Vancouver - whale watching
 

We will be visiting Vancouver in August. I would like to do some whale watching. The companies I've seen advertised so far are out of Victoria. Are any available from Vancouver? Any recommendations?

I don't know of any whale watching trips from Vancouver; I would imagine it's because it would be a very long boat ride from there to where the whales are generally found in the summer(in the Haro Strait between Victoria and San Juan Island). So, your best bet would be to take a day trip or an overnight to Victoria.

Hi <BR> <BR>We did whale watching in 1996 from a small town on Vancover Island called Tofino. It is relatively undiscovered and doesn't feature heavily in holiday brochures/tour guides. <BR> <BR>The month was September - it was an unforgettable experience! <BR> <BR>Have fun!

We went whale watching in Ucluelet, BC, which is about 1/2 hour drive from Tofino on Vancouver Island. It was great. We saw three grey whales near the Broken Islands.

Unfortunately, there has been a sudden decline in the killer whale population in this area and there is some thought that the pressure exerted by whale watching is the cause. <BR>Allan

To the best of my knowledge there has been NO decline of the Orca population whatsoever,of the Resident Orcas at least. <BR>Just this past weekend we saw Orcas from the deck of the BC Ferry that runs thru the Gulf Islands. <BR>Certainly there is concern in the community at the growth of Whale Watching Industry growth,and the Canadian Gov't has of course commisioned a study(!) <BR>For the moment though it's very much business as usual,with the additional good news that Salmon populations have made a small rebound this year,offering a larger forage base for Orca populations.

There are whale watching tours based in Steveston, a historical fishing village at the south-west point of Richmond (just south of Vancouver. It's about a 40 minute drive from downtown Vancouver. I've seen several whale watching boats docked up there, but unfortunately don't remember their names. I'd imagine these whale watching tours are full day trips out on the open water, away from the mainland, as whale watching generally isn't an activity you'd do around the actual city of Vancouver.

Sorry Robin those aren't 'Whale Watching Tours',they're just boat rides,nothing more. <BR>Earlier in the year Orcas were feeding on the Chinook Salmon runs at the mouth of the Fraser so the tours could access Orcas easily. <BR>The boats also take people out to see Sea lions,Seals,WHY. <BR>They're actually a nice introduction to area,esp for those who spend little time with nature.