Vancouver Island Whale Watch

Vancouver Island Whale Watch Sustainable whale watching from Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, BC. Focusing on Bigg's orca and Humpbacks Join us today for an unforgettable experience with whales!
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Located in the heart of Vancouver Island, Nanaimoโ€™s waters are home to orcas, humpback whales, seals, sea lions, eagles, porpoises, and so much more. We provide sustainable whale watching; we acknowledge that whale watching is a growing industry and we provide tours that give our guests the chance to see these incredible wild animals all the while keeping the animals' well-being as a top priority.

We keep a small fleet and prioritize seeing the transient (Bigg's) orca and humpback whales while completely avoiding the endangered southern resident orca. The local resident orca population is endangered and we would like to reduce as much human pressure on this group as possible. However, the transient orca (marine mammal hunters) and humpback whale populations are both thriving in this area and are just as exquisite to watch! Have you ever seen a humpback whale's massive fluke sink beneath the waves, or a family of orca in a suspenseful hunt? This is all happening right outside Nanaimo and we want you to see it.

๐Ÿ’ž Looking for a unique Valentine's Day Adventure? ๐Ÿ’ž Come whale watching with us! Our tours for 2025 start in one week, j...
02/08/2025

๐Ÿ’ž Looking for a unique Valentine's Day Adventure? ๐Ÿ’ž Come whale watching with us!

Our tours for 2025 start in one week, just in time for everyone who loves whales! ๐Ÿ’™ ๐Ÿณ

You can book tours through our website (vancouverislandwhalewatch.com), or by giving us a call at the office!

Looking forward to starting the new season with you all!

๐Ÿ“ธ: Val Watson, Feb 12, 2024

Even apex predators like Bald Eagles get hassled sometimes! ๐Ÿฆ…Bald Eagles sit at the top of the avian food chainโ€”thereโ€™s ...
02/06/2025

Even apex predators like Bald Eagles get hassled sometimes! ๐Ÿฆ…

Bald Eagles sit at the top of the avian food chainโ€”thereโ€™s nothing in the wild that preys on them. But that doesnโ€™t mean they have a free pass in the skies! Smaller birds, like crows, ravens, oystercatchers, and even gulls (like the one in this photo), often chase or harass these mighty eagles.

Why take the risk? Itโ€™s usually about protecting their nests. When an eagle comes too close, smaller birds will band together to drive it away. The harassment might look bold (or downright reckless), but it worksโ€”eagles often move on when faced with determined defenders.

While Bald Eagles are a symbol of strength and freedom, itโ€™s funny to see them occasionally outmaneuvered by their smaller, feistier neighbours!

๐Ÿ“ธ: Captured by Marine Naturalist Vanessa Vereschahen during one of our tours.

Have you ever seen this kind of aerial drama? Share your story in the comments! ๐Ÿฆโœจ

#๐Ÿฆ…

Did you know orcas are some of the most playful animals in the ocean? ๐Ÿ‹In the animal kingdom, play isnโ€™t always just for...
01/28/2025

Did you know orcas are some of the most playful animals in the ocean? ๐Ÿ‹

In the animal kingdom, play isnโ€™t always just for funโ€”itโ€™s a crucial part of life, especially for highly intelligent creatures like orcas. Hereโ€™s why their playful behaviour matters:

๐Ÿญ. ๐—ฆ๐˜๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐—ป๐—ด๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ๐—ป๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด ๐—™๐—ฎ๐—บ๐—ถ๐—น๐˜† ๐—•๐—ผ๐—ป๐—ฑ๐˜€
Orcas are incredibly social and rely on teamwork within their pods to thrive. Play helps reinforce these family ties, building trust and cooperation that are essential for hunting, travelling, and even establishing pod hierarchy.

๐Ÿฎ. ๐—ฃ๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐—ฐ๐˜๐—ถ๐—ฐ๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด ๐—›๐˜‚๐—ป๐˜๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด ๐—ฆ๐—ธ๐—ถ๐—น๐—น๐˜€
Hunting is no easy task for orcas! Their specialized techniques require precision and coordination. Play allows them to practice these skills in a safe, low-stakes way before using them in the wild.

๐Ÿฏ. ๐—๐˜‚๐˜€๐˜ ๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐—™๐˜‚๐—ป
Sometimes, play is simply about joy! Watching orcas leaping, tail-slapping, and interacting with each other, itโ€™s hard not to believe theyโ€™re having the time of their lives.

