker sound system. In business for 50 years, Island Mariner Whale Watching also employs a seaplane to help spot whales and guide tours. With his chief navigator––a 5-year-old airedale terrier also named Rusty––Terry is right out there amid the excitement, ferrying whale watchers and sharing his life-long passion.

The kayaking season runs through October 1 and is already in full paddle swing. Dual daily tours depart at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. You and you co-rower will slip into tandem kayaks, traveling in a pack of 6–7 kayaks, and led by an experienced Sea Kayak merguide. The fun and casual trip will float through lush Bowman and Cornet bays and along the coasts of Burrows and Allan islands. Sea Kayak tailors its tours to accommodate kayakers of every level of experience and skill, so all adventurists are welcome. All necessary equipment is provided.

The Fraser Valley Trout Hatchery Visitors Centre aims to educate and entertain visitors with programs and events centred on the world of water-breathing animals. The centre's indoor and outdoor facilities allow guests to observe live fish in aquariums as well as in their natural habitat. Educational programs, which are designed to reach specific age groups, include It's a Trout's Life for grades K–2, What's That Habitat? for grades 2–5, and Trout Fast Food, in which visitors in grades 2–5 analyze the insects that trout seek out when their waterproof refrigerators go empty. In the all-ages Learn to Fish program, aspiring anglers learn how to identify fish and use different lures to attract specific species. The program also focuses on responsible fishing ethics and proper fish-handling techniques to increase survival during catch-and-release.

Whether venturing out in summer rains or winter snow, the guides at Streamline Guiding defy the weather to ply both salt and freshwater for a chance to snag sturgeon, trout, salmon, and steelhead at the peaks of their seasons. They lead year-round tours and charters aboard Custom Weld and Grady White boats, demonstrating their experience in both fly and gear fishing, as well as in hunting for prime fishing spots by following clues such as muddy fin prints. Guides operate out of a centre within close proximity to these fishing grounds with a stock of Sage rods, Simms waders, and Gamakatsu hooks for use on expeditions. While most captains embark on trips to capture fish, they also take visitors on eco-tours, where all aboard can see bald eagles flying to salmon spawning sites; seals, sea lions, and otters lounging on rocky shores; and porpoises bullying minnows for their lunch money.

Before reaching the Sloquet hot springs or the Skookumchuck hot springs, which are also called the T'sek hot springs, water travels for miles through Earth’s mantle, warming itself by means of geothermal heat and collecting minerals that help promote wellness. These natural hot tubs spur visits from travellers to this tranquil and remote area. The team at BC Hotspring Tours shepherds visitors there to take advantage of the water’s beneficial properties, offering scenic, round-trip transportation. The team also runs full-day sightseeing tours of Fraser Valley with many scenic stops that include Chilliwack’s Vedder River and White Rock’s beaches.

When the producers of Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home were casting for the roles of coastal marine patrollers, they didn't look to the scores of hopeful actors in Hollywood, opting instead to find boating professionals with real experience. Their search led them to Orcas Island Eclipse Charters founders Dan and Denise Wilk, whose extensive knowledge of aquatic wildlife made them a serendipitous choice for sharing the camera with Hollywood's most famous orca.

Aboard their 56-foot vessel, Dan and Denise continue to share the passion that led them to the big screen in the first place. Their enthusiasm shines through to passengers while they guide tours into the habitats of killer whales and harbor seals. Occasionally, expert guides direct passengers to look up from the water to spot deer on nearby land or bald eagles soaring through the sky above. When asked how they happen upon so many natural specimens on their trips, Dan and Denise would tell you they don't leave their tours up to chance, coordinating excursions with a whale-watching service that pinpoints where the underwater mammals are feeding.