A perfect, quiet marina with great staff and plenty of amenities…read more Booking a slip is easy using the app. Arrival is simple. The marina is fairly well protected from weather, the fairways are generous and the staff helps you tie up. The docks are in good condition. Lighting is adequate at night (not too little, but more importantly, not too much!), power pedestals are in good condition. Water is from a reverse osmosis system, so you need to be careful with your usage. No boat washing, which is fine. The general store and cafe are awesome. Good food, essential supplies and good business hours. Restrooms are clean and spacious. Hand dryers but no paper towels, which is okay but not great. Laundry facility is clean with good equipment. Nearby food is very good but limited. There is a pizza place directly across from the marina - limited hours. The BBQ place up the street (10-minute walk) is fantastic and has a good selection of beer, a full bar and a huge outdoor seating area. Overall, the vibe is relaxed. There are some party floats for yacht club events.

Cute little gift shop and grocery store. The docks are in good shape and well-tended. Bathrooms…read morewere clean and recycling/ garbage disposal were included in the fees. Friendly staff and easy to enjoy dock picnic tables, we enjoyed our one night stay here. We'll be back in the future.

We embarked on a 4 hour day sail around the San Juan's during our honeymoon. I chose Emerald Isle…read morebecause of their reasonable prices and proximity to where we were staying. We also really wanted to go sailing (neither of us had been before) and not on a whale watching charter. We're glad we went with Dave as he is incredibly knowledgeable, passionate about sailing, and willing to teach. He involved us in helping run the boat during our adventure, which was fun. He has a beautiful boat, and he was open to us poking around to see all the sleeping quarters. His favorite sails are actually his multi-day trips. He was telling us all about the trips they take up to the rainforest in Canada and Alaska. We checked out photos online on his website, and wow! Those trips look like phenomenal, once in a lifetime experiences! During our trip, we saw seals, sea lions, porpoises, and exotic varieties of sheep and deer on Spieden Island (former hunting retreat). The weather was beautiful, although a little cold when the boat was moving. He provided blankets and seating pads, and we were welcome to sit anywhere on the boat - inside or outside. He also provided a snack of cheese and crackers, and we brought along sandwiches to eat, too. In the cooler, we had the option of a couple different sparkling waters, which I appreciated over soda. We had a lot of fun and would love to return for a multi day trip one day!

We splurged this summer and took our family of 5 on an unforgettable sailing trip around the San…read moreJuan Islands. It was the best trip of our lives. Dave and Katy were so accommodating and patient and are just plain good people. Thank you Dave for a great summer trip - we are hoping to book another summer trip with you soon!

Amazing whale watching trip! Nate and Nat were awesome and full of knowledge! You can tell they…read morelove what they do! Highly recommend if you're in town to book a trip with them! Will be back for sure!!

I live in the Seattle area, and it was on my bucket list to go whale watching and see some orcas! I…read morehighly recommend deer harbor charters, especially if you live in the area. The first time we went out we didn't see any orcas, so we were able to go back out another time for free for a second chance! The naturalist and boat captain were amazing and knowledgeable on all kinds of facts, and you can ask any question, and the experience of seeing orcas was incredible! They also provide professional photographs taken on your outing after the trip

Nick was a fantastic captain. We spent a few hours on his 22' boat that offered skiing, tubing,…read morewakeboarding and wake surfing. Our boys ages 13 and 17 did it all and begged us to extend the time and come back the next day. The scenery of the lake is hard to do justice in a review, but it added to the experience. Nick knew a ton about the area and gave us a great tour of homes and lake history. He also gave us a lot of options to make the experience better. Glad we found out about this while renting near by.

We had such a great experience renting two kayaks and two stand-up paddleboards! He was super…read morefriendly, organized, and accommodating from start to finish. Everything was ready for us, and he made the whole process easy and enjoyable. We had an amazing time out on the water. Highly recommend, and we'll definitely be back!

A wonderful day on the water with Captain Amio!…read more Since we were on Lopez Island, and the ferry to get back to Friday Harbor was so complicated, Amio picked us up where we were staying, and took us on a fabulous ride. The weather was perfect. We saw porpoise, heron, eagles and seals-as well as a host of beautiful boats The whales didn't make an appearance but we got to see a number of the different harbors through & around the different islands. . Captain Amio's knowledge of the area enhanced our journey. Great day on the water. Noah's communication made it easy to figure out everything. The boat was clean, had a bathroom and OUR 3 hour tour ended successfully. (It was supposed to be a 4 hour tour, but we sacrificed a half hour on each end since he picked us up on Lopez, we thought it was worth it).

