BC
Whale Watching Adventures
West Coast
Vancouver Island
The
West Coast of Vancouver
Island is rugged and wild. Up and down the coast are
many Sounds that reach deep inland forming, bays, coves, inlets
and channels. Surf of the Pacific Ocean pounds against the
shoreline cutting deep into the rock and rides over the sandy
beaches, and old-growth temperate rain forests cover the land.
The area is majestic and enchanting.
Tofino
and Ucluelet
are the two favourite northern
gray whale watching communities on the West Coast
of Vancouver Island. People from all parts of the world
come here to watch these magnificent creatures of the deep.
During the months of March and April, more than 20,000 gray
whales swim north from their breeding grounds in Baja California
to their feeding grounds in Alaska. On their way north,
the gray whales pass close to shore in this region of British
Columbia. A pod of whales summers over near Tofino, waiting
for the southern migration, so whale watching is possible
during the summer months. To celebrate the migration of
the northern gray whales, every spring the residents hold
the Pacific Rim Whale Festival that attracts thousands of
avid whale watchers.
Pacific
White-Sided Dolphin
Sea
otters have been re-introduced in this area of the
West Coast and are slowly making a come back. This small
marine mammal is a protected and endangered species. Look
for it in kelp beds and rocky shorelines.
Humpback
whales,
commonly known for their displays of breaching, are occasionally
sighted in this region. Harbour porpoises, harbour seals,
California
sea lions are all part of the marine wildlife in this
part of British Columbia. Marine birds and nestling bald
eagles are often seen as they soar and swoop looking
for food.
BC
Whale Watching Companies: Tours & Charters
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