I can't believe these guys don't have a review yet, they should. Keep in mind here that with this company you are heading out to view wildlife in their natural habitat, and sometimes the wildlife just doesn't cooperate. What you see or don't see cannot be controlled but with the experience of the staff and the communication amongst all the boaters out there, you are extremely likely to see some interesting stuff.
I recently booked a 6 hour "whale watching" tour with my family. Booking online saves you 10% so that's a win right away. Finding them is a little difficult as there is no signage after you enter the mall but a quick call to them guided us the rest of the way. Everybody is supplied with a survival floatation suit with a toque and tinted goggles. We went on a calm day in July with a temperature of about 22 degrees. Jeans and a T-shirt were just fine for me under the suit but if you go in cooler or windier weather a sweater and gloves might be a good idea. The 12 passenger Zodiac boat has 4 rows of 3 across benches so there really isn't much moving around and you're mostly stuck in your seat. There is a toilet on board but it is tiny, awkward to get to and really only for "emergencies"; fortunately everybody in our group was able to wait until the lunch break. Your guide/pilot/captain is equipped with a quality camera and a 400+ zoom lens to take photos of your trip. You are welcome to bring your own camera but unless you're really close or have a similarly sized zoom it won't be much use. I didn't get wet/splashed at all on the tour but it was also a very calm day; bring your expensive camera at your own risk.
Two Zodiac boats headed out together and we first toured the open water off the coast of Campbell River where we did technically see some Humpback whales. Unfortunately they were at least a couple hundred meters out and really were only black blobs on a blue/grey horizon. Regulations prevent the boats from getting closer than 100 meters so I'm not sure how much more we could've seen; here's where the big zoom lenses come in handy.
We stopped for lunch on Stuart Island to the north east of Campbell River. Proper bathrooms are provided here but the tour doesn't always stop at this location. Lunch was supplied by Eagle Eye and packed on the boats in coolers. The lunch was fairly simple but quite substantial; mine included a hearty sandwich, apple, muffin, cookie, granola bar, water, juice box and snack size candy bar. When you register there are questions about dietary concerns and the staff seems very eager to meet the needs of vegetarians, allergies, food sensitivities or religious requirements.
After lunch we headed north some more and this is where the trip was really worthwhile. First we saw some bald eagles and then a pod of dolphins. Our guide told us that like the whales, we are not permitted to approach the dolphins - but there's nothing preventing them from approaching us; and did they ever! The dolphins came to us as we cruised along, swimming alongside and leaping out of the water right beside the boat. Yes, you could almost touch them! At any given moment I could see about 15 dolphins so there was likely twice that many or more around. Leaning out over the bow of the boat you could see them skimming along right under the surface and under the bow. They seem smart enough to realize exactly where they are in relation to the boat and don't jump while under the bow and collide with us. An amazing experience!
I quite enjoyed cruising in the boat experiencing nature from a different perspective. Because of the distance, the "whale watching" part was a little disappointing but the dolphins totally made up for things. Remember these are wild animals, you can't control them and every tour will be unique. The staff works hard to make sure you get value for your money.
I had a great time and would recommend this company if you enjoy nature even a little bit. read more