While scientists can only speculate about all the reasons orcas engage in playful behaviour, itโ€™s clear that it serves many purposesโ€”some of which we may not even understand yet!

๐Ÿ“ธ These incredible moments were captured by Naturalist Vanessa Vereschahen during our June 23, 2023 tour. It featured a playful reunion between the T124As, T124A1, T124A2s, and T124A4sโ€”a true family celebration!

Tag a friend whoโ€™d love to see orcas in action! ๐Ÿ’™

Look-a-likes: T060C Yelnats & T123A Stanley ๐Ÿ”ŽYou may notice something funny about those names. Yelnats earned his nickna...
01/24/2025

Look-a-likes: T060C Yelnats & T123A Stanley ๐Ÿ”Ž

You may notice something funny about those names. Yelnats earned his nickname (Stanley backwards) specifically because he looks so similar to Stanley!

Stanley is a year older than Yelnats, but they have nearly identical dorsal fins - the same notch in the same location, and even similarly shaped dorsals! Yelnats has a small dent in the front edge of his dorsal that we use to help ID him.

Itโ€™s really important with these 2 to get a good photo of their saddle patches (or other members of the pod) to help confirm their IDs.

We've included photos of each male (plus their catalogue photos) below - can you tell them apart? Let us know in the comments!

Catalogue photos: Photo-identification Catalogue, Population Status, and Distribution of Biggโ€™s Killer Whales known from Coastal Waters of British Columbia, Canada, 2019, J. Towers et al.

01/15/2025

Can Humpbacks swallow you? ๐Ÿ˜ฑ๐Ÿค”

๐Ÿ‹ Did you know orcas have five fingers inside their fins? ๐Ÿ–๏ธItโ€™s true! If you could look beneath the surface of an orca'...
01/15/2025

๐Ÿ‹ Did you know orcas have five fingers inside their fins? ๐Ÿ–๏ธ

Itโ€™s true! If you could look beneath the surface of an orca's sleek pectoral fins, you'd find a structure strikingly similar to the human hand. This feature gives us a glimpse into their fascinating evolutionary journey.

More than 55 million years ago, orcas werenโ€™t the ocean predators we know todayโ€”they were land-dwelling mammals that walked on all fours! Just like us, they had fingers and toes to help them navigate their terrestrial environment.

As time passed and these ancient ancestors spent more and more time in the water, their bodies adapted to life at sea. Their hands evolved into the flipper-like pectoral fins we see today, perfectly designed for steering through the waves. Their hind legs? Those disappeared entirely, replaced by powerful flukes that allow them to swim vast distances.

Even though they now live fully aquatic lives, the bones of their โ€œhandsโ€ remain. ๐Ÿ™Œ

Nature never ceases to amaze! Next time you see an orca slicing through the water, think about the ancient history hidden beneath the surface. ๐ŸŒŠ

๐Ÿ“ธ: Cheyenne Brewster, July 8 PM tour, T124A2 Elkugu.

This is the view from our dock, imagine what we can show you out on the water! Join us next season for a tour and find o...
01/14/2025

This is the view from our dock, imagine what we can show you out on the water!
Join us next season for a tour and find out! Tours resume on February 14th, 2025.

Look at the difference two years have made for T049A6 Charlie II! โฐThe first photo was taken in March of 2022, the year ...
01/12/2025

Look at the difference two years have made for T049A6 Charlie II! โฐ

The first photo was taken in March of 2022, the year Charlie II was born.

The second was taken almost exactly 2 years later in March of 2024.

This little whale's unique face has really captured the hearts of Whale Watchers in the Salish Sea! You can see why, it's just so darn cute!

Steller vs. California sea lions: Can you tell the difference? ๐Ÿ•ต๏ธโ€โ™‚๏ธDepending on the time of year, you may be able to ob...
01/09/2025

Steller vs. California sea lions: Can you tell the difference? ๐Ÿ•ต๏ธโ€โ™‚๏ธ

Depending on the time of year, you may be able to observe both of our local species of sea lions on our tours. Do you know how to tell the two apart? Here's a couple tips:

๐—–๐—ผ๐—น๐—ผ๐˜‚๐—ฟ - Stellers, especially mature males, tend to have a sandy yellow-brown coat. Californians usually have a darker chocolate-coloured coat. Note that if they are wet, this may be hard to tell!