Noah and Friday Harbor Boat Rentals (FHBR) were fantastic. I rented the Nordic Sun for an…read moreafternoon island cruise on 7/17/2024 to show my mom and wife more of the San Juan Islands. He is very professional as he sent me a text in the AM asking if we needed anything special to help us prepare etc...so first the Boat...Nordic Sun is a wonderfully restored tug that easily accommodates 6 so having 3 on the boat with Noah was very spacious...the boat is very clean and has a full head!!! Our tour was awesome and Noah added color and history as we cruised while giving us our space to enjoy the beauty and have a glass of wine!!! CAN'T RECOMMEND NOAH ENOUGH....oh and I thought the price for a 4 hour private cruise was very fair!!! we will us Noah and FHBR again!!! Tim B.

Family and I booked with Northshore Charters, and we had no idea what to expect. We were definitely…read morea bit nervous. Being from Florida, the water is very different. Captain Marty did a great job helping us to be more comfortable and teaching us all about the area, history and sea life. We caught a few fish and the kids loved it! It was a very unique experience, and we are so glad we did it! Highly recommend to anyone traveling in that area and Captain Marty will make it smooth and fun!

I called Marty on the very last day of Salmon fishing, and he was able to accommodate me on his…read moreboat. His boat is very impressive, top of the line, extremely neat, clean and spacious. We motored out to a spot, and he just wasn't feeling it, so we went to another spot. We hooked into the Salmon and it didn't stop. Without a doubt, I had a great time. The other people on the boat were very friendly and welcomed me no problem, I didn't feel like I was imposing at all. Next time I am on Orcas Island, I will be lucky if I can get on Marty's boat for another epic fishing adventure! HIGHLY RECOMMEND this Charter and will pass that along to anyone who asks me who to use while out on the Islands.

Captain Ward made for a fantastic day on the water. He was knowledgeable, informative, and a…read morepleasure to sail with. He quickly realized we enjoyed sailing ourselves and struck the perfect balance between offering guidance and letting us take the helm. Along the way, he shared interesting insights about Orcas Island, the surrounding waters, and local history that made the experience even more enjoyable. It was a perfect afternoon of sailing, and we would highly recommend Captain Ward to anyone looking for an authentic and memorable experience.

Unforgettable hands-on sailing for the whole family!…read more Sailing with Captain Ward on Aura was easily the highlight of our trip to Orcas Island. We were a 6-person group ranging in age from 3 to 65+, and Captain Ward made every single one of us feel completely welcome, safe, and entertained. He's remarkably patient and knowledgeable--not only about sailing, but about local history and geography as well. He even used his local knowledge of the area to make sure our kiddo got to see seals, which made their day! What made the trip so special was how hands-on it was: he gave everyone who wanted a turn a chance to take the tiller and help work the sails. It's a wonderful, personal experience on a stunning vintage boat. Highly recommend to anyone visiting Orcas Island!

My wife and I booked a 3-hour sailing trip with Jess and Karl while on Orcas. It was wonderful!…read moreTheir calm demeanor, friendly attitude, willingness to answer questions and just chat about sailing and life in general was refreshing. It is obvious they both have a deep passion for sailing and respect for our planet. We would HIGHLY recommend booking a sail with them!

WOW! What an unbelievable experience, with an amazing crew!…read more I rented a private charter, more on this later. My girlfriend (American) and I (Canadian) had never been on a sailboat so we were a little unsure what to expect. I did the majority of planning with Jess, she was extremely helpful and very response. I could instantly tell she wanted the experience to be a memorable journey, not just another sail on the water. Tip - they also work with a caterer, which I highly recommend as well. In early August we set out on sunset sail to Boundary Pass (water border of Canada, EH and the United States). It took about 2 hours to get to BP and on the way we saw a pod of orcas. Breathtaking. We reached the water border, it was time. I couldn't think of a better place to ask my beautiful and talented girlfriend to marry me. My hands were shaking, but I didn't drop the ring... and then she said YES! It was quiet, the sun was reflecting off the water, the moment was perfect. Jess captured the moment and sent us several amazing photos. The trip was perfect. Now, you know why I wanted the boat to be private.

Nat took my family out last month for an amazing half day on the water. It was truly the highlight…read moreof our month on Orcas! He has gorgeous boats but most importantly, is a very skilled sailor and guide and just such a kind human. We plan to do another sailing with Nat when we're next back on Orcas and I cannot recommend the experience highly enough!

We had an amazing lesson and a wonderful time with Orcas Island Sailing. Nat was so kind and…read morepatient in his learning style and also loads of fun. Highly recommend. We made our way over towards Blakely from the dock at Leiberhaven. Great teacher, great tkme

Bucket List - Orca Jackpot!…read more Family of 13 (including 4 kids under 12) all really enjoyed the voyage aboard Odyssey. All were comfortable and plenty of room for a good view. The crew was amazing. Very knowledgeable, my grandkids loved learning about sea creatures and the Orca names of the two families we saw. This was a dream trip - bucket list!

Had the best trip out with Captain Pete!! The staff was incredibly friendly and knowledgeable…read more Would highly recommend for whale watching!