A whale of a tail: Vancouver and Vancouver Island

Of all the sights that nature has to offer, watching whales cavort merrily in their natural habitat has to be high on the list of favourites. Up and down the coast of British Columbia, from Victoria to Port Hardy on Vancouver Island, from Vancouver to the British Columbian Vancouver, your whale-watching dream could become a reality, without stretching the purse strings too tightly.

The Types of Whales native to Canada's shores:

Orcas

Despite being known as killer whales, orcas are gentle giants and have a strong community and family ethic. British Columbia's killer whale population is divided into 2 distinct groups. "Residents" travel in large pods within predictable ranges and feed primarily on fish. "Transients" roam in smaller groups over large areas of the coast, feeding on marine mammals such as seals, sea lions and other whales. The ocean around Victoria is home to the southern resident community of 3 pods totalling 100 magnificent animals. The northern residents total 217 whales in 16 pods which patrol the Johnstone Strait, the waters of northern Vancouver Island and the mainland coast. The transient killer whales comprise 30 small pods of about 160 whales and travel much further than the resident pods. Best viewing from May to October.

Pacific Gray whales

These tremendous beasts migrate north along the west coast of the island during March and April. They are easily accessible by boat or can be viewed from mounted telescopes in the Long beach area. Over 20,000 Gray whales participate in the longest migration of any animal; some stop to feed and rest in British Columbia's protected bays, while 40 to 50 will spend their summers feeding off Vancouver Island.

Humpback whales

Ranging in length from 12- 16 metres and weighing approximately 36,000 kilograms, the humpback whale will thrill you to the north of Vancouver Island, at the outer edges of the Inside Passage, with their acrobatic behaviour and haunting underwater song. Once hunted to the brink of extinction, conservation projects and whaling laws now mean that populations have largely recovered. You will forever treasure memories of these magnificent whales breaching within metres of your boat.

Minke whales, Pacific White-sided dolphins, Harbour porpoises, Dall's porpoises, Harbour seals and Steller's sea lions are also viewed in the waters around Vancouver Island.

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