๐—ฆ๐—ถ๐˜‡๐—ฒ - Do you see a couple of sea lions sitting together? Does one look WAY bigger than the rest? Chances are that may be a male Steller - males can reach weights of over 2,000 lbs (heavier than a smart car)! Californian males are much smaller, usually only weighing a maximum of ~1,100 lbs.

๐—ฆ๐—ผ๐˜‚๐—ป๐—ฑ - Can you hear barking, similar to a dog? That is likely a Californian you are hearing! Stellers have a deeper, more rumbly vocalization.

With that knowledge, can you tell which photos below are of Californians, and which are Stellers? Hint: There are two photos for each species below!

๐ŸŒŠ What an Unforgettable Year 2024 Was! ๐Ÿ‹This year, we introduced countless adventurers to the amazing wildlife of the Sa...
01/04/2025

๐ŸŒŠ What an Unforgettable Year 2024 Was! ๐Ÿ‹

This year, we introduced countless adventurers to the amazing wildlife of the Salish Sea. And what a year it was โ€“ with whales spotted on an incredible 97.4% of our tours! ๐Ÿ›ฅ๏ธโœจ

In fact, 2024 was a record-breaking year for us with an astonishing 1,339 whale encounters โ€“ that's 439 more than last year! ๐Ÿคฏ๐Ÿณ

To bring those numbers to life, hereโ€™s our sightings map ๐Ÿ—บ๏ธ, showcasing the amazing journeys we shared with the whales.

As we look forward to 2025, we hope for even more unforgettable moments with the whales. Thank you for being part of this incredible adventure! ๐Ÿ‹๐Ÿ’™

01/01/2025

Happy New Year from Vancouver Island Whale Watch! We wish everyone a wonderful 2025, full of whale encounters! ๐Ÿ‹

2024 humpback recap:What a spectacular year itโ€™s been! This season, we celebrated over 1,250 encounters with these gentl...
12/31/2024

2024 humpback recap:

What a spectacular year itโ€™s been! This season, we celebrated over 1,250 encounters with these gentle giants, making 2024 a record-breaking year for unique humpback sightings.

๐Ÿ“Š Weโ€™ve identified 162 unique individuals, including a few that couldnโ€™t be matched to any catalogue in British Columbiaโ€”how exciting is that?

Here's everyone we saw!

