Wild Whales Vancouver

Wild Whales Vancouver We are Vancouver's Premier Whale-Watching Company.
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Departing from Granville Island, our guests encounter the vast diversity of marine wildlife in the Salish Sea. In search of resident Killer Whales and other marine mammals, enjoy the sights of Vancouver, the Fraser River and the Gulf Islands.

Aug 25 (PM tour)The T99 pod spent their day deep in Howe Sound. As we approached the North of Anvil Island we found the ...
09/01/2024

Aug 25 (PM tour)

The T99 pod spent their day deep in Howe Sound. As we approached the North of Anvil Island we found the family travelling all together along the coastline.
Having spent most of their day milling in almost the same place these whales didn't seem to be in any hurry to get anywhere.
It's always an amazing experience to watch these whales within the beauty of Howe Sound?

πŸ“Έ .jenkins

Aug 4th (PM trip) - earlier this month we spent an afternoon with multiple humpback whales, 2 of which were Tempest and ...
08/28/2024

Aug 4th (PM trip) - earlier this month we spent an afternoon with multiple humpback whales, 2 of which were Tempest and her newest calf.
With the Gabriola shoreline as a stunning backdrop we watched as Tempest showed her baby how to have fun with multiple breaches & tail lobs. The little one then joined in seemingly encouraged by mum before they both continued on with their travels.

πŸ“Έ By .jenkins

20 Aug zodiac tour - T124Ds & T124A1 were seen creeping through the kelp beds around the Belle Chain Islets looking for ...
08/23/2024

20 Aug zodiac tour - T124Ds & T124A1 were seen creeping through the kelp beds around the Belle Chain Islets looking for a very unlucky seal.

Their stealth and teamwork paid off as they bagged themselves a seal within the kelp providing a meal for the pod.

πŸ“Έ By .jenkins

Aug 14 (PM trip) - On this afternoon we had the most beautiful whale watching conditions!As we approached Porlier Pass w...
08/18/2024

Aug 14 (PM trip) - On this afternoon we had the most beautiful whale watching conditions!

As we approached Porlier Pass we spotted multiple blows just ahead of us. As we approached we found 3 humpbacks known as Kelpie, Cerulean, Ta**us. These 3 were enjoying a very social afternoon with lots of rolling around, headstands, mini spy hops and even a breach!

Naturalist captured these beautiful images containing a magical humpback rainbow. 🌈

Aug 2 (PM tour) - this afternoon was filled with plenty of humpback whales out in the Georgia Strait. After watching hum...
08/09/2024

Aug 2 (PM tour) - this afternoon was filled with plenty of humpback whales out in the Georgia Strait.

After watching humpback whale 'Malachite' & his friend rest together they suddenly woke up and started to breach their way down the sunshine coast.

This breach party lasted 40MINUTES before the two settled back down and continued swimming along together.

This is definitely a day our guests and staff won't forget for a while!

πŸ“Έ By .jenkins

A Humpback whales pectoral fins can reach a massive 16ft in length!! That's 1/3 of the length of their whole body and ar...
08/06/2024

A Humpback whales pectoral fins can reach a massive 16ft in length!! That's 1/3 of the length of their whole body and are the longest appendages in the whole animal kingdom!

Hearing these whales slap them on the water surface is a treat for the ears and shows off the power they have. They often slap their pecs to attract the attention of other whales that may be in the area but also for fun.


The Harbour seals have the 'cutest animals'  part of our tours all covered  🦭 🦭 🦭
07/27/2024

The Harbour seals have the 'cutest animals' part of our tours all covered 🦭 🦭 🦭

Did you know our Zodiacs Aurora 1 & Aurora 2 have individual shock absorbing seats?Our zodiacs were designed specificall...
07/20/2024

Did you know our Zodiacs Aurora 1 & Aurora 2 have individual shock absorbing seats?

Our zodiacs were designed specifically for us here at Wild Whales and are 2 of a kind!

Instead of the regular bench style seats most other zodiacs have, these seats combine adventure and comfort to create the perfect whale watching combination.

Our zodiacs department daily at 9am & 2:30pm. Check out our websites for live availability

Happy world orca day!!Here at Wild Whales we consider everyday of the year to be orca day, but we will use any extra exc...
07/14/2024

Happy world orca day!!

Here at Wild Whales we consider everyday of the year to be orca day, but we will use any extra excuse to fill your feeds with photos of these beautiful animals.

Here's just a few of .jenkins favorite photos she has taken over the past few years with us.


