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Report from the FieldOur Trip Report page, where each week of the season, we relay our guides' reports of their goups' sightings and other notes on each week's adventures. 2008 Inside Passage/Orca Humpback Odyssey, September 14-19 The last trip of the season is always bittersweet. We almost invariably have wonderful weather and plentiful wildlife encounters this month, but knowing we'll soon be leaving until our return the following June adds a bit of sadness to the time as well. True to form, this was a stunningly good week and a fantastic way to finish off our 26th season on the British Columbia coast. "On a tiny islet, we sat and ate some delicious sushi (vegie - no raw fish!) we had prepared in the morning. We were still buzzing from the close encounter we had with a humpback mother and calf earlier in the day. Then it happened; a colossus emerged from the deep. A huge humpback whale breached just off our island. Then it emerged again with another enormous crash back into the water. And then three more times! This jaw-dropping moment is one that will stay with all of us for a lifetime - fantastic! "Another day, the sun was slowly turning the sky red in the early evening and we were enjoying the glow at the end of the day. Then in the distance we saw a group of slowly approaching orcas traveling down the centre of Johnstone Strait. We got in the kayaks and paddled toward the area they were headed toward, finally sharing the sunset with these awesome creatures.
"Our night paddle was phenomenal. It was an inky black night to start out, allowing the bioluminescence in the ocean to sparkle with its greatest intensity. Then suddenly the night was transformed by the full moon rising above the horizon. Under the clear, calm waters (hardly a breath of wind all week), the moon lit up the entire area and we could kayak around almost as if it were daytime. Perfect!" We'll see you next summer. - - - - - - Inside Passage/Wildlife Discovery, September 7-12 "We saw a humpback whale on Day 4 while having a lunch on the shore of Blackfish Sound. On another quiet, sunny day, everyone had their senses activated, scanning for the humpback we could hear but not see through the fog. Eventually we found her and were given the classic 'humpback show,' with beautiful tail flukes rising in the air before her dive. "On Day 1, as we were getting ready to launch our kayaks onto the water, we spotted a black bear mom with her little cub on the beach across the channel from camp. Very, very cute. "We had orcas just on Days 5 & 6, but they went right by our camp, foraging for salmon and resting on what looked like a leisurely afternoon under sunny skies, then more of the same on our last morning. "Our group had varied interests and backgrounds. Lots of interesting life stories were shared among the group. On Day 3, with a very low tide, everyone happily paddled around camp for two hours observing the incredible intertidal creatures and easily entertained themselves learning about strange animals many had never seen before. "What a wonderful group to share a week of our favorite month with. Very fun and very interested in learning about the creatures around us during a week of morning fog that burned off into warm, sunny skies." Wild Orca Adventure, September 8-11 "We started out with a windy first day, keeping us near camp and off the water. But we did have a good hike and from the beach watched two pods of orcas pass by just off the beach. We made up for our first day's lack paddling with a long, six hours on our second and heard orcas passing in by camp just after dark. "Day three was as calm as could be, with our classic September morning fog lifting in late morning to a warm, sunny day. And what a day for wildlife! 9am: a humpback whale and 50 dolphins; 10am: two sea lions just off our camp; 10:15am: three orcas just around the corner from camp, shortly after we launched our kayaks; 11:30am (while kayaking): a black bear swimming between two small islets!; 1pm: a black bear on a beach; 10:30pm: orcas passing by in the dark. "Our final day was no disappointment, either, with a pod of orcas spending nearly an hour foraging for salmon just off camp on another nearly windless day. The last Wild Orca Adventure of our season was just that: wild orcas and much more." - - - - - - Inside Passage/Orca Humpback Odyssey, August 31-September 5 "In my five years guiding here, this was the most incredible week of wildlife I've had, let alone a nearly perfect, warm, calm six days. Just a few of the highlights: "Orcas passed camp shortly after arriving on our first day. We did a fantastic circumnavigation of the island on Day 2 and ran into sea lions and porpoises along the way (of course eagles and their nests were regularly spotted along the route). Day three found us paddling through a gorgeous set of islets and running into two pods of orcas and more sea lions. "Day four was our moving day, traveling from our Johnstone Strait area camp to our Blackfish Archipelago camp. Along the way and under sunny skies, we encountered another orca pod, sea lions, seals and one lonesome Dall's porpoise. Our night paddle was as peaceful and beautiful as can be, the luminescense sparkling off our paddles. "Day five was a long day of paddling, making the most of each chance for exploration with the calm waters and sunny skies. Two humpback whales made appearances for us, along with sea lions, harbour porpoises and a family of river otters - a mom and four kids. We awoke our last morning to late summer fog and another very calm day, with sun filling the sky by mid-morning. Our morning paddle through the narrow channel was a nice, relaxing way to finish up and we even saw a mink scrambling along the rocks on the shore. A spectacular week it was!" Wild Orca Adventure, September 1-4 "Wild Orca indeed! We saw orcas every single day on this trip. They came by camp twice, once as the sun was sinking behind the island and again just before we left on our last day. On the third day, we paddled out and were rewarded with an incredible, encounter as they came right up to us. We watched them for an hour, feeding and popping up, going all directions as they chased salmon. They were joined by about 10 Dall's porpoises that were torpedoing through the water, following closely the movements of the orcas. Bob &Bren and Rebecca & Craig were incredibly close as orcas surfaced for breaths right beside their kayaks. Everyone was giffy and happy after such a great experience, a special time spent with such beautiful animals. We eventually turned toward camp. Turning back for a last look, we saw that the orcas had formed a "resting line" and had also turned. We sat and watched them again as they passed us, surfacing in unison. What a day!" - - - - - - Inside Passage/Wildlife Discovery, August 24-29 "This was really an upbeat group, able to make everything fun despite it being not the best weather of the summer. We had less time on the water than usual due to winds, but we kept things high-spirited with hikes, shared stories, and camaraderie. "We saw four of the 'local' (what are called "resident") orca pods: A23, A25, A24 and I11. Not to mention northern sea lions, river otters, harbour seals and Dall's porpoises. "On our last day