El Diablo (BCX0132), Kappa (BCX0158), BCX0158calf2022, Zorro (BCX0380), Hecate(BCX0470), BCX0470calf2024, Maite (BCX0565calf2022), Garibaldi (BCX0745), Tempest (BCX0837), Coyote (BCX0837calf2021), BCX0837calf2024, Europa (BCX0854), Callisto (BCX0854calf2021), Scoop (BCX0870), Vector (BCX0870calf2021), Mantis (BCX0936), Divot (BCX1057), Slice (BCX1057calf2021), Divotโ€™s calf (BCX1057calf2024), Split Fluke (BCX1068), Zig Zag (BCX1193), Schooner (BCX1193calf2021), Twinning (BCX1207), Malachite (BCX1210calf2021), Raccoon (BCX1233), Orion (BCX1251), Wormhole (BCX1275), Galaxia (BCX1301calf2021), Ghost (BCX1333), Wisp (BCX1333calf2021), Specter (BCX1333calf2023), Frankenstein (BCX1358), Nike (BCX1377), Moraine (BCX1383calf2021), Corona/Phi (BCX1416), Iota (BCX1416calf2022), BCX1416calf2024, Crater (BCX1565), Lorax (BCX1602), Wiggins (BCX1602calf2022), Pony (BCX1604), Beak (BCX1606), Bond (BCX1640), Bullet (BCX1658), Butterfly Wings (BCX1658calf2021), Prowler (BCX1660), Strike (BCX1675), Thunderbolt (BCX1675calf2023), Notcho (BCX1700), Ocular (BCX1705), Pepper (BCX1706), Mammoth/Ocean (BCX1710), Helen (BCX1710calf2022), Vanta (BCX1730), Valiant (BCX1773), Seabird (BCX1774), Remie (BCX1786), Scuttle (BCX1795), Trooper (BCX1854), Honu (BCX1856), Octo (BCX1920), Professor X (BCX1965), Incognito (BCX2053), Sage (BCX2073), Olympus (BCX2075), Graphite (BCX2077), Bandit (BCX2081), BCX2120, Astroboy (BCX2152), Yakima (BCX2182), Squirrel/Smoke (BCX2183), Eros (BCX2201), Niagara (BCY0057), Fader (BCY0195), KC (BCY0291), Big Mama (BCY0324), Moresby (BCY0324calf2022), Yogi (BCY0409), Raptor (BCY0458), BCY0458calf2024, Graze (BCY0523), Bagheera (BCY0523calf2021), Mow (BCY0523calf2023), BCY0649calf2022, Mathematician (BCY0758), Arial (BCY0767), Snoopy (BCY0770), Bump (BCY0771), Mathematician (BCY0785), Casseopia (BCY0796), Fukuro (BCY0885calf2021), Backsplash (BCY0892), Windy (BCY0893), Wolf Eel (BCY0940), Slits (BCY0946), BCY0946calf2024, Sherwina (BCY0961), BCY0961calf2021, Dalmatian (BCY0994), Smiley (BCY0995), Chinook (BCY0996), Hydra (BCY1000), Pop tart (BCY1014), Neptune (BCY1021), Scratchy (BCY1022), T-rex/Lego (BCY1061), Viking (BCY1063), Ta**us (BCY1080), Checkmate (BCY1104), Dandelion (BCY1107), Pingu (BCY1110), Magpie (BCY1124), Spock (BCY1134), Turkey (BCY1157), Moray (BCY1176), Nova (BCY1178), Velvet (BCY1186), Kata (BCY1218), Holey Moley (BCY1220), Eeyore (BCY1221), Portrait (BCY1223), Scuba (BCY1225), Calypso (BCY1226), Crackle (BCY1227), Neowise (BCY1228), Deca (BCY1229), Quadrata (BCY1255), BCY1274, Kelpie (BCY1276), Hendrix (BCY1278), Grizzly (BCY1330), Stripe (BCZ0004), Manta (BCZ0155), Kraken (BCZ0180), Split Fin (BCZ0298), Geometry (BCZ0338), Polyphemus (BCZ0342), Stingray (BCZ0409), Anvil (BCZ0410), Rubber Ducky (BCZ0410calf2024), Zephyr (BCZ0414), Chi (BCZ0414calf2021), BCZ0414calf2024, Lucky (BCZ0419), Two Spot (BCZ0432), Slalom (BCZ0437), Meqe (BCZ0492), Harpy (BCZ0503), CRC-15027, CRC-21176, CRC-21677, HW-MN0444737, Barge Boy (HW-MN0502814), Dolphin (HW-MN0510718), HW-MN0510765, Watson (KEY0043), Malachite (KEZ0047), Uluka (BCX1702), Crescent (BCX1258), KEY0046, BCX2316, Sirius (BCX1736), Chandelle (BCX2140), and Cinder (BCX1749)!

This season has been nothing short of amazing, and weโ€™re thrilled to see what 2025 will bring. Will we break even more records? Only time will tell!

๐Ÿ™Œ Big thanks to our amazing Marine Naturalists who captured great photos of all these whales throughout the year and worked on IDing both on the water and in the office:
Val Watson
Cheyenne Brewster
Vanessa Vereschehen
Aly Kohlman
Desarae Poier
Hayleigh Hilbert
Lucy Willis

And thank you to everyone who joined us on this unforgettable journey! ๐Ÿ’™

As the end of 2024 approaches we are reflecting on the number of amazing encounters we had this year. Let's start with t...
12/30/2024

As the end of 2024 approaches we are reflecting on the number of amazing encounters we had this year.

Let's start with the orca:

We ended up viewing and IDing 195 individual Orcas, 179 of which were from the Transient Orca Population and 16 from the Northern Resident Population! Of course, most of the whales IDed were seen multiple times throughout the year, but some were rarer and only had one or two sightings!

Here are the pods that we saw by population:

Transient Orca:
The T002Cs, T018s, T023Cs, T023s, T030A, T030Bs, T030C, T034s, T035s, T036As, T036s, T037A1, T037As, T037s, T046B1s, T046Bs, T046s, T049As, T049C, T060s, T063, T065, T065A5, T065As, T065Bs, T069s, T071B1, T071B2, T075, T075A, T075Bs, T075Cs, T077s, T086As, T087, T090s, T099s, T100Bs, T100s, T101s, T109A2s, T109As, T117Bs, T123s, T124A1, T124A2s, T124A4s, T124As, T124C, T124Ds, T125A, T128, T137s, and the T146As.

Northern Residents:
The A23s, A25s, A42s, and A94.

