There's
no seagoing experience quite like watching, close-up, a sleek whale weighing
thousands of pounds frolic like a child in it's natural habitat. Up and
down the coast of Vancouver Island, from Victoria to Port Hardy and the
BC Gulf Islands, Orcas (killer whales), Gray whales and Humpback whales
ply the waves and perform their watery rituals. Whalewatching at its best!
 Whatever
else you do on Vancouver Island, don't miss the whale watching boat - you'll
have a tale of a whale to tell. Click the map for a larger version of the
map to see where whale watching is offered, or select a town below to view
whale watching companies in that area.
Orcas (Killer whales): B.C's killer whale
population is divided into 2 distinct groups which, curiously, never mingle.
Residents travel in large pods within predictable ranges and feed primarily
on fish. Transients roam in smaller groups over large areas of the coast,
feeding on marine mammals such as seals, sea lions and other whales. The
resident orca population is divided into 2 communities, each with its own
geographical range. The ocean around Victoria is home to the southern resident
community of 3 pods totalling 100 magnificent animals. Best viewing from
May to October - however, marine tours go out year-round. You may see transient
orcas, resident minke whales, migrating grey and humpback whales, Pacific
white-sided dolphins, harbour porpoises, Dall's porpoises and a plethora
of harbour seals, California sea lions, Steller's sea lions and elephant
seals.
At the north end of the Island, some transient orcas and migrating grey
whales and humpback whales, which entertain with their acrobatic breaching
and underwater songs, may appear at any time of the year.The northern residents
total 217 whales in 16 pods which patrol the Johnstone Strait, the waters
of northern Vancouver Island and the mainland coast. The transient killer
whales comprise 30 small pods of about 160 whales and travel much further
than the resident pods. Johnstone Strait and the Blackfish Archipelago is
the prime whale-watching territory at the north end of Vancouver Island.
More than a dozen whale-watching tours operate our of Port McNeill, Port
Hardy, Alert Bay, Sointula and Telegraph Cove. There are also companies
in Campbell River.
Pacific
Gray whales migrate north along the west coast of the island during
March and April. They are easily accessible by boat or can be viewed from
mounted telescopes in the Long beach area. Over 20,000 Gray whales participate
in the longest migration of any animal, some stop to feed and rest in
our protected bays, while 40 to 50 grays will spend their summers feeding
off Vancouver Island.
Humpback
whales will thrill you to the north of Vancouver Island, at the outer
edges of the Inside Passage, with their acrobatic behaviour and elaborate
underwater song. Treasure lifetime memories of these magnificent whales
breaching within metres of your boat.
Minke whales, Pacific White-sided dolphins, Harbour porpoises, Dall’s
porpoises, Harbour seals and Steller‘s
sea lions are also viewed in the waters around Vancouver Island.
 Pacific
Rim Whale Festival
Whale
Watching Guidelines
For more information on BC visit BritishColumbia.com
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