First in a series of posts about our search for the best location for a seaside sanctuary for captive whales. Before boarding, we ask all guests to checkin at our office. Southern resident orcas all year, gray whales march to november. Whale watching from the shore is an unlikely gamble. Luna september 19, 1999 march 10, 2006 also known as l98 or tsuxiit, was a killer whale orca born in puget sound. There are two ways in which ship crew are alerted to the presence of whales in.
With a lot of fantastic orcajumps, it was a great experience. 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. Known as the place to go for the best whale watching in british columbia, vancouver island offers amazing opportunities to witness wild marine life. Whale watching in july and august vancouver island.
Whale watching in april vancouver island forum tripadvisor. Killer whale watching in vancouver orca whales in canada. Experience some of the best whale watching on vancouver island. Killer whales orcas, gray whales, humpback whales and minke whales ply the waves and perform their watery rituals. There are more whale watching boats here than any other region since victoria hosts more tourists than any other place on vancouver island. Orcas were given the name killer whale by ancient sailors observations of groups of orcas hunting and preying on larger whale species. Feds to create ocean sanctuaries off vancouver island to. They called orcas asesina ballenas, or whale killer a term that was eventually flipped around to the easier killer whale. Looking for the best whale watching on vancouver island. Orca dreams is situated in the center of the whale watching activity. Enjoy a scenic 35 minute float plane ride from vancouvers coal harbour to downtown victoria, then start your southern resident killer whale watching adventure with us. Departing from granville island in downtown vancouver, the wild whales experience allows you to observe whales and the diverse wildlife of the pacific coast in their natural habitat. Jan 12, 2011 orca whale watch at vancouver island in september 2009.
Come out and see orca whales, gray whales, humpback whales, porpoises, seals, sea lions, otters, bald eagles and much more. Blackney pass, johnstone strait and queen charlotte strait are rich with both humpback whales and orcas. See the spectacular grey whale migration past vancouver island the west coast of the island is where to catch a glimpse of the grey whales as they migrate between mexico and the bering sea, although they have occasionally been seen on the inner coastline near campbell river and vancouver s false creek. The most active airport of these is kfhr friday harbor airport, with kors orcas island airport being a close second. In our opinion this is comparable to the wildebeest migration in tanzania. Ocean ecoventures is the most centrally located whale watching company on vancouver island with the highest sighting of orcas and humpback whales every year. For the orcas off victoria from april, with an increase in sitings from may you might consider a week. Rome2rio is a doortodoor travel information and booking engine, helping you get to and from any location in the world. Do i need to go via friday harbor and swap ferries there to get to orcas or is there a ferry from vi that stops at orcas. They can be found in every ocean basin in the world, both tropical and temperate. Orca whale watch at vancouver island in september 2009. Whereand howto see whales and orcas in the puget sound. There are a few places galiano island s bellhouse provincial park, point roberts in washington state, lime kiln park on san juan island, as others have suggested where once in a while, orcas have been sighted. The whalereport alert system wildwhales bc cetacean.
Vancouver island plays host to many exhilarating experiences, but few compare to the thrill of seeing whales in the wild. Now, ive been to all these places, in some of these cases numerous times, and have never seen orcas. Weve been there three times so far, but this wont be enough. There are 5 ways to get from vancouver to orcas island by train, ferry, bus, bus and ferry or plane. The best page i have found for whale season off tofino is from jamies whale watching. Best whale whale watching discover vancouver island. Orcas is about 57 square miles, and takes the shape of a horse shoe. Whale watching british columbia vancouver islands watching. The number of possible locations in british columbia must be in the thousands. Orca whale watching vancouver island canada youtube.
Whale classification breeding patterns of whales whale migration join us british columbia. To be that close to these magnificent creatures was a very memorable experience. Whale watching whale watching in the san juan islands is one of the most popular pastimes for tourists in washington state. Whale watching victoria with orca spirit whale adventures.
Or travel with us to oxford river for some once in a lifetime grizzly bear viewing. In summer, chances to observe orcas are best at the shores of washington and british columbia, particularly in the north of vancouver island and at the strait of georgia where the residents are following the salmon. Visitors have their best chance of seeing gray whales in march and april. Wild forests, rugged coastlines, endless beaches, bears and orcas everywhere. Whaletrips orcas the best time and place to watch orcas. Orca whale watching close encounters vancouver island. Orcas come right up to the shore in the robson bight reserve to rub on the gravel beds, but the reserve is apparently off limits even i just just want to go and fucking hike watch whales. Our whale watching tour focuses on magnificent orcas killer whales, majestic.
