Whale Watchign by boat and kayak

April 23, 2009 | Tips from Travellers > Port McNeill, Whale Watching
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Last September we visited Vancouver Island and spent a few days in Port McNeill where we went on a kayak day trip, a whale watching tour and visited the first nations cultural centre in Alert Bay.

We went kayaking with Kingfisher Wilderness Adventures and from their shop they drove us to Telegraph Cove where we launched our kayaks. Our guide was very honest saying that while orcas were in the area we can only go so far in a day and we may or may not see them but that there would be plenty to see no matter what. He wasn't kidding. Before lunch we saw seals, sea lions, porpoises and lots of bald eagles. After lunch we explored some nearby islands, the guide had us all stop and listen and we could all hear the blow of a whale. I though we are about to see orcas but he said no it was a humpback whale. We paddled a little further and we soon saw it's back as it surfaced, it was huge! As we were watching the whale the guide said to get our cameras ready as it would soon dive and probably shows it tail. And on cue it did just that but unfortunately was turned sideways to us so I did not get a good photo. As we were waiting for it to surface again the guide told us there was a pod of orcas heading our way (he had a little radio to talk to other whale watchers). Within 10 minutes the orcas came into view with a couple of other boats following behind. The guide had us all come together and wait, he said we are not allowed to get too close so as not to disturb them. They were going pretty fast but a few surfaced right in front of us and I got a photo of it! I could not imagine how seeing them on the larger boat could beat this.

Turned out that the large boat tour was good as well, just different. We went with Mackay Whale Watching. After leaving Port McNeill we headed back to the are were were kayaking the day before but kept on going to the Robson Bight area - an area closed to boats where the orca go to rub on the pebble beaches. We waited outside this area and could see the blows of the orcas in the distance. They did not seem to be in any hurry to leave the area so we then headed off and saw humpback whales. We saw 5 different humpbacks that day and even heard one trumpet - at least thats what I think the captain said - apparently they do it when annoyed and this guy was being mobbed by a group of dolphins. We ended up going back toward Robson Bight and got to see the orcas as they came out and started swimming back to where we saw them the day before in our kayaks.

Our kayak guide had suggested we visit Alert Bay. So on the last day before driving back towards Nanaimo we took the morning ferry from Port McNeill to Alert Bay. The cultural centre is a 20 minute walk from the ferry and it had great displays of masks, artworks and tools and many displays describing the banning of the potlatch. Before getting back on the ferry we also visited at the native cemetery and it's memorial poles right on the waterfront. It was well worth the extra time to visit.

Posted by Alban, at 01:20 PM

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