in camp we ventured out and encountered several pods of orcas traveling westward with some of the family members stopping to have a look at us, all rafted together in our kayaks. It was hard to know which way to look at times; there were orcas on all sides of us. "Our night paddle was a first and very memorable experience for most of our group. With perfect conditions, we were surrounded by sparkles in the water and in the sky. The glassy waters and reflections of the stars on the water left us feeling like we were floating in the sky." Wild Orca Adventure, August 25-28 "After a couple of days of "liquid sunshine," we were more than ready for a great orca encounter. On our way back to camp on day three, we saw pods coming our way. So we anchored ourselves in a kelp bed and waited. Our patience paid off when pod after pod came by us in an orca parade, so many we didn't know where to look. Every time we looked back, another pod was coming around the point. One orca breached in front of us twice; another came very close to one of our kayaks; and we even saw a newborn baby, doing very well in the current with its mother. What a show! Note: we usually see one or two "superpods" each season. This spectacular event is a congregation of most of the northern orca community pods in Johnstone Strait, with perhaps 85-150 whales, usually in August or September. "Our last paddle gave us another encounter with our curious young seal from three weeks ago. He swam around our kayaks, touching paddles and visiting everyone, close enough to touch. We hope this little guy sticks around a while! "We did a great hike to a cliff-top viewpoint called Eagle Eye. The hike through the forest and the view at the top were beautiful. "We had two birthdays this week, one before the trip and one just after, both celebrated with yummy brownies, candles and balloons. What a positive, congenial group. We all had a great time getting to know each other, with plenty to talk about." - - - - - - Inside Passage/Orca Humpback Odyssey, August 17-22 “We had a pretty diverse week with lots of wildlife sightings. We saw Dall’s porpoises right from the start of our water taxi ride to camp, rooster-tailing while chasing fish, then riding the bow of our water taxi. We saw orcas five of the six days and even had three encounters on the same day: morning, afternoon and evening! “Sea lions approached us one day, surfacing and playfully watching us, swimming alongside us until we turned a corner and left them behind. Early one morning we woke early to orcas passing camp, then watched them for the next hour and a half as they fished for salmon. Pacific white-sided dolphins passed by a little further out in Johnstone Strait. “We saw harbour porpoises, seals, kingfishers, eagles, phalaropes and auklets, just a few of the many species who inhabit our area. We had beautiful, glassy waters for our night paddle, with stars in the sky peeking through the misty sky. “A super fun group! From the pre-trip meeting on we knew were going to have a lot of fun. Through some rain, some sun, wind and calm, we all really enjoyed this group of adventurous souls who had come together from many different places to experience the best place on earth to kayak and to encounter some incredible marine life.” Wild Orca Adventure, August 18-21 “The perfect, glassy waters relinquished no sign of the huge mammals that lay beneath. The small islands in the distance sat seemingly suspended between the low cloud and the perfect water. We scanned the sea’s surface intently and then we saw them, tell-tale blows in the distance, coming toward us. Though the delicious smells of dinner were wafting through camp, we couldn’t pull ourselves away from watching the whales from the edge of the rocky shoreline. Then . . . whoosh . . . right beside camp a huge orca popped up and made us jump. “A really fun group that came together from three different countries. We laughed a lot, weathered a little rain, and loved the whales, the kayaking, the sea lions and the whole experience of living with nature for a few days.” - - - - - - Inside Passage/Wildlife Discovery, August 10-15 “On our crossing day (from our first to second camps) we had an incredible, hot, sunny day. We stopped on a beach where hydrophones were set up and, while we had lunch, listened to orcas calling each other. As we left that beach, three Steller’s sea lions appeared in front of us and we watched them for nearly twenty minutes before completing our journey to our new camp. “As orcas from G-Clan approached camp, one of our English guests, Mark, started whistling. The whales then stopped and stayed with us for about half an hour, vocalizing above water, seemingly in response! Over the next two days orcas visited us up close four more times near camp. “The birds are in migration now as more arrive every week from the north as well as coming in from the open ocean. A bear rustled in the buses behind one beach as we did some morning stretching. Despite very warm, sunny days, the skies clouded at night, so we missed the peak of the meteor showers. But the calm, sparkling waters under our kayaks made up for it during the daytime. “This group really enjoyed venings around the campfires, watching the sky change colors. They experienced some of the best our trips have to offer and appeared to appreciate every bit of it.” Wild Orca Adventure, August 11-14 We paddle in the darkness at least once on each trip but often don’t mention it as it’s hard to describe both the feeling and the magic of floating on the water at night and the vision of the luminescent waters, sparkling like a million fireworks under the kayaks. But this week’s night paddle was too good not to feature. “The most incredible night paddle!! With perfect, calm conditions, our boats glided over the waters of Johnstone Strait and drifted into the darkness. We were accompanied by the sounds of orcas blowing and their underwater vocalizations that came through our hydrophones. The fog on the strait added the element of mystery as we could hear the blows and calls become louder as they approached us, invisible in the darkness. By their calls, we identified the pods who passed us as of the A clan, then the I clan and finally the G clan, five pods of orcas in all. A magical night. “On our third day out, we woke to heavy fog and heard three pods go by, kind of a replay of the previous night’s invisible whale show! Once the fog lifted, though, we launched our kayaks and once again orcas headed our way, stopping just in front of us and very close to camp, feeding for two hours! “A seal pup visited at one point, approaching several of our kayaks appearing to want to be scratched as it did somersaults next to our cockpits. Pacific white-sided dolphins and harbour seals also made appearances during our too-short four days out. “What a fantastic four days out there with a very fun and easy-going group – all ages, different backgrounds and four different countries all joined together and found common ground to create a really enjoyable adventure for everyone.” - - - - - - Inside Passage/Orca Humpback Odyssey – August 3-8 “Another amazing week! Lots of encounters, fun and memorable experiences among family, friends and new friends. Lots of orca sightings during the first few days of the trip, even from the water taxi. Breaching, tail lobbing, and a few pods traveling together. We saw a mother black bear with two cubs and watched them feed, searching for crabs on a sunny afternoon. “This was a week of teaching and learning, of cultural exchange and artistic expression. Lots of singing. We loved watching some of our guests’ excitement, especially when orcas went by and on seeing some porpoises harass the orcas one day. Orcas on Days 1, 2 and 3. Four pods on the Day 1 and lots of other sightings throughout the weeks. Lots of birds!: great blue herons, rhinoceros auklets, sooty shearwaters are already in from the open ocean, bald eagles, northern phalaropes, endangered marbled murrelets, and the song birds are starting to migrate through as well. We also saw several mink, dolphins, seals and a sea lion. “It was a very special week, with memorable experiences, excitement, fun, relaxation and bonding among our group of travelers. Nobody wanted the trip to end.” Wild Orca Adventure – August 4-7 “The biggest highlight of this trip was our ‘Wild Seal Adventure!’ While paddling one day, a curious young seal followed us. When we stopped to float and watch him, he came right up to our kayaks, fascinated by our paddles and rudders. He touched his nose to our paddles, rubbed his head on our rudders, and glided under our kayaks, belly up, close enough to touch. “Our trip started out well, with orcas seen from the water taxi on the way in to camp. Later the first day, we were surprised by two orcas during our paddle back to camp. We encountered resting orcas in a pass and then 50-60 dolphins, moving very fast and occasionally leaping out of the water. “One evening we sat around exchanging jokes and on our last night had some excellent singing and stargazing around the camp fire. “Our last morning brought us a sea lion feeding in the kelp beds near camp. We floated nearby, hearing its breathing in the stillness. “As always, good company and wildlife made the trip.” - - - - - - Inside Passage/Wildlife Discovery – July 27-August 1 “Our Wildlife Discovery expedition lived up to its name this week. On our water taxi ride to camp we saw three humpback whales feeding. Later on our first day, we saw eagles feeding as well. Our following days brought us harbour porpoises very close to our kayaks, more eagles, black bears – one with two small and very cute cubs – a dolphin who leaped into the air and a family of river otters scampering onto an island. “Orcas passed our second camp not long after we arrived. And when we saw salmon jumping the next day, we might have expected the great orca ‘finale’ that was in store. On our last trip in the kayaks, we took no more than five strokes of the paddles when the orcas were upon us. We watched in complete awe as a female and calf passed in front of our ‘raft’ of kayaks. The calf’s vocalizations could even be heard above the water. The orcas passed by us twice more, once in a mystical fog that suddenly rolled in and again on the water taxi ride home. This day was magic! “Seeing the mother bear and cubs was very special. We watched her teach them how to forage along the seashore and they would scamper after her wherever she went; very cute! “What didn’t we see this trip? There was also a minke whale, two close encounters with sea lions, seals, and just about every other animal that lives here – even an amazing congregation of a million baby moon jellyfish in one bay. Great trip!!” Wild Orca Adventure – July 28-31 “We started off our week with a show from the A36 pod of orcas, three big males who roam the strait together, feeding in the current in front of camp for half an hour. The next day we were welcomed to the Pacific coast rainforest with a taste of liquid sunshine – sporadic showers that dimpled the water around us and left us feeling alive in the elements. “On day 3 we paddled in perfect, glassy calm water to some small islands, took a great hike to visit some orca researchers and watched a sea lion swim below the cliff. On our paddle back to camp, orcas swam toward and right past us as we sat and watched, marveling at their beauty. “Just before bed on our last night we fell asleep to the sound of a humpback whale trumpeting in the water next to our camp; he was the third humpback we had seen. “We had a beautiful, still night for our night paddle; the sky was cloudy, making it darker and all the better for seeing the bioluminescense, which was spectacular. In the dark, we heard whales blowing as they passed nearby. “A bit of everything this trip: wind rain, sun, clouds and lots of wildlife, including orcas, humpbacks, seals, eagles, porpoises, dolphins and a sea lion. A great trip with an excited, international group.” - - - - - - Inside Passage/Orca Humpback Odyssey – July 20-25 “On day two the whales came to town! We spotted them from high up on the island, returned to camp and went for a paddle. As we approached the end of the island, about 12 orcas cruised past in the direction of Robson Bight. Later that evening, more orcas passed our camp as the sun began to sink behind the trees. “A huge male, transient orca known as T14 sliced through the water ahead of us in the warm evening sun. We gathered on the rocky headland at camp to watch him pass by. “Later in the week, we circumnavigated a larger island, seeing a black bear and sea lion during the journey. A rare puffin sighting topped off our day just before we paddled around the corner to see an eagle eating a fish on the rocks. “We watched the spectacular bioluminescence while paddling in the dark, with the stars also reflected in the water. Beautiful weather, glassy water, a great group and lots of fun.” Wild Orca Adventure – July 21-14 “Another memorable and exciting adventure! Lots of wildlife – resident and transient orcas, humpback whales, black bears, seals, porpoises, bald eagles . . . A really fun and easy-going group. “On our first day, a group of transient orcas made a turn into the passage our camp is on and passed by us in our kayaks! The next day we heard on the radio of several pods of orcas heading our way, spread out across Johnstone Strait, in front of camp. As we floated in the sunshine, they passed, but a distance across the strait by the time they went by us. “We had two unexpected black bear sightings – not common near this camp – as the low tides in the morning brought them to the shoreline to feast on intertidal life. “On the last day, an early morning paddle with a few members of the group was one of the highlights of the trip as we paddled through glassy water under the sunrise. A super fun, relaxed and enjoyable trip with a fantastic group of people.” - - - - - - Inside Passage/Wildlife Discovery - July 13-18 "Reflections from the shore were mirrored perfectly on the glassy calm ocean and eagles perched above us while watching our progress intently. This was the quintessence of the British Columbia coast. "While walking through the trees, laughter floated to me from the rocks on the seashore. The sun was shining and everyone was happy among new friends. Sharing stories and hearing about guests’ adventures and life experiences under the full moon and around the fire or while enjoying the evening at our campsites were some of our favorite moments. "Like our Wild Orca trip this week, it was humpbacks we saw rather than orcas. Very surprising, as the orcas were in the area, just not right where either of our groups happened to be at any given time. But the humpbacks were wonderful and we saw dolphins, sea lions and of course lots and lots of eagles. "This was
