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.