In 2010 she came back to vancouver island to complete high school. She later studied criminal justice at camosun college. On the west coast, tofino is a quaint town with an embedded orcawatching culture. Vancouver island is worldrenowned for its whale watching, and at the heart of the action is the city of victoria. Best whale whale watching discover vancouver island. Tours leave from several locations around the city, including coal harbour near stanley park, granville island, and steveston village in the city of richmond, south of vancouver. Looking for the best whale watching on vancouver island. March to october is the season for orcas, minke, grey, and humpback whales. Whale watching vancouver island news, events, travel. Why victoria has the best whale watching on vancouver island. Go whale watching between march and may to have a chance to witness this incredible annual migration of over 20,000 grey whales swimming along the west coast of vancouver island towards their summer arctic feeding waters in bering, chukchi and beaufort seas. Minke whales have a similar aesthetic to humpback whales, but are are just. Gray whale migration passes vancouver island vancouver. Hop aboard one of our adventurous open boston whalers or a.
Furthermore, if you wait until september maybe there will be deals as tourist season will be over. Our 34 hour whale watching tours depart daily from downtown nanaimo bc, april through october. When is the best time of year to go whale watching in. Tofino whale watching tours ocean outfitters, tofino bc. And of course, there is a very slim chance on seeing. Whale watching in june vancouver island forum tripadvisor.
Jeff spotted two gray whales heading north at his last weather report at 9. Prince of whales whale watching tourism vancouver island. The majestic orca has long been the proud symbol of our incredible city. The marine life in the waters of bc is abundant and diverse, but there is no greater creature than the mighty whale. Whale watching at the san juan islands from victoria bc on vancouver island canada. Whale watching in vancouver in winter march vancouver. Victoria is good for orcas but heading further north to telegraph cove andor port mcneill is better for viewing orcas and other wildlife. This is the best place in the world to see orcas, the mr. Whale watching from vancouver vancouver message board. Vancouver island whale watching beautiful photos, photo. The resident fish eating orcas are usually not reliably seen until midjuly the last few years it has been between july 7 and 14. Members of some 260 fisheating orcas known as the northern residents are often in the area in pursuit of salmon.
The whale centre, tofino, bc tofino whale watching, bear. Killer whales are best observed from mid july through the first week of september. We may even see one devouring a salmon in its own unique way. Whale watching opportunities in march around vancouver island are very limited. Whale watching on vancouver island owner direct vacation. My plan is to head towards tofino, and do a boat tour which will hopefully coincide with the grey whale migration. The main target species from vancouver victoria are orcas and humpback whales, and neither are relieably present in early spring. Vancouver island whale watching during a vacation on northern vancouver island, british columbia, be sure to book a whale watching tour to see whales, eagles, dolphins and other marine mammals. Our crew bc whale tours victoria whale watching tours. Gray whale off vancouver island, british columbia, canada. Each passes through the seas at slightly different times of the year but overall whale watching season is considered to run from march to october. We respect the investment our guests make to join us and we are dedicated to making your trip the experience of a lifetime. For those visiting vancouver island outside of the summer whale watching season, minke whales, the smallest of the north pacific baleen whales, can be spotted yearround. Vancouver, we offer a wide variety of marine wildlife experiences that range from three hours long to a halfday.
The best page i have found for whale season off tofino is from jamies whale watching. The whales migrate 8000 1100 km every spring and fall. Jessicas love of wildlife, and breathtaking vancouver island, brought her to the bc whale tours team in 2017. Ocean ecoventures offers daily whale watching tours departing from cowichan bay, only 45 minute south of nanaimo we offer year round whale watching and marine eco tours.
Although wildlife is the focus of our trip, the scenery along the way is not to be forgotten. Our location wild whales vancouver is situated on granville island, a 510 minute taxi ride from most downtown hotels. The 30ton giants can be seen from shore, as early as february, with females and calves passing by from mid march, through april and into. Wild whales 2020 eggbeater creative vancouver whale watching. Sep 03, 2018 whale watching vancouver island from granville island this particular tip was starting from granville island, worth a visit in itself. In addition to there being more orcas at the north end of the island you also have excellent opportunities to see humpback hales, dalls porpoises, white sided dolphins, seals, sea lions, eagles, sea birds and bears.