a very enthusiastic group of adventurous folks. Their average age
must have been over 60 but they had more energy and fun spirit than
you could imagine! They were all very keen on learning new things
and enjoying themselves. A real week of appreciation of life and
nature." Wild Orca Adventure - July 14-17 "As soon as we got off the water taxi at camp, we were greeted by a humpback whale feeding just off camp. A good sign that started a great trip. The sun was out and the water was calm as we paddled away on our first afternoon. We snuck into a narrow passage near camp that leads to a beautiful lagoon surrounded by towering hemlock and cedar trees and watched eagles soaring. A great first day. "We had front row seats to another humpback show the next day from our kayaks, the best vantage point you could ask for. Tail slapping, fluke waving and splashing – we left grinning from ear to ear. "All in all, a brilliant trip. The group was so much fun; everyone appreciated everything that happened. We had beautiful, sunny skies, dancing whales and lots of laughs. Some of us even managed to go for a group swim at the beach for at least 1.5 seconds! "Sitting around our smoky fire and singing and laughing together on the last night was a real highlight; we had changed from a bunch of strangers to a group of friends." - - - - - - Inside Passage/Orca Humpback Odyssey - July 6-11 "It seemed like we couldn't go anywhere without seeing a humpback whale this week! Thr first one came up just a few metres from our kayaks. After he swam off and we paddled back to camp, another one came up really close to us. "Orcas! The A8 and A23 pods were in the strait this week and on the second day of our trip, passed our camp in the morning. After a perfect, sunny day of kayaking, the orcas again graced us with their presence by passing camp twice more in the evening. We saw them once again on our third day. What incredible, beautiful animals. "The humpbacks are getting used to the kayaks, coming up closer and more often than in the past and making for some truly incredible encounters. Of course that wasn't all we saw: mink on the beach, a sea lion popped up behind one kayak, plus harbour seals and all kinds of sea birds. "Our group of nine played wilderness bocce on a windy afternoon in camp, filling the forest with whoops and cheers. Our night paddle was absolutely magic: 'like a fairy tale - I wanted to take it home to England with me.'" Wild Orca Adventure - July 7-10 "An incredible four days! Lots and lots of wildlife sightings starting from the water taxi ride from Port McNeill to camp, when we saw orcas, humpbacks and white-sided dolphins, then more orcas and humpbacks once we arrived in camp. "We had a very close humpback encounter just around the corner from camp. Amazing - as we paddled near shore, the whale rolled through the kelp bed only 20 metres from our kayaks - an awe-inspiring view of the natural behavior of one of the largest creatures on the planet. "The A5 pod of orcas was a wonderful sight and the daily (sometimes several times) sightings of humpbacks was really special. Eagles were everywhere - 19 were together on one small island. "We had a great, diverse group of adventurous souls. They enjoyed themselves, made new friends and experienced some impressive aspects of nature, some very much up close." - - - - - - There's nothing like finally getting on the water after a long winter. Our first trips went out on June 29 and 30 and returned with these reports: Inside Passage/Wildlife Discovery - June 29-July 3 - notes from our guides: The weather continued to shine all week, with just a little morning fog. We all came back with tans. A humpback whale traveled by very close to our camp; we all stood on the rocks and smelled its breath after it blew just metres off the rocks. We saw a two adult bears and one cub on one of the beaches this week, as well as eagles, porpoises and seals and all the sea birds. This was a super fun and diverse group that bonded really well. They enjoyed exploring the intertidal life and sharing learning about life they had never seen before. "We couldn't have asked for a better start of the season; good weather, a spefial, fun grou and great wildlife sightings all week. Just what the Wildlife Discovery is all about." Wild Orca Adventure - June 30-July 2 It was a great week for humpback whale sightings from our camp and while on the water. "The theme of this trip was sunshine and humpbacks; we were lucky enough to have both every day. On the first day, one humpback stayed across the channed. But on the second day he came by our camp as we were heading in for hte day. Next day, he again came quite close, resting on the surface between deep dives that showed his tail flukes. And for a grand finale, he breached right in front of our water taxi on the way in - wow!" The eagle's nest in the tree in the middle of our camp is active and eagles were seen trying to catch fish. "Eagles were everywhere this week - soaring, perching, diving for fish and once two locked talons an spun downward toward the water before separating at the last second." The low tide allowed a great chance to see urchins, sea cucumbers, enomones, tube sorms, sponges and inidescent, purple seaweed. Some transient orcas passed through the area but unfortunately we weren't able to catch a glimpse of them. But we did see salmon jumping, a sure sign there's going to be plenty to eat once our orcas arrive in numbers for the summer. This trip had so much going on and it was such a great group that we left feeling it was a perfect start to the season. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2007
“The second evening, after a day of some windy conditions, we watched a mother and calf humpback pass within 100 yards of camp as we gathered on the shoreline. We watched in awe at their enormity and the misty spouts that lingered in the evening light. "And if whales understood dramatics, they certainly played the part on our final morning. On the glassy, calm waters they passed well ahead of us. Just hoping for a final glimpse, we followed. Suddenly they stopped and turned. For an hour we sat as the orcas foraged for salmon all around us. A great finale to a wonderful trip.” “Sea lions were seen almost every day, passing by camp and even stopping for a few breaths to take a closer look at us. Our now-familiar baby seal kept an eye on us. Dall’s porpoises were seen regularly. A group of Pacific white-sided dolphins was following the orcas on our last morning. At one point, they were all jumping clear of the water as they were racing amongst the whales. Incredible sight. “Rosemary
celebrated her 50th birthday the first night out with a great campfire,
a perfect, starry sky and a big surprise birthday cake. Lots of
fun. We had a beautiful night paddle, some of us got up very early
to do a sunrise paddle on the final morning of the season. Our entire
group – Britons, Australians, Canadians and Americans, had
the perfect attitude to make this the best ending of a season possible.”