Our 34 hour whale watching tours depart daily from downtown nanaimo bc, april through october. Aug 10, 2016 several whale watching boats at the western edge of the salish sea off jordan river on vancouver island spotted a group of transient orcas surrounding two adult humpback whales and a calf on sunday. The orca whale pods that frequent the san juans arent as common around orcas island. The whaleplanner september a whale watching infographic. Enjoy an orca whale aka killer whales nature tour on orcas islands all weather family style boat and renew your spirit with nature. Orcas island san juan safaris san juan island whale. Were in the planning stage of our trip so we can adjust our itinerary. There are many options for transportation to our office and departure point. This is the best place in the world to see orcas, the mr. Facts about orcas killer whales the orca is a toothed whale belonging to the. On the west coast, tofino is a quaint town with an embedded orcawatching culture. Orca dreams offers canadas first whale watching camp, with bc packages that include 4 days of luxury camping.
Most of them, however, are too far from human civilization fresh water, power, transport, schools, medical facilities to be practical. This area is considered the best place to watch whales on vancouver island. Both sides of vancouver island afford primo opportunities. Known as the gem of the san juans, orcas is a lush island of rolling hills and tall forests that draw bicyclists and hikers alike. Highest killer whale sightings in british columbia. Bc sea kayaking with killer whales, vancouver island. Whether watching whales, dipping into hot springs cove, or kayaking to a rainforest trail, people of all ages have enjoyed our excursions since 1986.
Where would the optimal place be on shore to see orcas, whales, other marine. Orca dreams has twenty years of experience hosting people from around the world in the wildliferich waters of johnstone strait and broughton archipelago, off the east coast of vancouver island, british columbia watch surfacing humpback whales, pods of orcas, dolphins, eagles, sea. Orcas island eclipse charters whale and wildlife tours. Vancouver island is worldrenowned for its whale watching, and at the heart of the action is the city of victoria. In the west coast waters near vancouver island and the gulf islands, a large number of orcas reside between here and the san juan islands us. These are all typical maneuvers you may expect to see while whale watching off the west coast of vancouver island. Select an option below to see stepbystep directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in rome2rios travel planner.
We have just returned from a 4day trip in the johnston straits, billed as an orca kayaking trip. But very little is known yet about where they spend the winter. To report whales please go to the orca network sightings report page, or email orca network. You could see humpback whales swimming close to the shoreline and listen to breathing orcas enjoying the pebbled beach. One of the best places to see and photograph orcas in north america is located in the narrow strait between vancouver island and the mainland of british columbia. With vancouver island, however, we made an exception for years. Orca whales are the fastest marine mammal around vancouver island though its rare to witness the speed like we can with dolphins since dolphins follow cruising boats for short periods of time. Sep 03, 2018 whale watching near vancouver island, canada september 3, 2018 yup, i have affiliate links on this blog and there may be some in this amazing and completely free content below. There were a number of pacific whitesided dolphin pods observed with the largest pod numbering around 50 members. Members of the public are encouraged to download the whalereport app. We also offer the orca whale adoption program through the whale museum. Whatever tour you choose, youll have the chance to see orcas, minke whales, harbor seals, dalls and harbor porpoise, bald eagles, ospreys, cormorants, great.
From the capital of vancouver island victoria, the best whale watching tours of canada departure. Cetacean sightings network launched an alert system. Whale watching is an amazing experience like none other. The rates for the boating outfits are a joke about a hundreds bucks a person. 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. Killer whales orcinus orca killer whales, also known as orca, have a widespread distribution. There are seven species of whales and dolphins that frequent the puget sound and salish sea the waters that run up to the west of vancouver island. You can even download the files so you can listen to them whenever you want. Whale watching tours from vancouver island tourism victoria. The ones i saw with my family off the victoria coast were killer whales orcas. Whale watching vancouver island is a onceinalifetime exerience. Eagle wing tours humpback whale in victoria bc close encounter. Orca rubbing beach vancouver island best time to visit top.
Whale watching from victoria is a fun adventure, especially if you love wildlife and nature. See whales and other marine wildlife on a whale watching tour in vancouver. Recent sightings vancouver island whale watch nanaimo bc. Interisland ferry service can take you to friday harbor in about 40 minutes be sure to check exact crossing times. Orca camp tours vancouver island bc, black creek, bc. Victoria whale watching adventure harbour air seaplanes. Small personal tour groups, never more than 12 passengers on our boats. In the west coast waters near vancouver island and the gulf islands, a large number of orcas reside between here and the san juan islands us, making it the perfect and a popular place to whale watch in canada. We launch out of tofino in clayoquot sound on the west coast of vancouver island, just minutes from long beach and pacific rim national park. Are there any really good spots on vancouver island just to go whale watching from land. Find all the transport options for your trip from vancouver to orcas island right here.
The salish sea waterways surrounding southern vancouver island are home to nearly 200 species of marine mammals and birds. October 23rd last tour of the season and we saw both orcas and a humpback whale. You may only proceed by boat, so getting here is part of the adventure. May until october is the prime time to see the southern pod of resident orcas feeding on salmon in the gulf islands and the strait of georgia near vancouver. The purpose of orca networks whale sighting network and education project is to encourage observation and increase awareness and knowledge about the southern resident community of orcas j, k and l pods, and foster a stewardship ethic to motivate a diverse audience to take action to protect and. Orcas island is located off the northern coast of washington state. One grey whale was reported off saratoga beachoyster river area about 2 weeks ago and over the past weekend, two grey whales were reported near comox. I will be travelling from vancouver island to orcas in august this year. Why victoria has the best whale watching on vancouver island. Were planning a visit to victoria and see there are numerous companies there. Orca dreams is situated on compton island a half hour boat trip from telegraph cove, on north vancouver island. From the capital of vancouver island victoria, the best whale watching tours of. Come for the afternoon, or stay a few nights at one of our partner hotels. Orca whale watching vancouver island canada duration.
