Ferry anacortes, 90min north of seattle, to sidney, 30min south of victoria. Sidney is ideally situated close to all the major arrival points to south vancouver island. Sooke coastal explorations sooke whale watching will take you on an exhilarating west coast marine adventure that will thrill your senses and leave you with a deep appreciation for the enchanting creatures that inhabit our local waters. Sidney whale watching 15 photos whale watching tours. Sidney whale watching all you need to know before you go. Transient killer whale spotted swimming in victoria harbour.
Served by the washington state ferry from anacortes and the san juans and by the mainland ferry arriving at swartz bay 10 minutes away, sidney is a destination choice for a growing number of tourists. A sign outside the temporary rest stop for truck drivers in sidney, b. Killer whales orcas, gray whales, humpback whales and minke whales ply the waves and perform their watery rituals. Located in the salish sea, between vancouver on the mainland and sidney on vancouver island, and just north of the american san juan islands, lie the. Sidney whale watching is located in beautiful sidney, bc only 30 minute drive north from victoria or 5 minute drive from swartz bay ferry terminal and victoria international airport. Whale watching vancouver island is a onceinalifetime exerience. Wild whales vancouver is located 5 to 10 minutes from most hotels in the downtown area with easy access to granville island. Endowed with a temperate climate, rich ecology, stunning landscapes, flat terrain, sidney has evolved into a destination for visitors, residents and businesses alike, providing year round opportunities for outdoor activities, memorable celebrations and events, and unique shopping and dining experiences in a beautiful seaside setting. Depending on the season, you may encounter grey whales feeding around kelp beds, humpback whales flashing their tails as they dive to feed, orca whales following the migrating salmon, or porpoises. By nature, victoria and vancouver island have miles of things for families to do. Ocean waters, long sandy beaches, rainforests and wideopen spaces wait to be explored.
Children are encouraged to get up close and personal with local marine life, bug. Ocean ecoventures is the most centrally located whale watching company on vancouver island with the highest sighting of orcas and humpback whales every year. Jessicas love of wildlife, and breathtaking vancouver island, brought her to the bc whale tours team in 2017. She later studied criminal justice at camosun college. Looking for the best whale watching on vancouver island. Sidney whale watching breaching, spy hopping, bow riding, tail slapping if these. Sidney is a town located at the northern end of the saanich peninsula, on vancouver island in the canadian province of british columbia.
One grey whale was reported off saratoga beachoyster river area about 2 weeks ago and over the past weekend, two grey whales were reported near comox. Sidney whale watching has a guarantee so we will be back to see the orcas some day. Were planning a visit to victoria and see there are numerous companies there. These are all typical maneuvers you may expect to see while whale watching off the west coast of vancouver island. Orcas spotted swimming just feet from shore in victoria ctv news. Sidney island is one of the southern gulf islands located between the southwest coast of british columbia, canada and vancouver island, bc, near james island. Stubbs island whale watching telegraph cove aktuelle 2020.
Board one of our four vessels at vancouvers unique and historic granville island. We respect the investment our guests make to join us and we are dedicated to making your trip the experience of a lifetime. Sep 03, 2018 whale watching near vancouver island, canada september 3, 2018 yup, i have affiliate links on this blog and there may be some in this amazing and completely free content below. Whale watching vancouver island news, events, travel. Three pods of about 80 resident orca whales live around the southern tip of vancouver island and in the gulf islands. Our coastal wilderness is home to killer whales, humpback whales, sea lions, porpoises, seals, eagles, and more. The community is located along the shores of the salish sea on the saanich peninsula, amidst the gulf islands with mount baker standing in the distance. The picturesque town of sidney by the sea is situated within the traditional territory of the w. Southern resident orcas all year, gray whales march to november. Vancouver island is worldrenowned for its whale watching, and at the heart of the action is the city of victoria.
Come for the afternoon, or stay a few nights at one of our partner hotels. Mountainside films in association with cbc newsworld. Capturing a glimpse of the graceful tail of an orca gliding through the water or a dramatic full body breach by a humpback whale is an iconic memory. After being separated from his mother while still young, luna spent five years in nootka sound, an ocean inlet of western vancouver island.
Book your tickets online for the top things to do in vancouver island, british columbia on tripadvisor. Sidney bc canada is located on the northern tip of the saanich peninsula on the southern tip of vancouver island. Highest killer whale sightings in british columbia. Our 34 hour whale watching tours depart daily from downtown nanaimo bc, april through october. The southern resident killer whales are critically endangered they need our help.
