Pods of Orcinus orca (aka killer whales, the largest member of the dolphin family) are regular visitors in the waters surrounding Alert Bay.
Some 220 of these magnificent black-and-white predators reside full-time off northern Vancouver Island from June to October, visible from the shores of Alert Bay or on whale-watching expeditions.
Their abundance here is the reason internationally renowned whale researcher Dr. Paul Spong established his OrcaLab on nearby Hanson Island. A favourite haunt for Orcas is the rubbing beach at Robson Bight Ecological Reserve, about 15km/9mi southeast of Alert Bay. The North Island Marine Mammal Stewardship Association is one of several watchdogs who ensure the whales live in harmony with growing numbers of eco-tourists.
Whale Watching
Whale sightings from dry land in Alert Bay are possible for the vigilant, particularly from the beach locally known as "The Point," at the southeast end of Fir Street facing Pearse Passage. But a whale-watching expedition is the best way to see Orcas in the wild as they go through their natural behaviors of spy hopping, slapping, breaching, and lobtailing.
While a handful of operators are based in Telegraph Cove and Port McNeill, Seasmoke/Sea Orca Whale Watching is the one company that sets sail directly from Alert Bay. Owners, Maureen and David Towers have been in the business since the mid-1980s, and nowadays offer a variety of trips on two vessels: the motorized, flat-decked M.V. Cetacea sailboat (four-hour cruises); and the single-mast yacht S.V. Tuan (five and eight-hour excursions).
Relying on daily reports to track the whales, Seasmoke's tours travel along the inside waters of Johnstone Strait, south to Robson Bight, and north into the Queen Charlotte Strait. An underwater "orca phone", developed by Alert Bay resident Bill ter Brugge, allows passengers to eavesdrop on whale conversations. Lunch is served on the day-long tours, and a Devonshire cream tea is an afternoon treat.
Wildlife Spotting on Tour
Orcas are just one of the highlights on these whale-watching tours. Humpback and minke whales, harbour seals, stellar sea lions, pacific white-sided dolphins, dall's porpoises, river otters, and various kinds of birdlife – bald eagles, oyster catchers, turnstones, marbled murrelets and rhinoceros auklets included – are typical sightings.
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