The worlds 8 best destinations for whale watching and. Looks good but then i dont get to see downtown much 3 prince of whales whale watching only. Big horns intro 2 by audionautix is licensed under a creative commons attribution license s. There is a chance of seeing a number of different species of whales including resident and transient orcas, humpback whales, minke whales, and gray whales in addition to other wildlife including but not limited to seals, sea lions, bald eagles, cormorants, and the race rocks. Come aboard one of our two 40passenger expedition catamarans, each of which combines comfort, speed, safety, and your choice of 3 viewing platforms. The more stealthy marine mammaleating population of killer whales know as transients are also often hunting in the area. Whale watching tours are available from the inner harbour of victoria, sidney, tofino, campbell river, and port hardy, as well as most of the communities on the island. Located in the heart of the southern resident killer whales and biggs killer whales travel areas, cowichan bay offers a relaxed experience away from the hustle and bustle.
Our mission we aspire to be the best whale watching company in the area by. Many varieties of whales pass through the waters of vancouvers west coast including humpbacks, orcas, grey whales and minke whales. Vancouver island is a great destination for whale watching. British columbia is home to dozens of whale species, 23 to be exact, according to the vancouver aquarium. You can see orca whales from tours in victoria they are resident orcas. On any given day between april and october, you can witness up to 89 orca whales frolicking in the southern vancouver island waterways. Humpback whales are equipped with a baleen which resembles thick strands of long hair which acts as a strainer to filter out plankton, krill, herring and other small fish. Hi, i am planning to do whale watching from vancouver on 23rd june.
These are all typical maneuvers you may expect to see while whale watching off the west coast of vancouver island. The whaleplanner september a whale watching infographic. It sounds like you had incredible encounters with both killer whales and humpback whales and with other local marine wildlife. Whale watching around vancouver island in british columbia is an exceptional experience that will leave you awestruck after watching whales that weigh thousands of pounds frolic in their natural habitat. May 29, 2016 whale watching at the san juan islands from victoria bc on vancouver island canada. The most celebrated residents of vancouver island north are its marine mammals. Coinciding with our last tours of the season, the sea lions return to nearby haulouts with their new pups. I was on my way out of the inner harbour when i glanced out to sea. Witness resident killer whales, biggs killer whales, humpback whales, dolphins, bears, wolves, bald eagles and so much more. My mind had somehow noticed something out ahead that beckoned me to observe. This family owned and operated company is sure to deliver a world class marine wildlife viewing experience. Southern vancouver island is the best place to see whales in the wild. On vancouver island, youll find reputable whale watching providers to bring you close to the action while respecting the boundaries of these magnificent animals.
Also, you should watch sites like groupon or livingsocial for whale watching deals. As a midpoint on the trip, the best chance to see them pass vancouver island is around april and november of every year. The whale centre offers safe and educational tofino hot springs tours, whale watching tours, tofino bear watching tours, bird watching tours and private tours in tofino on vancouver island. Oct 22, 2010 eagle wing whale watching in victoria british columbia canada at fishermans wharf. See whales and other marine wildlife on a whale watching tour in vancouver. Whale watching in april vancouver island message board. For more accessible wildlife encounters, head to vancouver island in march and april to see the gray whale migration, or from may through september when the orca are at their most plentiful. However, if you truly want the best place for whale watching then head to the north end of the island. Hi, i am planning to do whale watching from vancouver on 23rd june 1 wild whales vancouver this is sold out. Whale classification breeding patterns of whales whale migration join us british columbia. If seeing orcas is a priority, please keep these dates in mind when you book your tour with us. Campbell river whale watching, grizzly bear, wildlife and ocean rapids adventures tours go wild. Both sides of vancouver island afford primo opportunities.
