Whaletrips british columbia whale watching in british. Our hearts are broken, posts milton family whose dad died in tofino sinking. Sightings report bc whale tours victoria whale watching tours. Offering daily ecofriendly whale watching, bear watching and hot springs tours for over 30 years from beautiful tofino, british columbia. Tofino is a small coastal village at the western edge of vancouver island. We view transient orca pods, migrating humpback whales, grey whales and other marine animals that reside in our coastal waters. Whale watching in bc british columbia travel and adventure. A search operation is organised from tofino, british columbia, after a whalewatching boat with 27. There are also resident whales, which stay all summer. We have booked a couple of nights in victoria and then plan to move up to tofino. Search under way after whalewatching boat sinks in canada video. Between march 14th and 22nd, tofino and ucluelet on the western coast of the island celebrate the pacific. Enjoy whale watching, hiking, surfing, hot springs, kayaking, beach combing and more.
In both cases if no whales are found then you typically receive a free pass for another try. Ocean outfitters is the perfect place to set off on all of your tofino activities. Passengers who survived after a whale watching boat capsized near tofino, and family members of those who did not make it, hugged and shared tears during an emotional ceremony on the anniversary. Bc whale tours offers guests one of the longest ranges for whale watching tours in all of the victoria. Whale watching in tofino with jamies full time canada. Pacific coastal airlines direct flights from vancouver south terminal to tofino airport yaz. Below are a couple options to get you here in the shortest amount of time. Tofino bus offers multiple daily departures to and from tofino ucluelet. Tour operators, both on the mainland and the island, have specialized on orcas. The hot springs tour is not a whale watching trip although you may see some, but a neat option never the less. On their way north, the gray whales pass close to shore in this region of british columbia. We are proud leaders in responsible whale watching, bear watching and wildlife viewing and have a strong passion for educating guests about the wonders and the fragility of clayoquot sound and tofino. Whale watching in july and august vancouver island. We are due to stay on vancouver island in early june 09.
Im visiting victoria, tofino and cmpbell river next mount and i am wanting to do some whale watching. Step into british columbias ancient and luscious pacific rim park and explore all things adventurous, delicious and relaxing at our handsome, fullservice waterfront hotel accommodation in tofino. Operating since 1982 jamies boasts many firsts for tofino and the whale watching industry in british columbia. Hot springs tours the whale centre located in tofino, british columbia has offered whale watching, bear watching, bird watching and hot springs tours in clayoquot sound to the ecominded explorer for over 33 years. Join us for a whale watching tour aboard one of our 30 zodiacs or covered boats in the some of the most spectacular scenery in the world. The research station is very important to clayoquot sound.
Launching from tofino takes you into clayoquot sound. Pacific rim navigators offers private vehicle and shuttle services to and from tofino ucluelet. Hi all, were staying in tofino for 4 days in mid june and are planning on taking a whale watching tour. Whale watching tofino west coast aquatic safaris, tofino. The capsizing of a whalewatching boat that led to at least five deaths near tofino this weekend marks the second fatal incident and third major accident for jamies whaling station. Tour operators, both on the mainland and the island, have specialized on orcas another highlight is the migration of the gray whales past the western part of the island. Getting that far takes a ferry ride from horseshoe bay. Our eco adventure tours combine a learning atmosphere with the excitement of personal encounters with wildlife in their. Whale watching before you visit british columbia, visit tripadvisor for the latest info and advice, written for travellers by travellers. Daily whale watching tours in tofino, british columbia. The whalewatching boat accident that claimed the lives of five british nationals has many in the small town of tofino, b. Our whale watching tours are located off the southern coast of victoria, british columbia on vancouver island. For example, jamies does tours out of both ucluelet and tofino, however in tofino they also offer a hot springs tour and a flight seeing tour. Enjoy miles of spectacular scenery aboard our luxury covered boats, or for a real thrill jump aboard one of our zodiacs and experience the wildside.
Often gray whales will stay in the area for the summer to feed. Ucluelet and tofino whale watching tours explore both the sheltered waters of clayoquot and. Tofino has an airport with scheduled flights from vancouver. We then drove to tofino via port alberni with the mountains in our sights on route 4 from tofino, we were able to walk through the forest to get to the beach which we had to ourselves. The district is located at the western terminus of highway 4 on the tip of the esowista peninsula at the southern edge of clayoquot sound. People from all parts of the world come here to watch these magnificent creatures of the deep. Up and down the coast of british columbia, from victoria to port hardy on vancouver island, from vancouver to the bc gulf islands, and up to haida gwaii queen charlotte islands. The whale centre maritime museum offers a display of artifacts collected and donated by tofino locals over the past twenty five years. Tofino, bc, vancouver island, british columbia, canada whale watching sign at whale watching tours station, whale s tail ab74kd from alamys library of millions of high resolution stock photos, illustrations and vectors. Whalewatching tragedy in tofino, british columbia the. Five people died after a whalewatching tour boat carrying 27 people sank off the coast of tofino, british columbia, on sunday, rescue coordinators said. Highway 4 leads right up to the first street dock in british columbias tofino, a hamlet on clayoquot sound off canadas west coast. British columbia whale watching in british columbia whaletrips. Emotional ceremony marks anniversary of tofino whale.
