British Columbia is
home to Canada’s most beautiful wildlife. Here, towering mountains crash into the scenic coast, and ancient
trees play host to everything from deer to mountain lions. Further out, in the deep blue waters of the
Pacific, British Columbia is home to yet another majestic piece of nature: humpback whales.
Whale watching is a popular pastime in British Columbia. Photographers, biologists, as well as people simply
looking for a unique experience, regularly take to the Pacific in search of the huge mammals. While most
whale watching takes place farther south, some ships venture to the less-traversed north. Ocean Adventures,
owned by captain Eric Boyum, is one such company.
“The whale watching we offer is in the north, where things are a lot wilder,” explains Eric’s wife, Trish,
co-owner of Ocean Adventures. “When you’re out with the whales in this part of the world, they really are
living life relatively uninterrupted by man. It really is worth coming on a weeklong trip — it gives you a
whole picture of what the area is like, and why it’s so important to look after.”
Ocean Adventures offers whale-watching trips that range from five to seven days. Beginning and ending in
Prince Rupert, these trips invite lucky adventurers aboard their 54-foot motor yacht, the Great Bear II. “On
these trips, guests will have plenty of opportunities to enjoy and learn about whale behavior. Guests
will be intrigued from the time they meet with the researchers at Cetacea Lab, to contributing, if they wish,
to the identification of whales, and as they witness the fascinating feeding behaviors of these powerful
cetaceans,” says Boyum.
“A group of whales, two or more, will dive down under a group of herring,” she explains. “As they come up
from under they’re circling the herring and blowing bubbles. The herring don’t know that they can swim
through these bubbles, so they rise. Then you’ll see a ring of bubbles forming in the water, and out of the
centre come these huge mouths wide open. When our guests get to see that, which is pretty regularly,
especially in September, it’s a very powerful, moving thing to watch. To think the whales are working
co-operatively! It’s a sign of great intelligence.”
When not feeding, whales often engage in visually stunning behavior over the water’s surface. At times, Boyum
says, the whales will raise their pectoral fins (strongly reminiscent of wings) above the water as though
they were performing an underwater ballet. On rare occasions, adventurers will also witness whales leaping
out of the water, which is referred to as “breaching.”
“They come out of the water so easily when they’re breaching — it literally seems like they’re flying,
they’re such powerful, beautiful animals,” says Boyum. “Sometimes, we know where they are because we hear the
clap of thunder as they hit the water.”
Ocean Adventures’ whale watching tours take place primarily in the traditional territories of the Gitga’at
and Kitasoo Xai’xais First Nations peoples. In addition to these powerful cultures and the extraordinary
humpback whales, these waters are home to orca, sea lions, dolphins, porpoises, and several kinds of
migrating cetaceans including grey whales.
On land, shipmates aboard the Great Bear II may just be lucky enough to witness a Spirit Bear, a white-furred
black bear that can only be found in the region.
By witnessing the area’s wild beauty and interacting with the biologists based in the region, many guests are
impassioned to become repeat passengers and activists aboard the Ocean Adventures yacht.
“We take people to this area because it’s so powerful, so beautiful, so moving, but there’s also an
underlying education going on,” Boyum agrees. “If our guests are moved as much as we are by the whales, they
will want to help look after them, too. Once you’ve witnessed these spectacular animals, you will never
forget them.” •