July 8 - the T124A2s & T86A3s were in a playful and energetic mood this morning. As we followed them South In Howe Sound...
07/10/2024

July 8 - the T124A2s & T86A3s were in a playful and energetic mood this morning.

As we followed them South In Howe Sound we were lucky to catch some breaching, cartwheels, spyhops & pec slaps.

πŸ“Έ By .jenkins

Meet Big Mama.Big mama was the first humpback whale to be seen in the Salish sea in almost 100 years post whaling!! Whal...
07/04/2024

Meet Big Mama.

Big mama was the first humpback whale to be seen in the Salish sea in almost 100 years post whaling!!

Whaling happened in the Strait of Georgia until 1908 and along the west coast of Vancouver Island until 1967 and it was thought that there were no humpback whales remaining.
Hunted for their blubber each adult humpback whale was estimated to equal around 1000 gallons of oil.

Enter Big mama... πŸ‹ πŸ‹ πŸ‹

She was originally first seen here in the Salish sea in 1997 which was nearly 100 years after the last sighting of a humpback whale in these waters!

She returned again in 1999 and 2003 and has been documented in the area every year since 2003 bringing along with her 7 calves throughout the years with her most recent being in 2022. She is also a grandmother to 6 whales and a great grandmother to 3 whales!

Since her initial return hundreds of Humpback whales now visit each season to feed in these inland waters and the population has recovered from an estimated 1,500 whales at its lowest to upwards of 20,000 with roughly 500 individuals documented here each season.

If you ask any of our crew on our trips about Big Mama, I'm sure they will have their own favorite story about her to share

πŸ“Έ By .jenkins

Happy Canada Day πŸπŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦πŸ
07/01/2024

Happy Canada Day πŸπŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦πŸ

24 June 2024 - Humpback whale known as 'Coyote' takes to the skies for a dramatic chin slap.⁠⁠This whale is the 2021 cal...
06/28/2024

24 June 2024 - Humpback whale known as 'Coyote' takes to the skies for a dramatic chin slap.⁠
⁠
This whale is the 2021 calf of a whale called 'Tempest' who is a regular whale in these waters. ⁠
⁠
Coyote seemed to have an endless supply of energy on this afternoon in particular pec slapping and breaching for over 45minutes while we were on scene!!!⁠
⁠

Weekly roundup!! πŸ‹ πŸ‹ 🌊 πŸ‹ We've had a lot of double species days out on the water this week with both Humpback whales and...
06/24/2024

Weekly roundup!! πŸ‹ πŸ‹ 🌊 πŸ‹

We've had a lot of double species days out on the water this week with both Humpback whales and Biggs orca sightings! On June 17 we even got to see humpback whales chasing some orca!

As we get into peak summer we are excited to welcome you all onboard.

June 19 - PM tour - our tour started with a couple of humpback whales just south of Bowen Island and then ended with us viewing a pod of orcas in Squamish harbour. (Image 7)

June 21 - AM tour - we headed down south and found the T36as cruising through Active pass. Not long after they made it through they were joined by another pod, the T65bs and friends. We also spent time with Humpback 'Windy' and a friend in the strait of Georgia. (Image 4&5)
PM tour - headed to a different report and after a quick stop with a humpback whale we encountered the T77s sneaking along the Valdes shoreline. (Image 6)

June 22 - AM tour - in some chunky conditions we found humpback whales 'Windy' 'Smiley' & friend enjoying the wind and the waves. These whales were very social for our full encounter with them throwing in a few breaches as well as lots of tail lobbing and pec slapping. (Image 1&2)
We then heard a report of orca in Vancouver harbour and headed over to investigate where we then found the T123s & T86A3s and followed as they traveled along the seawall. (Image 3)

Have you ever seen a bald eagle blink?Eagles have multiple eyelids with an inner eyelid called a nictitating membrane wh...
06/23/2024

Have you ever seen a bald eagle blink?

Eagles have multiple eyelids with an inner eyelid called a nictitating membrane which sweeps across the eye from side to side providing an extra layer of protection.
This eyelid is transparent and provides extra moisture while still allowing the eagle to see.

πŸ“Έ By .jenkins




Weekly roundup is back!This past week has been packed with sightings of both Biggs orca & Humpback whales!June 15 - our ...
06/17/2024

Weekly roundup is back!

This past week has been packed with sightings of both Biggs orca & Humpback whales!

