Today was so much fun!!!!! I finally ticked whale watching off my bucket list. Thankfully it was a fairly clear day and the ocean was calm. The perfect day for a whale watching tour. For our expedition we chose Jamie’s Whaling Station , the original whale tour company in Tofino operating since 1982. First we put on our full body cruiser suits, toques and gloves. The suits act as a life jacket and they keep you warm. In April it can be very cool out on the water. The suits are big and puffy, you feel like you’ve been suited up for a moon walk. We waddled down to the dock where our guide Krista is waiting for us. We carefully climbed into the zodiac,
Krista explains where we are going and what we hope to see. As we headed towards the open ocean Krista steered the zodiac into a small inlet which is a favourite hangout for seals. The rocks are covered with seals of all colours and sizes. Years ago the seals were hunted almost to extinction. Slowly the population is beginning to increase. Seals have very small fins so they are not able to climb onto the rocks, they must wait for a wave to wash them up. It’s cute to watch them bobbing in the water until the surge pushes them onto the rocks. We also saw a beautiful eagle perched on the top of the rocks.
Krista steers the zodiac into the open waters of the Pacific Ocean. We are on the most westerly part of Canada and from here there is nothing but the deep blue sea between us and Japan. Today our mission is to find some Grey whales. From February to April they migrate from Baja California and Mexico to Alaska. Grey whales are bottom feeders that dive to the bottom and take in water and mud to collect their food, then resurface to filter what they collect and breath. The easiest way to find them is to watch for the water spray as they blow out. They typically travel alone but today we are in luck there are six whales travelling together. It’s quit a site to see as there body slowly surfaces and the sound is quite loud as they blow air out of their spout. The best shot is when you get the wave of a tail. These whales are huge, reaching up to 14 metres (49 ft) in length, weighing up to 36 tonnes and live between 55 and 70 years.
On our way back to the inlet we came across a raft of sea otters. There were about 10 otters linked together just floating in the ocean. They look so cute. Otters can be quite shy and will separate and dive down if you make too much noise. They didn’t seem to mind that we were there watching them. One curious otter came near to get a better look at us.
As we continued towards the inlet we passed a small island covered in sea lions. They were lounging on the rocks, some barking at each other and some were swimming near the edge of the rock. There was quite a sizeable group.
The scenery is breathtaking; sea, sky and mountains. The inlet is dotted with small islands, One island was a resting place for dozens of cormorant birds. As we neared Tofino we passed Meares Island which is the Opitsaht community. I was surprised to see cows at the waters edge. Many years ago European settlers gifted 9 cows to the first nations community.. The natives didn’t want the cows as they saw no use for them. They let them go into the wild expecting them to be eaten by wolves and cougars. Surprisingly they survived and flourished and today there are about 30 cows. They have adapted to island living by eating the sea grasses at the waters edge during low tide.
On the way back into Tofino harbour we spotted an Eagle flying overheard. They look so graceful as they soar on the breeze. Across from the docking area the first BC ferry perched on a rock, it’s now someone’s home. Once back on dry land we received a call from a friend inviting us over for crab dinner. He had fresh cooked Dungeness crab waiting for us. It was delicious!!!