The whale centre tour guide tofino, british columbia. The whale centre tour guide tofino, british columbia 51. There are two places to whale watch from the pacific rim. Whale watching tofino and ucluelet bc humpback, grays. On exhibit is an assortment of traditional native jewelry, cedar baskets, paddles, sea life, local artifacts from traditional whaling equipment to original navigation charts of the area, and a complete 40 gray whale skeleton. Read about tofino whale watching, campbell river whale watching, and more. Zodiac whale watching in tofino, british columbia, canada west coast. During the months of march and april, more than 20,000 gray whales swim north from their breeding grounds in baja california to their feeding grounds in alaska. Check out places to visit including chesterman beach, pacific rim national park reserve, and eagle aerie gallery. British columbia whale watching is something that any and all outdoor enthusiasts should enjoy, and there is plenty of time to enjoy it in this region known for its excellent wildlife. We think the drive to tofino is one of the most scenic and inspiring trips in canada. A pod of whales summers over near tofino, waiting for the southern migration, so whale watching is possible during the summer months. I just wanted to check whether there was much difference in the tours going out of tofino compared to those from ucluelet.
Im wondering what everyone would recommend between the three, as tofino looks more picturesque and slightly cheaper, but is it true orcas are more prominent closer to victoria or cmpbell river. The recreational use of grey whales in southern clayoquot sound. Only adding to the allure is the fact that there are a variety of whale types that visitors to the regions coast can expect to see. Blackney pass, johnstone strait and queen charlotte strait are rich with both humpback whales and orcas. Oct 26, 2015 whalewatching tragedy in tofino, british columbia ari sarsalari reports on the tragedy that happened while whalewatching tofino, british columbia. We offer tofino whale watching tours, bear watching tours, bird watching tours and hot springs cove tours on both open boston whaler and covered.
Theres an energy to tofino, something you cant quite shake once youve experienced it. Check out our list of mustdo water activities in tofino. Tofino is a district of approximately 1,932 residents on the west coast of vancouver island in the canadian province of british columbia. Operated with our open zodiac and guided by an experienced local guide, this will be a unique wildlife experience. Another highlight is the migration of the gray whales past the western part of the island. Driving time from victoria is approximately 4 to 5 hours. Whale watching tofino vs ucluelet tofino forum tripadvisor. Our hearts are broken, posts milton family whose dad died in tofino. Many whale species are increasingly the focus of recreational use, and thus. Situated on the traditional territory of the tlaoquiaht first nation, were surrounded by the vast, breathtaking expanse of the unesco clayoquot sound biosphere regiona region cherished for its profound biodiversity and environmental culture. Annual pacific rim whale festival tourism ucluelet tourism. Tofino bus offers multiple daily departures to and from tofinoucluelet. Apart from the whales in tofino, it is just an amazing experience to be at the edge of the pacific rim in that part of vancouver island. Tofino whalewatching company had another fatal accident.
Whale watching in tofino, bc, is relaxing, captivating and exhilating all. Whale watching in tofino, british columbia, canada. There are several great companies in tofino including ocean outfitters, jamies whaling station, and the whale centre, but also an amazing company in ucluelet called aquamarine adventures local company, with the owner running the boat himself outstanding experience. Tofino focuses on grey whales, and the tours are in the open ocean victoria focuses on orcas killer whales, which are relatively more active than grey whales, as theyre technically not a part of the whale family, but are a part of the dolphin family. Tofino, bc, vancouver island, british columbia, canada. Whale watching in tofino, british columbia, canada youtube. Remote passages whale watching tours from tofino, bc, vancouver island, canada. The tofino whale watching season begins in march with the pacific rim whale festival and lasts into autumn with peak sightings in spring during the gray whale northward migration and throughout the summer months culminating in. Both places can have good whale watching depending on the time of year. If youre a serious lover of whales, this is one of the best times to visit orca dreams. We had a hire car and took it on the ferry from horseshoe bay to nanaimo. Whale watching in july and august vancouver island, british.
The whale centre, tofino, bc tofino whale watching, bear. There is no seagoing experience quite like watching, closeup, a sleek whale weighing thousands of pounds frolic like a child in its natural habitat. Spend it enjoying beaches, sunsets, and surfing in tofino. Tofino whalewatching company had another fatal accident in 1998. Jamies whaling station is a company comprised of close to 50 west coast residents during our peak season.
