Puffin Discovery Ecotour

Service Description

Join an adventure with purpose. Every Puffin you spot and every observation you make contributes to ongoing research and conservation efforts. Beyond the boat, your ticket helps local students experience the Salish Sea for the first time—sparking the next generation of scientists or ocean stewards. Trip Highlights: Boat around Smith and Minor Islands, where some of the last Tufted Puffins in the Salish Sea can be seen nesting, fishing, and soaring over the waves. Each tour offers a unique exploration of the Puffins’ lives at Smith Island — and with luck, some rare species sightings as well like our Horned Puffin! During spring tours, participants have the possibility to observe Puffin breeding behavior, July-August tours have the opportunity to observe Puffins carrying forage fish to feed to their chicks, and September tours have the opportunity to see Puffins in all stages of their breeding to non-breeding plumage change before they head back out to the Pacific Ocean for our winter! Contribute to Conservation: This isn’t just a tour — it’s a citizen science experience. This ecotour will give you a taste of the work we do as an organization to conduct population counts, characterize Puffin behavior around decoys, add to Puffin diet research by photographing Puffin’s prey in their bills, and more! Tour participants are welcome to assist with conducting our bird survey during the tour, and any photographers have the opportunity to share their images of Puffins with fish in bill to our Tufted Puffin diet research database! Optional Lesson: Get ready for your adventure with an engaging pre-trip lesson (offered live or as a recording) introducing you to Washington’s endangered Tufted Puffins. Discover their incredible adaptations, the challenges they face, and how you can help protect them! After the Tour: Receive a full eBird species list and photo trip report, helping you grow as a birder and citizen scientist. Ticket Options: Adult Ticket: $149 Child (16 & Under): $99 Platinum Puffin Patron: $220 (Adopt an adorable Tufted Puffin stuffed animal to join you on this tour!) Each ticket includes a scenic voyage aboard a spacious vessel with cozy indoor seating and open-air decks designed for the best wildlife viewing and photography opportunities. Thank You for Making a Difference: Your ticket helps fund marine science programs that bring local students to the water, many for the very first time, to explore, learn, and fall in love with the Salish Sea!