“Our first day, having just arrived in camp, we were sitting overlooking the ocean and a group of fifty Pacific white-sided dolphins raced by our rocky perch. They threw up numerous ‘rooster tails,’ and did a few leaps clear of the water. And for the rest of the day, they continued to move back and forth in an area within sight of camp. “Humpbacks stole the show this week, being sighted five of the six days. And on two separate days, they surfaced within 20 yards of our kayaks on the flat calm water. At that distance, we all gained a true appreciation of the spectacular size and incredible grace of these gentle giants. And of course, there was almost always a group ‘Ahhhh’ . . . in unison, watching tail flukes come up on the final deep dive. “We only saw orcas one morning as the A30 pod passed us traveling in Johnstone Strait. Numerous sea lions, seals, river otters, Dall’s porpoises, harbour porpoises, bald eagles, common murres, phalaropes, cormorants and great blue herons all combined to make this a big week for the encounters we all came for. “Perfect September conditions were a true highlight this week. Mirror-like water and sunny afternoons in combination with the fact that we almost had the waters to ourselves made for excellent kayaking. The moonless night gave us a midnight blue sky and brightly sparkling luminescence as we paddled in the dark. “A fantastic group who took every advantage to paddle and was rewarded with perfect September weather and incredible wildlife encounters. It's great to be back!”
“On a week without much luck with orcas, which seldom happens, we were very fortunate with great humpback and northern sea lion encounters, not to mention the beautiful, sunny and warm weather. At the end of the season, the waters of the Inside Passage are once again at their calmest month of the year. Most of the summer boat traffic has gone and we really felt isolated from civilization. “After a very pleasant afternoon paddle on our first day, visiting the beautiful and peaceful waters of our secret tidal lagoon, the group split and paddled and hiked to Cracroft Point. We were presented with a show given by a humpback whale feeding in Blackney Passage, swimming in circles and breaching while accompanied by about 100 Pacific white-sided dolphins. “That was one of several humpback whale encounters and very close views of wild Northern sea lions who seem to have gotten very interested in our Wild Orca groups from week to week. A harbour seal pup has taken to hanging out on a rock near camp and seems very comfortable with kayakers passing by. “We were able to see all the ‘usual’ Inside Passage sea birds, as well as eagles and herons, but also joined by several migrating species and some of the birds that come to inshore waters after a summer at sea. We had a very diverse and interesting group who appreciated the humpbacks despite the mysteriously vanished orcas this week.”
“The first day we were treated to a visit by some of the locals: orcas, humpbacks and sea lions put out the welcome mat! We had a big first day’s paddle which was eagerly completed by a strong crew. The second day involved a morning’s paddle through some of our favorite little islands. “We followed that with a walk through the forest as sun filtered through the canopy of trees. Our arrival at a clifftop was timed perfectly for the crystal clear skies to emerge. We had a great interpretive talk from one of the whale researchers there.
“We bonded on our first night around the camp fire. Our newlywed couple from Japan was very friendly and curious about everything. We ended as a very close group who all had something to offer and to share.”
“We were land bound by wind on our 5th day. One of our guides and a few guests decided on a big hike to OrcaLab, a research station on the far side of the island where one of our guests had done some volunteer research work a few years ago. A challenging hike ensued, but it was a happy reunion and all were able to pass ancient cedar and spruce trees along the way. “This group wanted to see orcas! And they did, with sightings almost every day. One of our guides and a guest who had stayed up after midnight heard the blows of orcas coming. They turned up the hydrophone volume enough to wake up most of our group, who then got to listen to the R Pod passing by for a good half hour. “Our closest encounter in the kayaks was during our move from one camp to the next. Four orcas came out of nowhere and surprised us by surfacing right next to our kayaks, surprising us all. We also saw humpback whales on two occasions. A ‘friendly’ sea lion made a very close pass, snorting and splashing for us on our final paddle. And we kayaked into a symphony of birds calls as we approached a couple of ‘herring balls,’ (tightly packed schools of herring being herded by birds from above and fish from below). Common murres dove on the herring, tiny northern phalaropes joined in at the edges and even loons added to the bird life. “We had a variety of weather: sun, wind, calm water. The group really appreciated the warm, sunny days and the beautiful, mystical landscape, revealed as the morning fog burned off as each day unfolded. We had a very relaxed, easy going group who shared a great sense of humour and had a great time despite some wind during the week. Everyone enjoyed themselves, the sun, the whales and the kayaking.”