This number breaks a record for us, with the highest number of individuals seen in the year! ๐ŸŽ‰

Check back tomorrow for our Humpback Whale sightings recap!

๐Ÿ™Œ Big thanks to our amazing Marine Naturalists who captured great photos of all these whales throughout the year and worked on IDing both on the water and in the office:
Val Watson
Cheyenne Brewster
Vanessa Vereschehen
Aly Kohlman
Desarae Poier
Hayleigh Hilbert
Lucy Willis

Sometimes the wildlife sightings start before you even get on the boat! ๐Ÿฆ†This is one of the local ๐๐ž๐ฅ๐ญ๐ž๐ ๐Š๐ข๐ง๐ ๐Ÿ๐ข๐ฌ๐ก๐ž๐ซ๐ฌ tha...
12/26/2024

Sometimes the wildlife sightings start before you even get on the boat! ๐Ÿฆ†

This is one of the local ๐๐ž๐ฅ๐ญ๐ž๐ ๐Š๐ข๐ง๐ ๐Ÿ๐ข๐ฌ๐ก๐ž๐ซ๐ฌ that is spotted frequently here in the Nanaimo Harbour!

We often spot them sitting on various pillars and masts, keeping their eye on the water. Kingfishers, as the name suggests, will fish for their meals. They dive into mealtime headfirst, aiming for the fish near the surface and attempting to catch them with their sturdy beak.

Kingfishers have a rare ability among birds: they can hover! They often hover over the water before tucking in their wings and diving in. Since they are eating their prey whole, they will need to cough up the bits that can't be digested later in a pellet, similar to an owl ๐Ÿฆ‰

Watching these birds around the harbour is a great way to spend time before and after your tour!

Thanks to Naturalist Val Watson for capturing this photo of "Petra"!

Happy Holidays from all of us here at Vancouver Island Whale Watch!
12/25/2024

Happy Holidays from all of us here at Vancouver Island Whale Watch!

12/22/2024

Watch along with us while we try and ID this humpback whale! ๐Ÿ‹

It's a faceoff! One year ago, we got to see an interspecies interaction with these orca (The T002Cs, T034s, and T037s) a...
12/18/2024

It's a faceoff!

One year ago, we got to see an interspecies interaction with these orca (The T002Cs, T034s, and T037s) and a handful of humpbacks!

Although these humpbacks were too large to be a potential snack for the orca, that didn't stop a little harassment from happening! It's always exciting to see moments like this, since it's quite a rare experience.

To see more photos taken by the onboard Marine Naturalist Vanessa Vereschahen and to read more about the experience check out our "recent sightings" blog post about the day here:

https://www.vancouverislandwhalewatch.com/recent-sightings/2023/12/18/december-18-2023

What do these Pacific White-Sided Dolphins and Orca have in common? ๐Ÿค”They're both ๐ƒ๐จ๐ฅ๐ฉ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ฌ! ๐ŸฌOrca, also known as ๐˜’๐˜ช๐˜ญ๐˜ญ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ ...
12/17/2024

What do these Pacific White-Sided Dolphins and Orca have in common? ๐Ÿค”

They're both ๐ƒ๐จ๐ฅ๐ฉ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ฌ! ๐Ÿฌ

Orca, also known as ๐˜’๐˜ช๐˜ญ๐˜ญ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ ๐˜ž๐˜ฉ๐˜ข๐˜ญ๐˜ฆ๐˜ด, are the largest members of the dolphin family. ๐Ÿ‹ Dolphins are classified by their unique tooth structure and shape, setting them apart from other whales and porpoises. Theyโ€™re also well known for their intelligence and social behaviourโ€”qualities Orca showcase in abundance. When you think about these characteristics it's no surprise that Orca are a part of this group!

But hereโ€™s where things get wild: while Orcas and smaller dolphins share the same family tree, the food chain doesnโ€™t play favourites. Orcas, as ๐˜ข๐˜ฑ๐˜ฆ๐˜น ๐˜ฑ๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฅ๐˜ข๐˜ต๐˜ฐ๐˜ณ๐˜ด, sometimes hunt other cetaceans, including Harbour Porpoises (the smallest local cetacean) and even Pacific White-Sided Dolphins.

Lucky for us, when we saw these dolphins on our August 11th tour there was no orca in sight so we could just enjoy watching these playful creatures!

๐Ÿ“ธ: Marine Naturalist Desarae Poier

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5-90 Front Street
Nanaimo, BC
V9R5H7

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