"whale watching" Tagged Posts |
Photo via Tourism Vancouver
It’s almost time to go back to work, school, or just back to normal, but you still have time to get a few more summer experiences in. Here’s your end of summer Vancouver bucket list–how many adventures will get a check-mark?
Spotting wildlife at Lost Lagoon in Stanley Park. Photo credit: Tourism Vancouver / Suzanne Rushton
Vancouver is known as a city connected to nature. So it shouldn’t be surprising to learn that there are lots of places near Vancouver to spot wildlife. You can see eagles, seabirds, raccoons, beavers, coyotes, whales, dolphins, seals, frogs, bears, bunnies and lots more. Grab your camera and maybe some binoculars, and head to one of these ten wildlife hot spots.
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Best Places to Spot Wildlife Near Vancouver
The seas around Vancouver are home to 81 resident killer whales (or orcas) and hundreds of transient killer whales that prowl the waters at various times of the year. In fact, it’s not uncommon to see orcas from the decks of the BC Ferries vessels that criss-cross the Georgia Strait or even from land.
But to get an up-close view, there’s really only one option: whale watching tours. During the March-October season, multiple tour companies based in Coal Harbour, Granville Island and Steveston specialize in tracking down pods of orcas and other types of whales and giving wildlife lovers a chance to view them from a safe distance. Options range from speedy zodiac boats that zip over the waves to larger covered cruisers for whale watching in style.
I recently rode along on a Prince of Whales boat for what they call the Ultimate Day Tour, which combines whale watching with sightseeing on Vancouver Island. Spoiler alert: We didn’t see any orcas. But we did see another member of the whale family, one that makes the killer whale look almost puny by comparison. Continue reading:
PHOTO ESSAY: Whale Watching (with a twist) in Vancouver
Maybe you missed the gray whale spotted in False Creek earlier in the month. No worries. May marks the start of whale watching season in Vancouver. From this month all the way through the end of October, migrating whales will be skirting the B.C. coastline. It’s an impressive display of marine wildlife – if you know where to look.
Most whales don’t opt for a cruise through downtown Vancouver, preferring more roomy digs instead. Locally, one of the best places to see whales and, in particular, killer whales (or orcas) is off the coast of Richmond. Three separate pods of orcas (which aren’t really whales at all but oversized dolphins) roam here in the cold waters of the Georgia Strait.
A gray whale was spotted in Vancouver’s False Creek today, gathering a large crowd hoping to catch a glimpse of the whale. The B.C. Coast Guard scrambled to track the whale’s movement and ensure there’s no danger to the whale or any boaters in the area.
Check out the video below of the gray whale in Vancouver:
A new company from Vancouver Whale Watch, Fastboat Adventures, is offering up high-octane sightseeing for those who want a little thrill with their tour of the sights. With two tours by 12-seater zodiacs, Fastboat Adventures will whiz guests by water around the city sights, or up Indian Arm for a different perspective on the city and the wilderness that surrounds it. I recently had the opportunity to take the Indian Arm adventure, and it was definitely my kind of tour!
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Zodiac Sightseeing with Fastboat Adventures