Our August 26 Inside Passage/Orca Humpback Odyssey was made up of 13 guests and led by Cory, Luke and Ryan. Luke’s report: “A highlight would have to be the ease with which we saw the orcas! They went straight past camp on the very first day; after that we saw them up close from the kayaks. It was hard to know where to look as they were surfacing all around us, breaching and spyhopping. “Two of our six days of weather weren’t ideal but everyone made the most of everything that came: walks through the forest, reading and relaxing, and enjoying a wet campfire evening. “To sum up the whales – most days we had ‘heaps of them’ (a Kiwi-ism from our New Zealand guide), plus dolphins surfing the wake of a whale watching boat, Dall’s porpoises, etc. “The night paddle was great fun, as always, with an amazing echo filtering around the bays and an array of animal noises being projected from the kayaks! This was a really fun group! The last day summed it up when one of the guides managed to connect a line to Craig & Ken’s kayak. The two doctors ended up towing everyone without realizing it and a great sense of appreciation was shown by everyone (watch a clip of the joke here).” “This group made the trip seem like a dream to even the guides – helpful, caring people, great whale encounters and plenty of light hearted humour going around!”
“The first day brought some amazing weather and within the first ten minutes of paddling we were greeted by orcas who were foraging around the point (about 100 yards from camp). So we sat in the kelp bed and were entertained for over an hour. Not a bad start! “There’s a secret lagoon we can only explore at the times of very high tides. This week we had big tides, so, after an exciting trip through the lagoon’s narrow mouth, we were able to spend some magical time inside the lagoon. “Returning to town on the water taxi, the whales came by to say goodbye and put on an awesome show. We had bald eagles every day, as always, nearly 30 blue herons fishing from the kelp beds, and Steller’s (northern) sea lions each day as well. “This was a fun group of nine guests who were inspired and awed by the whales and the incredible landscapes.”
“The main highlight of this week’s trip was a late night orca encounter. One of our English guests spotted the A30 pod coming down the passage in front of camp. After a hasty kayak launch, we were treated to an up close visit. The whole group was very vocal and stayed with us for a good five minutes. At the same time, we had a group of three sea lions competing for our attention. “We had a group of early risers this week and had a rare treat of doing a dawn paddle with a portion of our guests. We sat in a kelp bed while another group of three sea lions checked us out as successive waves of sea fog enveloped us and then cleared. “Each morning as we left camp, a plump, baby seal dubbed ‘Tugs’ was nestled in the seaweed on the rocks. He stayed as content and relaxed as ever as we drifted closely by to watch a big yawn and a blink of its big, dark eyes. “Cory demonstrated her sea lion growl when a sea lion leaved himself out of the water a few yards from her kayak, displaying his flippers amidst a huge splash. “Another great group who all got along fantastically well. Superb trip.”
“We woke to a foggy Johnstone Strait on Day 3. By 9am we could hear the whales’ blows and on the hydrophone we could hear their calls but the fog was too thick to see them. Slowly it lifted to reveal a gorgeous morning and the whales, to give us a beautiful show. “We celebrated two birthdays on our last night out, eating a delicious birthday cake before heading out in the dark for our night paddle on the luminescent waters. “We saw two humpbacks on our fourth morning as well as the A33, A12 and I pods of orcas. Two black bears and lots of sea lions and of course eagles. We also took a hike that allowed us to meet David Garrick at his home, one of the original Greenpeace members who now lives on of the islands we camp on, working on projects that aim to preserve the area’s habitat. “Blessed
by beautiful weather and lots of whales and other wildlife, we seemed
to see another amazing show around every corner. We had a fun group
and an awesome overall week.”
“On the very first day, as we finished settling in and having lunch, a pod of orcas welcomed us moving past our camp in Johnstone Strait. After they passed, we got into our kayaks on the absolutely flat calm water and paddled in the direction of another pod of whales that was approaching from the distance. We usually see whales coming and make sure to give them plenty or room, but these whales had disappeared for a long time underwater and we thought we had missed our chance to see them. They then stunned us by rising to the surface just ahead of us and swimming under our kayaks. Closely behind them was a group of Pacific White-sided dolphins and then more orcas. All we could do was guess which way to look, as the orcas breached and swam around us. What a beginning! “We paddled three times at night on this trip. Our favorite was the one on the night following the peak of the Perseid meteor shower. It was hard to decide whether to look down at the explosion of bioluminescence in the water or up at the still numerous meteors in the sky. They shot in every direction, scratching the night sky with light and keeping us cheering. “We had a number of other close encounters with orcas, dolphins, and humpback whales. Bald eagles are still plentiful enough to get used to seeing them as a normal part of the landscape. And we had a diverse group of people who to entertained themselves, shared experiences and fully enjoyed the week.”
“On another occasion, a visit from three large, male sea lions just before our arrival back in camp opened eyes and put big grins on faces. We saw numerous pods of orcas this trip. We had a honeymoon couple, one on their 10th wedding anniversary trip, and even one who claimed to be a “whale whisperer,” and no doubt she was as it worked almost too well!” “This
was a strong, fun, laugh-a-minute crew, mixed in with excellent
wildlife encounters that made for a brilliant week.”
Three humpback whales entertained us during the morning, including some very close encounters. In the afternoon, the group split up as our five friends from Oklahoma wanted to do a little fishing and hiking while the rest of our group went for a leisurely paddle in Blackfish Sound and Knight Inlet.
On Day 5, we awoke to about 20 orcas swimming right past the beach at camp. Not long after, they returned for another pass. We followed that with a wonderful island hike through the island. The evening was spent with a great dinner and guitar and harmonica around the campfire. Finally on Day 6, orcas right by our camp again and humpbacks passing by offshore. We all became close on this trip and had a ton of fun. A real appreciation for nature was shown by all. This was a unique trip that allowed a bunch of interesting people to come together and share a common adventure. And the wildlife seemed to reward these great folks with close encounters and special moments.
We knew we were off to a good start when a humpback appeared just off camp on our first day out. A sea lion came close to our kayaks and when Cory imitated a sea lion growl, it swam under her kayak. Orcas appeared numerous times for us to encounter and watch. One mystical, foggy morning we made our way along the shoreline to a beach with a trailhead. We began our hike that ended at the top of a cliff and a spectacular view of Johnstone Strait, overlooking most of the best orca habitat in this area. The bioluminescence
that sparkled during our night paddle got a very enthusiastic response
from our group. Always a surprising highlight for those who have
never seen it, the shimmering plankton that are so bright under
a dark sky were for many the highlight of the trip. But as we have
found for 25 seasons, it’s the orcas, especially when seen
in such numbers as this week, that leave an indelible imprint on
our guests and guides.