June 15 - our afternoon zodiac found humpback whale Ocular in the Georgia Strait as well as Biggs Orcas T123s, T86A3S, and the T71B kids. We were lucky enough to watch them hunt a harbour seal which ended in a celebratory spyhop from T123 'Sidney'. (Image 1)

June 12 - The afternoon tours headed across the Georgia Strait and found countless humpback whales! Some of those whales were Wormhole, Beak & Windy who were milling in the same area for almost an hour. As they dove they all showed off their beautiful flukes one by one. (Image 2)

June 13 - On the way back from viewing some humpback whales the team encountered the T101 pod which consists of mum 'Reef' and her two very large adult sons 'Rush & Lagoon'. (Image 3)

June 14 - This day we had the T123s,T86A3s, T71B kids & T87 cruising around Howe Sound. The morning was calm beautiful waters with the groups resting together while the afternoon gave us some very different water conditions and seemed to get the whales all excited and they powered through the waters with some high surfacings as well as some tail slaps and mini breaches. (Image 4&5)

Can't wait to see what this week brings. πŸ‹ 🌊

πŸ“Έ By .jenkins &

June 13th - We were lucky enough to have a double species afternoon. We started off with Humpbacks and finished our tour...
06/15/2024

June 13th - We were lucky enough to have a double species afternoon. We started off with Humpbacks and finished our tour with the T101’s. We had a beautiful encounter with Reef, Rush and Lagoon and travelled with them whilst they headed up the Sunshine coat.

Perfect conditions for a perfect day on the water

πŸ“Έ By

Our humpbacks have been on a feeding frenzy lately after returning from their winter migration.Seeing these whales lunge...
06/10/2024

Our humpbacks have been on a feeding frenzy lately after returning from their winter migration.

Seeing these whales lunge feed at the surface is an incredible sight and always leaves us feeling incredibly lucky to witness such a behavior

The Salish sea is beginning to look like Humpback city!!The humpbacks have started to arrive back in the Salish sea from...
06/05/2024

The Salish sea is beginning to look like Humpback city!!

The humpbacks have started to arrive back in the Salish sea from their winter breeding grounds and are beginning their summer feast.

It's always an exciting time for us here when we get to see which regulars will be back as well as any new whales to the area and the youngsters who are on their first solo migration.

It's going to be a great summer season 😎

πŸ“Έ By .jenkins during last season

Let's celebrate our marine mother's this mother's day!Both our Orca & Humpback whales are exceptional mums who excel wit...
05/12/2024

Let's celebrate our marine mother's this mother's day!

Both our Orca & Humpback whales are exceptional mums who excel with their own parenting style.

Our Biggs orca have an incredibly strong maternal bond with their offspring and will form a lifelong bond with each of their calves. She will teach each calf life lessons such as hunting techniques, knowledge of the waters they call home as well as growing their social skills from a young age. All of thos will one day turn them into a fierce apex predator.
Remaining in their family pods for most of their life it is the matriarch who is the glue that holds them all together and will play a huge part in her calves lives.
While her daughters will begin to separate from the pod once she has a calf or two of her own she will hand down all the skills and knowledge her mum taught her to her own young. The males take a different approach to life and are commonly seen sticking by mum for their whole lives.

------------------------

Humpback whales may have one of the toughest jobs when raising a calf.
Our humpbacks will migrate from their feeding grounds here in the Salish sea down to Hawaii & Mexico where it is warmer and more sheltered from predators, this is where she will give birth and begin to raise her calf. While they are down in their breeding grounds they will start to raise their little calf and get it strong enough to complete a long distance migration.
Once the calf is big and strong enough she will decide it is time to start their migration north. They will travel up to 3000 miles together past dangerous waters to eventually make it to their feeding grounds they will remain at for the summer. At the end of the feeding season she will es**rt the calf back down to the breeding ground where they will part ways.

πŸ“Έ By .jenkins

Howe sound has been a hotspot for Biggs orca lately.Yesterday's tour (April 26) was treated to some playfulness between ...
04/27/2024

Howe sound has been a hotspot for Biggs orca lately.

Yesterday's tour (April 26) was treated to some playfulness between the T124A2's & T65B's as they wandered down the sound.

πŸ“Έ Taken with a telephoto lens by .jenkins

We've had great sightings so far this season. Not only have we had regular sightings of our Biggs orca population but we...
04/13/2024

We've had great sightings so far this season.

Not only have we had regular sightings of our Biggs orca population but we've also been treated to some grey whales feeding on the shallows. With their unique feeding techniques they are amazing to watch roll around in the shallow water.

These whales usually only spend only a few weeks around Vancouver before continuing on with their migration north.

