Words by Maddie Lemke Whale watching has gained popularity as a captivating recreational activity, allowing people to observe these majestic marine mammals in their natural environment. Observing wildlife can have many positive impacts, but if not done responsibly, it may do more harm than good. In this blogpost we want to give an overview of positive and negative impacts of whale watching and help you… Read more »
Words and Photos by Zoe Hasenfratz Picture this, you find yourself on a whale-watching tour. You are bobbing about on the water, having just discovered several humpback whales. Suddenly, you start to witness some acrobatic behavior: pectoral fins waving back and forth in the air, tails slapping the surface, and breaching. As you watch the whales propel themselves out of the water in what nearly… Read more »
Written by photographer and guest blogger Kristian Gillies. Raindrops pelt the windscreen, their staccato rhythm creating a familiar percussion that welcomes the changing of seasons. The boat cuts through the water below, a symphony of rich green hues swirling in its wake. Inside the cabin, the mingling scent of sea salt tangles with the chatter of fellow adventurers. Each sentence carries a subtle undercurrent of… Read more »
You’ve been planning your dream trip for months, eagerly awaiting the day you finally get to head out on the water for a chance to see humpback whales and orca and all the amazing wildlife our area is home to. We know the feeling, we still feel this way every single day! But, there is one big variable that can have a pretty major impact… Read more »
Humpback whales are baleen whales that have been making a strong comeback to our area since 2004. These gentle giants are frequently sighted on our tours, but many people don’t know anything about them! 1. Humpback whale’s pectoral fins are the longest appendages in the entire animal kingdom at up to 16 feet (1/3 length of their entire bodies). 2. Female humpback whales… Read more »
Orcas are well-known for being exceptional predators and are often featured in mainstream media. While these “ocean pandas” are truly remarkable mammals, there are a lot of misconceptions and unknown facts about them! 1. Despite being known as “killer whales”, Orca are the biggest members of the dolphin family. 2. We see 3 main ecotypes of Orca that differ in diet, appearance, and vocalizations:… Read more »
Every year, we are noticing more and more Humpback whales in the Campbell River area. In the 2018 season, Sarah Hauser, one of our extraordinary guides, was able to document and ID 52 different Humpbacks with the help of Jackie Hildering and MERS. You may be wondering how we are able to identify Humpback whales. If you take a close look at the photos, you can see… Read more »
The number of Humpback Whales seen on a daily basis so far this year is between 12 and 20. We tell you why!
In the Summer alone, we can expect to see 10 to 20 Humpbacks feeding between Powell River and Kelsey Bay each day.