“On day three the orcas were in the strait again and a female with a calf and a male unexpectedly came up the strait right off camp, very near the shore. A pleasant surprise as we watched them make their way slowly up the coastline for a good half hour.
“On day two, almost all our guests went swimming – we’ve been having wonderful, hot weather here this summer and it’s always great to jump in the cold water to cool off. “On our last day we finally got a glimpse of a humpback whale – far away across the sound, his blows clear against the green islands. “The sea glittered during our night paddle, but the most spectacular part was the flashes of lightning far away against the sky. “We really enjoyed this group – it was a great mix of mostly solo travelers from all over, making a fantastic blend of people. They were always joking and laughing and we all had a great time together.”
“This group came to find a refuge from everyday life and to relax. They loved to kayak and to learn about nature. What they didn’t necessarily expect was to find such peace, friendship and understanding, and the joy of appreciating the moment. “ “This
was a trip that overcame expectations. Incredible weather, amazing
wildlife and, above all, a very special group of people that have
marked my life forever. Within this group each of us could find
friendship and understanding and share life experiences.”
Both our trips went out this week with high expectations and from our guides’ reports, it looks like everyone’s hopes were well satisfied.
On a clear evening after dinner, Darren took a couple of guest out in the kayaks. They were surprised by a hundred Pacific white-sided dolphins who took a liking to the kayaks and swam all around and under them, leaping into the air and racing alongside. Another day, a seal rolled on the surface near our kayaks, looking very cute with its big, brown eyes. It eventually swam under our kayaks, gliding gracefully through the kelp. We were surprised by a humpback whale just outside Port McNeill on our way back to town. He surfaced just a couple of yards from our water taxi amid excited shouts from our group. On our last day out, the A24 pod of orcas passed by camp, hitching a ride on the current that carried them into Johnstone Strait. Every morning we awoke to the sound of the baby eagle in the nest above our camp chirping for food – a very sweet sound. This was a very fun trip with a great group.
Every day an incredible variety of animals were sighted. Humpback whales, black bears (young and adult on different beaches), deer (mother and fawn and another buck in our camp site), river otters, Steller’s sea lions, harbour seals, great blue herons, pileated woodpeckers (rarely seen), belted kingfishers, Dall’s porpoises, dozens of bald eagles and, with a very low tide on our last day, great intertidal life during a very relaxing, shoreline paddle. The glassy calm waters this week gave us some very lazy, laid back paddles. We even had tea and hot chocolate and snacks while afloat one day on our ‘floating café.’ We started a night paddle on a gorgeous, starry night with a beautiful moon that set behind the mountains, darkening the night and allowing the bioluminescense to glow at its brightest. We had a small group of two couples from Britain who all enjoyed each others’ company and quickly got into the pace of living outdoors. They were very keen on learning all they could and we were happy to spend lots of time exploring habitat and wildlife all new to them. We paddled a lot and relaxed a lot this week – just right. Somehow the
orcas that were around just weren’t where we were at the right
times, but we had good luck with a humpback whale mother and calf,
the little one breaching about 200 yards from our kayaks. This was
a great week of both Wildlife Discovery and personal discovery.
Can’t wait until next week.
“What a start to a ‘Wild Orca!!’ Arrived at camp with reports of orcas just around the corner, so after a hastened departure from camp, we paddled out and encountered them immediately, a big male and female feeding on salmon. A good hour was spent watching before heading back to camp for lunch, passing Dall’s porpoises and eagles along the way. “Day two started with a fantastic journey through the intertidal zone, looking at and even touching some of the many wonderful creatures below. We paddled to a beautiful, pebble beach and hiked through the lush, mystical forest, arriving at a cliff top with spectacular views. A perfect site for lunch. “Once back at camp, we were treated to a humpback putting on a show shortly after dinner. We followed that up with an amazing night paddle, with the highlight for many being the 3-foot long salmon swimming by under us, lit up by the glowing, luminous plankton. “We lazed in the sun on day three on a white shell beach and later paddled through our favorite lagoon, a very unique and mysterious habitat that always inspires a sense of reverence in all of us. A close encounter with a sea lion topped off a great day’s paddling. A little drizzle in the evening brought everyone together in the kitchen and led to a lot of fun around meal time. “We had
a great group of people, enjoyed wonderful marine life, the blows
of a humpback whale echoing off the cliffs across from camp, dolphins,
harbour and Dall’s porpoises, tons of sea birds and eagles,
big Chinook salmon visible below, and a bit of fog to add a sense
of mystery to it all. A very peaceful, contemplative four days with
people who were happy with such a special time in the wilderness,
relaxing and soaking it all up.” July 15, 2007 Two Inside Passage, trips ran this week, a six-day Wildlife Discovery adventure and another six days of for a custom, family adventure. From our guides’ reports, it’s easy to see that all is well on the waters of Johnstone Strait and Blackfish Sound this July season.
We had a very enthusiastic group of kayakers this week, so we covered more distance than usual. Our first day was one of distance; we paddled to an abandoned Native village under a beautiful, sunny sky, which was to become the norm for the entire week. We saw the old totem poles and lazed on the beach eating ripe thimbleberries and blackberries. Our third day was one of navigating around an island, staying close to shore at first because of fog. The fog created a surreal, albeit hidden world of porpoises, breaching humpback whales, huge clusters of eagles and happy faces. It was hot enough for some of us to go swimming in the frigid water in the afternoon. The night paddle was a highlight for many, including the guides. We had a close encounter with porpoises in the dark, all manner of strange chants, brilliantly echoed, intense bioluminescense and a pack of strangely human sounding wolves howling at the stars. Jay’s birthday was his “best one ever,” our Kiwi guide Luke gave Jay a “Haka,” (new Zealand’s Maori warrior dance), as a present via firelight. We saw the baby humpback breaching in the distance; otherwise, the orcas have been incredibly slow to show up in regular numbers this season and we missed them this week. We did see 35 or more dolphins feeding in front of camp. The people made this trip the best one imaginable for Cory and Luke and everyone had tears as all hugged and said goodbye at trip’s end.