πŸ“Έ By Naturalist .jenkins

Our 2024 season is underway! We have daily departures on our zodiacs and catamarans which are ready to take you on a onc...
04/02/2024

Our 2024 season is underway!

We have daily departures on our zodiacs and catamarans which are ready to take you on a once in a lifetime adventure here in the Salish Sea.
View Humpback whales, Biggs Killer whales, Sea lions, Bald Eagles, Seals & more!

We look forward to welcoming you all this season πŸ‹

Visit our website for more information (link in bio)


We have some beautiful weather in the forecast for the remainder of our season!With sunny skies and calm winds, what bet...
10/27/2023

We have some beautiful weather in the forecast for the remainder of our season!

With sunny skies and calm winds, what better way is there to spend your day than exploring the Salish sea with us!

We are still running a 15% discount off for spooky season on our larger catamaran tours! Visit our website to book with us!

Spooky season is upon us! πŸŽƒπŸ¦‡πŸŽƒIt's scary how fast this season has disappeared and we are now into our final week of opera...
10/24/2023

Spooky season is upon us! πŸŽƒπŸ¦‡πŸŽƒ

It's scary how fast this season has disappeared and we are now into our final week of operation with our last tour of the season on Halloween.
Want to join us before the season ends? Use promo code 'whaleoween' when booking a tour this week and get 15% off!

We look forward to seeing you on the water!

Weekly Roundup time πŸ‹ 🌊October is the best month for seeing Humpback whales here in the Salish sea and so far they have ...
10/19/2023

Weekly Roundup time πŸ‹ 🌊

October is the best month for seeing Humpback whales here in the Salish sea and so far they have not disappointed πŸ‹πŸ‹πŸ‹

Oct 14 - Another whale filled afternoon! After viewing multiple humpbacks off the bottom of Bowen Island we got a report of Orca not too far away. While we usually say we don’t see the same Whales in the same place two days in a row, some days these whales suprise us and we found the same pods as the day before (T35as/T38as) in the same place as the day before. (Image 1-4)

Oct 13 - We didn’t have to travel too far on this day before finding both Biggs orca & Humpback whales right on the edge of English bay. While both species were within a mile of one another the two passed by without any interaction. As the humpbacks continued to feed the orca later caught a snack of their own before heading South. (Image 5-7)

Oct 9 - On our tours this day we saw Multiple humpback whales not too far from home. With multiple groups they eventually came together briefly to end up with 5 whales all together. One of those whales is called Magpie who has a pretty cool and distinct fluke pattern. (Image 8-9)

We still have daily tours running until the end of October on both our zodiacs and larger vessels so come and join the adventure!

Weekly round up πŸ‹ πŸ‹The first week of October for off to a flying start!!Oct 1 - While viewing a social gathering with so...
10/10/2023

Weekly round up πŸ‹ πŸ‹

The first week of October for off to a flying start!!

Oct 1 - While viewing a social gathering with some of the T137s, T36as, T38a, T35as biggs orcas in Howe Sound we were treated to some of the clearest and loudest vocals from the party. While we were enjoying their twists & flicks a few of them suddenly took to the skies in an awesome power display!! (Image 1-4)

Oct 2 - Our zodiac trip began with Humpback whale Trooper not too far from home, we then also headed over to the Southern Gulf Islands where we encountered the T18 pod of Biggs orca. This pod is a pod of 4 and in classic T18 fashion they were separated in pairs a mile or so away from each other. It was a sight to see these guys push through the growing waves. (Image 5)

Oct 4 - This day was humpback heaven in and around Howe Sound! With multiple sightings of humpbacks our boats spread out in search and one of our vessels was lucky enough to watch a pair of humpback whales known as Bullet & Yogi breach along the shoreline of Bowen Island. The pair then gave us a few pec slaps as they carried on with their travels and met up with another humpback whale Split fin (image 6-8)

Oct 7 - The most perfect conditions for a whale watch! Our tour started off with Humpback whale Graze and her newest little calf in the Georgia Strait. The little one did an amazing job of showing off their Fluke high and proud showing us some beautiful markings! We then headed across the strait of Georgia where we stumbled upon The T37a and T99 biggs orca pods. These two pods made some good speed heading South with the most stunning scenery behind them. (Image 9-13)

While we never enjoy approaching the end of our season we do love October out on the water!

πŸ“Έ by guide .jenkins


On September 24 we had an encounter to remember!!We got word that there was a pod of orca not too far north that were in...
10/03/2023

On September 24 we had an encounter to remember!!

We got word that there was a pod of orca not too far north that were interacting with a couple of humpback whales!

