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Seaplane |
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2621 South Harbor Loop |
tel: (360) 734-8866 |
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Our spotter plane. | ||
           
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The only seaplane in the business! Founded in 1962, Island Mariner was among the first charter boat operators in the Pacific Northwest San Juan Islands. In 1977, we were the first to offer whale watching charters. In 1980, we were the first to offer scheduled whale watching trips. In the 1990s, we were the first to offer guaranteed Orca whale sightings. We were founding members of both the Whale Watch Operator’s Association Northwest and SAFE, an organization that promotes Safe, Affordable, Fun, and Educational whale watching cruises. Now we are the first and only company with our own spotter plane! Most companies rely on spotters standing on the shore. That works great when the whales are close to shore. But if they're out in the deep, you've got a problem. Obviously it is easier to find whales flying at 1000 feet. No one makes a greater effort to show people our local Orca whales. It's what sets us apart from the crowd. We do everything in our power to make sure every single one of our passengers goes home happy. Our plane is a 180 Cessna on 2960 Edo floats. It is powered by a 0470 continental engine rated at 230 HP. Our pilot can sweep the entire potential area in an hour when it would take a boat all day to complete. This allows us to spend more time with the whales. Even being the largest, most comfortable boat out there, we can charge a little less because we are not burning fuel going off in the wrong direction looking for whales. Painted in Northwest Coast Native American designs, the Cessna 180 gives passengers on the boat a real thrill and a tremendous opportunity for a once-in-a-lifetime photo when it does a fly-by or lands on the water nearby. We also spot for other SAFE members so if you choose not to go with us, we suggest you travel with a fellow SAFE member. This allows you the best chances to spend time watching what you are out there to see. |
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Island Mariner Cruises