Emotional ceremony marks anniversary of tofino whalewatching. If youve ever heard someone say the drive is the hardest part, about getting to tofino, well please forgive us for disagreeing completely. Passengers who survived after a whalewatching boat capsized near tofino, and family members of those who did not make it, hugged and shared tears during an emotional ceremony on the anniversary. Highway 4 leads right up to the first street dock in british columbia s tofino, a hamlet on clayoquot sound off canadas west coast. Search under way after whalewatching boat sinks in canada.
Shop for 24 deals across 5 hotels, starting at usd 50 per night. Tofino whale watching tours the whale centre, tofino, bc. Explore activities for visitors of all ages and interests. The whales are known to feed in the sheltered bays near tofino beginning in march. The history of jamies whaling station whale watching and. Tofinos docks bustle with local fishermen and act as launching points for numerous sea kayaking, whale watching, wildlife, hot springs and cultural tours.
A wonderful whale watching trip on a jamies zodiac boat in the clayoquot sound area near tofino, in the hearth of the pacific rim national park. Where best to whale watch in august tofino vs victoria. Tofino whale watching tours ocean outfitters, tofino bc. Join our whale watching tour on board our open zodiac. Dec 24, 2006 a wonderful whale watching trip on a jamies zodiac boat in the clayoquot sound area near tofino, in the hearth of the pacific rim national park. We offer competitive rates, experienced guides and are locally owned. Apr 14, 2017 whale watching in tofino, british columbia, canada. A detailed description of the drive and ferries to tofino from nanaimo, victoria, vancouver, seattle and more. Set sail on your destinations toprated boat tours and cruises. Whale watching off tofino, ucluelet, and vancouver island. The 30ton giants can be seen on tofino whale watching tours, as early as february, with females and calves passing by from mid march, through april and into early may. Located on the west coast of vancouver island, tofino is accessible by car or bus. It is the time of year for springtime celebrations in canada, and on the wild west coast of british columbias. Get out on our open vessels to view grey whales, killer whales and humpback whales.
The explore super, natural british columbia tile is a trademark of destination bc corp. The whale centre has over thirty years experience in sharing tofino and clayoqout sounds ecosystems with guests from all over the world. Hidden in an ancient landscape on the west coast of british columbia is the village of tofino. As mentioned above, if you are heading to tofino, it is really a different show than victoria and ideally i would do both. Oct 26, 2015 the capsizing of a whale watching boat that led to at least five deaths near tofino this weekend marks the second fatal incident and third major accident for jamies whaling station. These are all typical whale maneuvers you may expect to see off british columbias west coast. Fin whales are the second largest animal on earth, only being surpassed by the blue whale. But thats too far for a day trip from nanaimo as is tofino. Tofino british columbia travel and adventure vacations.
Welcome aboard our vessels tofino whale watching, bear. The history of jamies whaling station jamies whaling. Tofino boasts miles of sandy beaches to the south, islands of oldgrowth cedar, migrating grey whales, hot springs, sea lions, and a temperate climate. In small groups and guided by one of our experienced guides, this will be a unique wildlife experience. Adventure tofino offers personal wildlife tours in small groups for an unforgettable adventure. Oct 26, 2015 five people died after a whale watching tour boat carrying 27 people sank off the coast of tofino, british columbia, on sunday, rescue coordinators said. Tours from tofino go into the open ocean where large humpback whales can also be found. Whether its an entertaining and informative boat tour or a relaxing sunset dinner cruise, these are the best tofino cruises around. While on scene with them, a rare report of a fin whale came in. Tofino and ucluelet are the two favourite northern gray whale watching communities on the west coast of vancouver island. This section of the highway is a good area to remember that british columbias driving etiquette dictates that slower vehicles should pull over to the side of the road to let faster. Whalewatching tragedy in tofino, british columbia ari sarsalari reports on the tragedy that happened while whalewatching tofino, british columbia.
The whale watching boat accident that claimed the lives of five british nationals has many in the small town of tofino, b. To reach tofino by car from the british columbia mainland, youll first need to take the ferry to nanaimo on vancouver island, from either horseshoe bay, north of vancouver, or tsawwassen, south of vancouver. Whale watching in british columbia mainly boils down to whale watching on vancouver island, even if you can also book tours directly from vancouver. Our hotel in victoria has told us that it is the wrong time of year to see the whales from tofino and we would. On october 25, 2015, the whale watching boat leviathan ii capsized in the vicinity of plover reef off the coast of vargas island near tofino, british columbia. Enjoy the boat ride out on the open pacific ocean in search for whales, sea lions, sea otters and other wildlife. Our community is diverse, but united in our determination to protect the aweinspiring natural and cultural environments that surround us. They conduct research of the marine ecosystems, monitor marine life and promote public awareness of the marine environment in clayoquot sound.
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