As we arrived we watched both species circle eachother and approach eachother before splitting up and repeating over and over.
Humpback whales Windy and Velvet led this charge against the T2C & T124D orca pods trumpeting and charging them down. This lasted for the whole hour our zodiac tour was on scene and as time went on we began seeing more and more humpback whales appearing to come over slowly. Could these two humpbacks be calling for backup from others in the area?

While humpbacks have been known to try and interfere in orca hunts and encounters like this are not unheard of, it is rare to see.

While neither looked to have hurt one another it left us with a lot of questions as to who started it.
-Could the humpbacks have been interfering with a orca hunt?
-Could the humpbacks be defending their feeding zone?
-Could the orcas have just started to harass the humpbacks for fun?

Who do you all think started this little frenzy?

πŸ“Έ by guide .jenkins

This week was humpback soup in the Salish Sea with whales in every direction!!Sept 10  AM - After encountering multiple ...
09/19/2023

This week was humpback soup in the Salish Sea with whales in every direction!!

Sept 10
AM - After encountering multiple humpbacks throughout the morning we began to head for home when along the Sunshine Coast we spotted a humpback breaching in the distance. The pair then treated us to a display we won’t forget in a hurry as they pec slapped and breached their way down the bank. (Image 1)
PM - After a peaceful afternoon with Humpback whale Graze and her new calf in Howe Sound we then found Zig Zag and her calf just South of Bowen Island resting. As we began to depart baby Zig Zag suddenly took to the skies and chin slapped in a large circle with Vancouver behind. (Image 2)

Sept 11 - AM - Humpback heaven! Davis bay was the place to be! Within 1nm radius we had a total of 10 humpbacks within the bay and more out into the Strait! Some of these humpbacks included fan favourite 'Nike', as well as staff favourite 'Malachite'! These whales were socializing throughout the morning with some tail Lobs and pec slaps before heading out of the bay together. (Image 3 & 4)

Sept 15 - AM - Through the morning tour we spent time with some regulars around here, Humpback whales Split Fin & Split fluke socializing, pec slapping and tail lobbing and giving our guests a great morning on the water! We also found some harbour seals chilling on the rocks in Howe Sound! (Image 5,6,7)

Sept 16 - Humpback soup - With around 10 humpbacks all feeding just off Halibut bank. We were treated to a variety of feeding styles including some lunge feeding. Our big boy Steller sea lions have also started to return to these waters over the past weeks and are as mad as ever.. (image 8&9)

We are now into our single trip departures until the end of October with our zodiacs departing at 11am & our larger vessels at 12 & 12:30.

πŸ“Έ by guides .jenkins


Weekly roundup! πŸ‹ πŸ‹September is off to a flying start!! Here are just a few highlights from last week... Sept 4 - Our PM...
09/14/2023

Weekly roundup! πŸ‹ πŸ‹

September is off to a flying start!! Here are just a few highlights from last week...

Sept 4 - Our PM trip began with over 10 Humpback whales in one area!! What started as one whale soon turned into more and more joining up and diving together! Not only that we also headed north for a choppy encounter with the T99s making some speed. We had some beautiful surfacing by the family in some choppy seas which made for some epic and powerful surfacings. (Image 1&2)

Sept 7 - Another double species day on the water. In our AM trip one of our boats spent time with some rare orca visitors to this area, T59 along with T59A2 & T59A4! They were seen travelling with the T2c’s. Almost in the exact location our zodiac then found Humpback whales Hendrix and Kelpie who began breaching in communication with Humpback whales Two Spot and Niagara in the distance. (Image 3)

Sept 8 - A beautiful Howe sounds day! Not only did we find a pod of orcas on their way to Squamish but we also found another 2 pods on the way out AND a Humpback mum and Calf! The T124D’s crushed a seal along the coast before continuing on deep into the sound! (Image 4)

Sept 9 - Another double species day for both our AM & PM trips! Both magical and wonderful encounters throughout the day with many different humpback whales as well as the T124D pod of transient orcas coasting down the Strait of Georgia picking off Harbour porpoises as they went! (Image 5 & 6)

We are coming into our last weekend of Double trips with AM & PM departures. From September 19 we will be running single trips departing at 11am and 12pm until the end of our season! See you there!!

πŸ“Έ By guide .jenkins

humpbackwhale

Address

1806 Mast Tower Road
Vancouver, BC
V6H4B6

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 6pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 6pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 6pm
Thursday 8:30am - 6pm
Friday 8:30am - 6pm
Saturday 8:30am - 6pm
Sunday 8:30am - 6pm

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