When whale watching in Victoria, tourists
usually get to choose their own adventure, which is largely determined by the
type of boat they choose. It’s rarely a big debate – either fast and furious or
slow and steady as she goes. Those wanting a thrill ride generally choose a
zodiac or scarab, while those preferring the comfort of a leisurely cruise opt
for a covered boat.
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| "BC Orca" D.Wilson/JetBC |
Covered boats are usually slower but
comfortable particularly on a cool day as many offer heated cabins. With
zodiacs, tourists are exposed to all the elements – it’s just you and the
ocean! But what makes BC Whale Tours unique is that you can enjoy the best of
both worlds: the thrill and speed of a zodiac accompanied by the comfort of a
heated cabin.
BC Whale Tours offers the only fleet of
zodiacs in Victoria that are equipped with heated cabins. Passengers have the
choice of sitting outside and enjoying the cool sea breeze or relaxing in the
comfort of the cabin – a useful feature on a rainy day! On cold and windy days,
you will be glad that you have a choice.
Our vessel for the day, BC Orca, is the
fastest zodiac in the BC Whale Tours fleet.
It is capable of seating around twenty people, but tours are restricted
to a maximum of twelve people to provide everyone with plenty of space,
comfort, and unobstructed viewing opportunities.
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| "Captain Jim" D.Wilson/JetBC |
A brief orientation was provided and we
were welcomed aboard by Captain Jim. With nearly 20 years of experience, he is
incredibly knowledgeable and intuitive, which proved to be an asset on this
particular tour. To some of his industry colleagues, he is fondly known as the
“whale whisperer.”
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| "Inner Harbour" D.Wilson/JetBC |
We had the pleasure of sitting in the very
front row of BC Orca. As is common with most zodiacs, it’s a bumpier ride for
those up front compared to those seated in the rows behind. As our trip began
on a brisk morning in May with clouds overhead, it was reassuring that we had
the option of escaping to the heated cabin.
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| "Fisherman's Wharf" D.Wilson/JetBC |
As we taxied out of Victoria’s Inner
Harbour, we encountered the familiar sights of the Empress Hotel, Legislative
Buildings, and Fisherman’s Wharf with its extensive array of colourful house
boats. As we cruised past Fisherman’s Wharf, we encountered one of the covered
boats, which did not take us long to pass.
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| "Slower Covered Boats" D.Wilson/JetBC |
On this particular morning, a number of
tour companies were headed out on whale watching adventures. But no whales had
been sighted in the area yet so all of the boats were splitting up, heading off
into different directions in search of marine wildlife. A number of boats
headed West towards Sooke, while we travelled North toward Haro Strait and the
San Juan Islands. As we departed, we past the Norwegian Pearl cruise ship,
which was in port for the day.
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| "Harbour Seals at Trial Island" D.Wilson/JetBC |
Our first stop was Trial Island, where we
encountered a group of harbour seals hanging out. We made our way further along
through the Oak Bay Islands Ecological Reserve where more harbour seals and
birds were enjoying their day on the rocks. Captain Jim pointed out that
staying out of the water and on the rocks helps protect the seals from the
predatory orca whales.
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| "Stellar Sea Lion" D.Wilson/JetBC |
As we headed further towards Haro Strait,
we discovered a Steller Sea Lion perched on a ledge. Two bald eagles stood watch overhead. The
Steller Sea Lion is the largest of the eared seals, often reaching up to 9.25 feet
in length and weighing up to 1.2 tons.
We eventually reached San Juan Island,
desperately looking for any sign of whales. Captain Jim was in constant
communication with the other boats in the area, hoping that something would
turn up. But nearly half-way through our tour, there was not a single sign of
whales. He explained that our local resident pods of orca whales had not been
seen in the area in the last week and a half.
We continued north through the San Juan
Islands, hoping to spot any sign of whale activity in the area. It was certainly
beginning to look like we would be out of luck when Captain Jim received a call
from a pleasure craft that a lone humpback whale had been spotted just off of
Taylor Point on Saturna Island.
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| "Humpback Whale" D.Wilson/JetBC |
It was within range and we were able to get
there with ample time to observe the whale before heading back to Victoria
harbour. A few days earlier, this
particular humpback
had made news as it was earning a reputation for playfully swimming around
boaters. But it didn’t seem to be in that playful a mood when we were there. I
have still yet to see one of these magnificent creatures breach.
However, I was not about to complain as I
knew that we were one of only two whale watching boats, which departed Victoria
that morning that actually got to see a whale. I can only imagine how
disappointing it must be to travel all the way from another country in the
hopes of seeing a whale only to go home empty handed.
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| "Humpback Whale" D.Wilson/JetBC |
In some ways, part of it was luck as the
boats that went exploring West towards Sooke returned home disappointed.
Captain Jim would probably refer to it as experience and gut instinct, which
proved to be right on this occasion as he made the decision to head North. However,
I believe the defining difference was choosing BC Whale Tours.
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| "Cruising the Islands" D.Wilson/JetBC |
What makes BC Whale Tours unique among
other whale watching operators in Victoria is that they are one of only two
companies that offer 3.5 to 4 hour tours. The majority of the other companies
only go out for 2.5 to 3 hours. The extra thirty minutes to one hour on the
water makes a huge difference in that it not only offers you more time to
observe the marine wildlife, but more importantly, it gives you greater range
to reach the whales if they are far away from Victoria. This can ultimately
define whether you get to see whales or not.
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| "Norwegian Cruise Lines" D.Wilson/JetBC |
On some days, only the two companies in
Victoria that offer the 3.5 to 4 hour tours actually get to see whales as they
are too far out of reach of the other tour boats. If you are travelling from a
foreign country, I would spend extra for the longer tour to get the best
possible chance of seeing whales as it’s simply not worth the minimal savings
to go home empty handed. I know BC Whale Tours has even been known to push the
limits of their four-hour tour time just to ensure that their guests see the
whales. But in the off chance that you don’t see whales, they let you go again
for free on a stand-by basis and even give you a 20% rebate.
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| "BC Orca" D.Wilson/JetBC |
Whale watching in Victoria is an absolute
must-do experience that is worth every penny. Absolutely nothing compares to
watching whales in their natural habitat and BC Whale Tours will not
disappoint. You can choose from a handful of trips in either the morning or
afternoon and of course, you can choose your boat as well giving you the best
of both worlds!
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| "BC Whale Tours Office" D.Wilson/JetBC |
BC
Whale Tours is located down on the docks at 1234 Wharf Street at the Hyack
Floatplane Terminal
I am an avid traveller, freelance writer, and hospitality management professional. I enjoy helping people see the world through travel by sharing my own experiences and knowledge. British Columbia is an amazing place that is just waiting to be explored. #ExploreBC
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