Whale Watching in Victoria- An Experience We’ll Never Forget
When planning our tour, we had a bucket list, and one of the top items was whale watching, something we had never experienced before. While there was a chance we might spot whales during the BC ferry crossing, we didn’t, and we were determined to see these magnificent creatures in their natural habitat.
We booked a whale watching trip with Orca Spirit Adventures, conveniently located just a five-minute walk from our hotel at Laurel Point. Thankfully, the morning was calm — I’m not sure how well I’d have managed if the sea had been choppy! After a thorough safety briefing from the team, we set off. The journey to the area where whales had been sighted took around 30 minutes, near Race Rocks. This gave us time to enjoy the stunning Vancouver Island coastline along the way.
Race Rocks is a nature reserve, and we saw masses of seals and sea lions on the main island where the Race Rocks Lighthouse stands. The noise was incredible! One of the crew members told us she’d spent a week conducting marine research there — though how she coped with the constant barking, I’ll never know.
Several boats were already in the area, sharing updates with each other on whale sightings. And then, we saw them! In the distance, humpback whales appeared. The skipper set the engines to idle, and for a few moments, there was complete silence as we waited, holding our breath. Then came the unmistakable mist of the whales’ blowholes as they exhaled.
What a moment! We watched as these majestic mammals moved gracefully, almost in slow motion, through the ocean. We followed from a respectful distance, and before long, more whales appeared. A pair of humpbacks even came close to our boat, clearly unbothered by our presence. Occasionally, we were treated to a dramatic tail flick. It was a magical experience, one that will be forever etched in our memories.
We managed to snap a few photos and videos, but we were grateful that one of the Orca Spirit team had a professional DSLR with a powerful telephoto lens. This meant we could fully immerse ourselves in the moment without worrying about capturing it all ourselves. The team uploaded their photos later that day, making them available to all guests, a brilliant touch.
We spent a good amount of time observing the whales, but eventually, it was time to return to Victoria Harbour as the tour drew to a close. It was a truly unforgettable outing with Orca Spirit Adventures, and the next time we find ourselves in Victoria, we’ll definitely be doing it again.
Tips:
- Dress accordingly to the weather and remember, it can get cold out on the ocean.
- It’s great to take photos, but enjoy and savour the moments too.
- Orca Spirit Adventures really looked after us, and we would certainly book with them again.
Western Canada Grand Tour 