We view transient orca pods, migrating humpback whales, grey whales and other marine animals that reside in our coastal waters. Best whale whale watching discover vancouver island. Enjoy a scenic 35 minute float plane ride from vancouvers coal harbour to downtown victoria, then start your southern resident killer whale watching adventure with us. The 15 best things to do in vancouver island updated 2020. This is your chance to sea kayak with killer orca whales or watch them from our boat, the. Download our critiques and comments on these fisheries. There are more whale watching boats here than any other region since victoria hosts more tourists than any other place on vancouver island. To most, seeing a whale in its natural habitat is the experience of a lifetime.
Killer whales are best observed from mid july through the first week of september. Departing from granville island in downtown vancouver, the wild whales experience allows you to observe whales and the diverse wildlife of the pacific coast in their natural habitat. Eagle wing whale watching in victoria british columbia canada at fishermans wharf. File in this march 21, 2020 file photo, coffins are downloaded at the. Whale watching around vancouver island in british columbia is an exceptional experience that will leave you awestruck after watching whales that weigh thousands of pounds frolic in their natural habitat. Sidney is closer to most prime whale watching locations. Members of the public are encouraged to download the whalereport app and. View orcas, humpbacks, dolphins, seals, sea lons and hundreds of other marine life in the salish sea. In 1987 we established the stranded whale and dolphin program of b.
Well take you through the salish sea ecosystem to see whales and other marine life in their natural habitat. Sidney whale watching 2020 all you need to know before you. There were a number of pacific whitesided dolphin pods observed with the largest pod numbering around 50 members. Prince of whales adventures bcs best whale watching. Victoria is one of the top spots for orca killer whale watching on vancouver island but you also have a chance to spot humpback, minke and gray whales. Apr 12, 2020 whale watching, wildlife tours and sea kayaking tours located in the beautiful seaside town of sidney, british columbia on vancouver island. The whalereport alert system wildwhales bc cetacean. Whale watching, wildlife tours and sea kayaking tours located in the beautiful seaside town of sidney, british columbia on vancouver island. Sidney vancouver island british columbia travel guide. Prince rupert adventure whalewatching tour bc ferries vacations.
The whaleplanner september a whale watching infographic. Tofino whale watching tours ocean outfitters, tofino bc. Sidney whale watching is a family owned and operated company that has been serving sidney and the saanich peninsula for over 20 years. Southern resident killer whales raincoast conservation foundation. Why victoria has the best whale watching on vancouver island. Should we just plan to do it there or head up to sidney or some other spot.
Alanna kelly ctv vancouver island published saturday, august 31, 2019 6. Our crew bc whale tours victoria whale watching tours. At orca dreams you have only to peek outside your tent for something to catch your eye a soaring blue heron, a breaching whale, the fluke of a humpback. Strategically located as the gateway to vancouver island, sidney bythesea is a vibrant community of over 10,000 residents. Luna september 19, 1999 march 10, 2006 also known as l98 or tsuxiit, was a killer whale orca born in puget sound. In 2010 she came back to vancouver island to complete high school. A friend and i decided on a whim to go whale watching with sea quest, as we found ourselves already in port angeles, wa, directly across the strait from vancouver island. Sidney vancouver island news, events, travel, accommodation. The port of vancouver, the port of prince rupert, bc coast pilots, bc ferries, the. The rates for the boating outfits are a joke about a hundreds bucks a person.
Orca dreams offers fourday allinclusive tours from our luxury island camp site in the wildlife rich area of northern vancouver island, british columbia, canada. Whale watching in july and august vancouver island, british. The saanich people knew the site as tseteenus, meaning sticking out. Whale watching on vancouver island in victoria, bc.
Each and every one of our team members loves what we do, and therefore, we strive to make our tours as memorable as possible. We are a small family run company that offers whale watching out of sidney, bc. We are open daily for whale watching and wildlife adventure tours from march 1 october 31. Sidney island has an elevation of 77 meters 252 feet 8 inches above mean sea level at its highest point. Chances are youve travelled a long way or youre about to and you want nothing more than to fulfill your dream of seeing whales. Our whale watching tours are located off the southern coast of victoria, british columbia on vancouver island. Where on vancouver island is the best place to go whale watching orcas in the summer. Sanec people on the southern tip of vancouver island. Oct 22, 2010 whale watching in victoria bc canada on vancouver island. Aug 15, 2008 whale watching on vancouver island in victoria, bc. Contact eagle wing tours victoria bc and vancouver island. Board our 30 rigid hull inflatable zodiacs, or one of our high speed covered family cruisers to enjoy some of the most spectacular scenery in the world.
1230 1291 1504 1312 542 1085 880 517 255 696 842 413 1128 353 1149 602 1311 149 1457 1340 1151 106 10 1472 1248 98 690 158 120 1384 1382 471 252 992 441 557 782 1267 70 1396 856 55