Bioluminescence Kayak Tour in the San Juan Islands
Description
There are very few places in the world where you can experience the stars in the sky and illuminated water around you at the same time. Our trip starts off with a beautiful sunset paddle in Griffin Bay off of San Juan Island where we kayak among harbor seals, roosting birds, and other wildlife. Then as the night progresses, the environment around us becomes even more serene as the bioluminescent sea life comes to life. This is one of those experiences that you will truly remember forever. Please contact Outdoor Odysseys directly to complete your waivers prior to the tour. The last ferry leaves Friday Harbor at 9:50pm and our June, July, and August tours end later.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Since 1987 we've been offering bioluminescent paddling as part of every one of our multi-day camping trips. In recent years we've decided to make that experience available to guests who prefer a shorter trip or have a specific interest in night paddling. Join us for a beautiful night paddle in Griffin Bay off San Juan Island among the bioluminescent micro flora and fauna of the Salish Sea! We’ll launch at sunset and kayak among harbor seals and roosting birds as we wait for the light show to begin. The waters are most serene and vacant of other boat traffic at night, but reactivated by fish and jellies in bioluminescence. We have scheduled trips during the new moons for the best conditions to see the bioluminescence, but can put together custom departures if those dates do not work for your group. Find out more about our trip below and we hope to see you on your next San Juan Island Kayak Tour!
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(28)
We did the bioluminescence kayaking tour as a family of six (ages 13–53) with mixed kayaking experience, and it was truly unforgettable. The weather wasn’t ideal, it had rained all day and was a colder night, but luckily the rain paused just long enough for us to get out on the water. A few of us were initially nervous about kayaking at night, but our guide, Mika, was fantastic. He was calm, reassuring, and helped everyone settle in and feel comfortable. Even without a sunset, there was enough light at the start for us to get oriented and build confidence before it got fully dark. Once the darkness set in, the real magic began! The bioluminescence was absolutely spectacular! Mika knew exactly where to go to find the best visibility, and it truly felt like we were paddling through glowing water. It even started to rain lightly again toward the end, which somehow made the experience even more magical. A few tips for future visitors: some of us wore rain pants and stayed completely dry, while others — especially those sitting in the back of the kayak — got pretty soaked. Waterproofing your shoes ahead of time definitely helps; one person in our group didn’t and ended up with wet feet. Also, for taller individuals (6'2"+), getting in and out of the kayaks can be a bit challenging, and there was some back soreness the next day. Overall, we are so glad we did this tour. Despite the weather, it ended up being an incredible and unique experience we’ll always remember!!
The night kayak trip on smooth water started with a colorful sunset on the water. The bioluminescence started with flashes of light, proceeded to trails of sparkles (like waving a magic wand in a Disney movie), and finally clusters of big bubbles. Caroline did a masterful job getting us set up, leading us around, and finding the bioluminescence. What a magical night. Highly recommend.
It was amazing! Such an incredible experience. The guide was so helpful and knowledgeable. She did an amazing job giving us the bucket list experience while keeping us together. Felt safe the entire time
Interesting to be out on the water at night - yes, you saw flashes of bioluminescence but nothing stunning. It rained most of the time so nothing else to see. Would have been better on a clear night - guide Chris made the best of it though.
What a fantastic experience! We thoroughly enjoyed our nighttime kayaking. Keith was the perfect guide - knowledgeable and helpful, with a side of hilariousness. This was definitely a highlight of our trip.
We did the nighttime bioluminescence kayak tour in a group on a challenging night due to the full moon. OO did a great job prepping us before the tour day with info about what to expect, wear, bring, etc. On the night of, our guide Meg appeared promptly at the pick up site, rounded us up and drove us to the beach. She made everyone on the tour feel prepared, safe, and informed. Very patient with some less experienced paddlers on our tour. Despite the full moon, Meg knew the spots to bring us to so we all saw the bioluminescence! Highly recommend!
Justin and Eddie were amazing guides. What a special experience. The bay was so serene and peaceful. We were the only group out there so we had the entire place to ourselves. I had so much fun and came across so many good pockets of bioluminescence. So glad I booked this experience.
This trip was wonderful! My husband and I spent our honeymoon on San Juan Islands and this was the highlight. The guide was knowledgeable and helped us find the perfect spots to see the greatest bioluminescence. It's an experience that's hard to describe, but 100% worth it. (Also, it's really hard to take photos of the bioluminescence, so I can't share any photos. However, that's just another reason you should go. There's no other way to really experience the magic besides in person.)
We were two women ages 70 and 75 and a guide. We were expected to carry our two person kayak about 100 feet to the water. We were not warned about this ahead of time. The other companies had kayak carts or they had 5 younger men on each kayak they were carrying. Totally unacceptable
Had a wonderful time and the bio was very strong and abundant! The water was glass smooth and the guide was super helpful getting us set up and on the water. Could not have asked for a better experience!