Victoria is located on the southern tip of vancouver island, located 112 kilometers across the georgia strait from the city of vancouver. Every trip is different, as we follow reports of the whales location. You can do grizzly bear tours out of campbell river. Our coastal wilderness is home to killer whales, humpback whales, sea lions, porpoises, seals, eagles, and more. Ocean ecoventures offers whale watching, wildlife encounters and multiday expedition style zodiac marine eco tours exploring the remote waters and wildlife of vancouver island. Youll see orca whales, migrating humpback whales and much more. These operators work together, along with companies based in victoria, to locate whales near the southern gulf and san juan islands. For the orcas off victoria from april, with an increase in sitings from may you might consider a week. Granville island is really a village, on an island obviously, in the middle of world city vancouver. Our mission we aspire to be the best whale watching. Whale watching vancouver island from granville island this particular tip was starting from granville island, worth a visit in itself. Eagle wing tours gives you more than just a look at whales, they give you the longest and most comprehensive whale watching tours in the industry. They are a mammal, a carnivore and can live up to 80 years of age.
See whales and other marine wildlife on a whalewatching tour in vancouver. It sounds like you had incredible encounters with both killer whales and humpback whales. Killer whales attract tourists to vancouver island killer whale or also known as the orca whale often transit the waters of discovery passage between vancouver island and quadra island. The killer whale or orca, is the largest of the dolphins, a predator, feeding on fish, seals, and sometimes whales. Whale watching in july and august vancouver island, british. Experience some of the best whale watching on vancouver island. Eagle wing whale watching in victoria british columbia canada at fishermans wharf. While other vancouver island whale watching tours are heading for shore, our experienced captains and crew are going the extra mile or 50 to show you the gray whale feeding beaches, the eagles nests, the hidden coves and all the other delights. Look carefully, because theyre hard to spot without the dorsal fin. The pacific rim whale festival in the coastal towns of tofino and ucluelet kicks off an allout celebration of the gray whale migration and life in general on the fabulous west coast of vancouver island.
Frequently asked questions about whale watching in bc. Telegraph cove on vancouver island, the orca capital of the world. Whale watching in april vancouver island forum tripadvisor. If youre very lucky, a whale will breach while youre watching. This ensures the highest sightings of killer whales on vancouver island every year. Whale watching in july and august vancouver island. Looks good but then i dont get to see downtown much 3 prince of whales whale watching.
Over the summer there are also humpbacks, minke, fin, sperm, and even blue whales off the east and west coasts. Five star whale watching helps you discover the picturesque southern vancouver island, victoria, and the gulf islands, home to the largest population of killer whales orcas in the world. Harbour air will fly you from downtown vancouver to downtown victoria in just 35 minutes. Chances are youve travelled a long way or youre about to and you want nothing more than to fulfill your dream of seeing whales. We are happy to hear you enjoyed your time on the water with us. Board our 30 rigid hull inflatable zodiacs, or one of our high speed covered family cruisers to enjoy some of the most spectacular scenery in the world. Bc whale tours victoria aktuelle 2020 lohnt es sich. Whale watching british columbia vancouver islands watching. I do not want to knock victoria as there is good viewing around there and if travelling further north is difficult time wise it is a good choice. Ill be in vancouver in the first couple of weeks of april, and am really keen to see some whales. The main target species from vancouvervictoria are orcas and humpback whales, and neither are relieably present in early spring. The whale report remote passages whale watching, tofino, bc. Ocean ecoventures is the most centrallylocated whale watching company on vancouver island. Luckily, if you are staying in vancouver there are plenty of options to get here.
Killer whales orcas, gray whales, humpback whales and minke whales ply the waves and perform their watery rituals. Or travel with us to oxford river for some once in a lifetime grizzly bear viewing. Well take you through the salish sea ecosystem to see whales and other marine life in their natural habitat. Ive seen deals on the trips out of vancouver in the last two weeks. Each spring, some 20,000 gray whales travel passed the western shore of vancouver island, british columbia, en route to their summer feeding grounds in the bering sea and chukchi sea. Hop aboard one of our adventurous open boston whalers or a comfortable, heated cabin cruiser. Tofino is on the west coast, campbell river on the east coast. Vancouver, british columbia is one of the best places to go whale watching.
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