Not only will you see orcas and possibly humpback whales, but you will also experience a diversity of other marine and bird wildlife too. Vancouver island bc to orcas orcas island forum tripadvisor. Around each corner expect to find a stunning view, an artists studio or other island treasure. This is on the east coast of northern vancouver island, british columbia bc, canada. Majestic mammals and marine wildlife abound in the waters surrounding victoria, including the orca, or killer whale, and gray, humpback, and minke whales. Luckily, there are a number of boat trips to areas where you can see 30ton marine mammals majestically glide through the open waters of canada. North island kayak is located in the tiny town of telegraph cove.
Outer island excursions offer highquality, unforgettable whale watching, marine and fishing charter experiences in the san juan islands of washington state. Whale watching vancouver island news, events, travel. The port of vancouver, the port of prince rupert, bc coast pilots, bc ferries, the. Board one of our four vessels at vancouvers unique and historic granville island. Youll see orca whales, migrating humpback whales and much more. Embark on a responsible marine tour with prince of whales. Nearby vancouver island is home to a resident pod of nearly 100 orcas and small pods of transient orcas that travel north from baja to alaska along the coastline. Whale watching in july and august vancouver island, british. Several companies run these trips, some based in campbell river, some in the telegraph cove area. After being separated from his mother while still young, luna spent five years in nootka sound, an ocean inlet of western vancouver island. Similar behaviour of orcas can be seen at hanson island.
Site search in british columbia the whale sanctuary. They are amongst the most studied cetaceans, thanks in large part to the work of researchers in washington, british columbia and alaska where family groups, known as. Every orca spirit tour is led by a certified marine naturalist with deep knowledge of vancouver islands marine wildlife. Telegraph cove has been voted one of the ten best towns to visit in canada. Since the 1970s, the team has been following the lives of the northern resident population of orcas that live in the waters around vancouver island in canada. Orca whales can be identified from its pattern on the saddle patch as well as the dorsal fin. Well take you through the salish sea ecosystem to see whales and other marine life in their natural habitat. We are planning a trip to vancouver island next yearjunejuly. Its the time of year when orcas sometimes gather into a super pod one of the greatest wildlife spectacles on earth. Our main objective in founding this center is to create an educational space where visitors and residents of the island can glean knowledge of our diverse ecosystem here in the san juan islands, washington and surrounding areas.
The following chart is provided as a guide to help you schedule your whale watching tour to coincide with the marine wildlife you would most like to see. Chances are youve travelled a long way or youre about to and you want nothing more than to fulfill your dream of seeing whales. There is so much to see and do on vancouver island and in british columbia. Orca rubbing beach vancouver island best time to visit. Orcas island business directory whale watching orcas. Fisheries and oceans minister jonathan wilkinson says the government is looking at creating new areas of critical habitat off the west coast of vancouver island for southern resident killer whales. We have a trained naturalist on board and are waiting to share the adventure with you. Several whale watching boats at the western edge of the salish sea off jordan river on vancouver island spotted a group of transient orcas surrounding.
On vancouver island, youll find reputable whale watching providers to bring you close to the action while respecting the boundaries of these magnificent animals. There are some 80 of these killer whales that live off the southern. How the killer whale became the orca vancouver island. Tofino whale watching tours ocean outfitters, tofino bc. Travel through the spectacular gulf and san juan islands.
From there we will provide directions for boarding your boat. Orcas and whale watching from shore on vancouver island. 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. Where on vancouver island is the best place to go whale watching orcas in the summer. Campbell river whale watching, grizzly bear, wildlife and ocean rapids adventures tours go wild. We are located on granville island, 510 minutes from most downtown hotels. Should we just plan to do it there or head up to sidney or some other spot. Our coastal wilderness is home to killer whales, humpback whales, sea lions, porpoises, seals, eagles, and more. My wife gets seasick so is unable to go on any sort of whale watching boat or kayak.
Orca killer whale orca whales discover vancouver island. Vancouver to orcas island 5 ways to travel via train, ferry. When free willy ii was filmed in the san juan islands, one of our local whale watch operators played the coastal marine patrol and took the cast and crew out for a whale watch tour to see orca whales in their natural habitat. Orcalab is the longest running study of wild orcas in the world. This newsletter includes contact information for orcawatching tours, some side trips, and lots of photo tips for shooting from moving watercraft. Visitors with the right plans and a dash of luck can see several whale species, including orca, humpback, grey, and minke whales. This is your chance to sea kayak with killer orca whales or watch them from our boat, the.
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