Orcas Island eclipse charters can pick you up for their whale watching tours right from the ferry landing. They pick you up with their whale watching boat at the dock right next to the landing.
http://www.orcasislandwhales.comOther than a couple restaurants and a couple souvenir shops and a moped/car rental outfit there is not much the orcas Island ferry landing.
Any more serious "eating and shopping" would need to be done 10 miles away in the town of Eastsound. There is a shuttle bus that can take you from the ferry landing to Eastsound
http://www.orcasislandshuttle.com ... adults are six dollars one way and children are half-price.
If you take the ferry all the way to San Juan Island you will "disembark" right into the town of Friday Harbor. With many restaurants, galleries, and shopping opportunities all within walking distance. Numerous whale watching companies also depart from Friday Harbor and have their offices right there in town.
I'm sure you will enjoy and glean plenty of helpful information from these videos on whale watching in the San Juan's:
Part one:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFRkGYlpgK0[/youtube]
Part two:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfBVEz8ZKCw[/youtube]