The flat calm waters we saw all week joined with the sometimes hot sun and the clear, starry nights to give us ideal conditions for kayaking and living in the wilderness. Lots of music from the guitars and voices around the campfire lent a lot of enjoyment to our evenings. On the next to last day, one of our guests decided to ride in the center cockpit of the one three-person kayak and play guitar and sing. Exploring the islands under the eyes curious seals and bald eagles accompanied by music made this the most relaxing end enjoyable paddle ever. A humpback whale was seen on our journey to our first camp and, while it wasn’t a strong week for wildlife sightings, the orcas encountered on the final day, allowing us to take a very close look as they surfaced near us, seemingly in slow motion. A number of sea lions, Dall’s porpoises and of course bald eagles gave us some unique sightings. This was a great family
to share the week with, full of music, interested in paddling, exploring
a new environment to them and having fun singing and playing together.
This was a week of exploration and fun! The family really enjoyed
their time together, both on the water and back in camp.
Orcas have been unusually slow to show up in large numbers this year, apparently due to an abundance of salmon just outside our area. No doubt they’ll be moving in this week, as they are usually quite regular residents by the end of June. But the group saw one whale briefly on its first day out and on the last day were treated to a great show from a mother and calf humpback whale, with the baby repeatedly launching itself out of the water. Pacific White-sided dolphins passed by camp on one occasion while feeding in Johnstone Strait, spraying water, leaping well clear of the water and kicking salmon into the air. A river otter was seen scampering out of the water toward its burrow ashore and a Steller’s sea lion passed by camp at dusk one evening. Harbour porpoise and seals were sighted. Four black bears sighted on beaches at various times, watching one foraging on a beach was one of the group’s highlights. Apparently tired from its meal, it was seen walking into a clump of brush only to lie down and take a nap. One of Cory’s comments: “Great trip with a diverse and fun group of people.”
With ten minutes of that encounter, we were again surprised when two orcas appeared close by. As we were reveling in those special experiences, a pod of nine more orcas appeared and before we had a chance to respond they were surfacing quite close to our kayaks. We later identified these as resident orcas from the “southern community.” The whales of the southern and northern communities rarely overlap their large territorial boundaries. But occasionally the southern residents make a quick trip through our area, apparently to sweep up some salmon while they are waiting for them to arrive further south. Our Wild Orca camp is located in an area where tidal currents rush one way or another, especially on larger tides like we had mid-week. Kayakers can use the currents to get some very nice, “free rides” and we were all impressed by the movement of the water and by learning a little about how to time our journeys around the forces of nature. Drifting through a tidal lagoon on flat, calm waters and collecting driftwood to fuel our warm campfire were some of the things that made this both an exciting and a relaxing adventure. We enjoyed how the seals followed our kayaks at times. The bald eagle nest in a tree within our campsite is always an exciting presence. Sighting a humpback whale during our water taxi ride at trip’s end was a nice bonus and a great way to end an exceptional journey. Ryan’s
summary: “A relaxed sea kayak exploration with a great team
who all achieved something special on all different levels.”
Our guides led our first Wildlife Discovery group through a highly enjoyable week of adventure. We’re seeing more and more visitors from across the water and this group included two from Britain and one from Australia. While orcas were seen by whale watching boats in the area, we were unlucky enough to miss them this week. But we did have two special encounters with a humpback whale and her calf on the first and last days of the trip. A black bear also let us have a peek at its life by overturning rocks on a beach in search of small crabs and fish. This group was
always happy to be wherever they found themselves, whether paddling
glassy waters in the sun, taking an afternoon hike while avoiding
a windy afternoon’s choppy waters, consuming the fare our
camp kitchens turned out, reading and relaxing. ‘Relaxation
101’ was the designated course for the week and all passed
with honours. The group bonded extremely well and simply knew how
to have a good time. It was a great group to start off our 25th
season with. Thanks to all for traveling so far to spend a few memorable
days with us.
Our guides are just wrapping up our 2007 pre-season training. We spend two weeks intensively working on preparing our new and veteran guide team for all our coming trips. From Northern Lights Expedition Director David Arcese, who still trains all our guides for now the 25th year: “It’s different every year as both Northern Lights and the sea kayak guiding community evolves. We have great new gear and some new cuisine for everyone to become familiar with. New personalities as always dominate the feel of each group of guides. We’ve got a truly international crew this year.” “In addition to Samanta returning as our Brazilian head guide, we welcome Ryan and Luke from New Zealand (a source of a few of our favorite all-time guides over the years), and Matt from Australia. Of course we have Canadians back with us: Cory, Darren, Mat and Emily. And 6th year guide Luke Gutowski is promising to return in September for a trip or two.” Our week on the water was really inspiring. It’s always fun to see how the new group shapes up and blends into our veteran staff. We had some June winds, just enough to help us with our route planning, just one day of with a light shower and nice, calm days the rest of the week. We all got sun burns on our last day out as things heated up. We had a very nice visit from 15-20 Dall’s porpoises scattered across the water near one of our camps. An estimated 150 Pacific white-sided dolphins were seen by our whale watching friends, just around the island from our camp. We missed seeing them ourselves but they’ll be back. We heard one loud blow we believe was a humpback whale but we were just rounding a bend going the opposite direction. Eagles were everywhere as they always are in June. We saw four bears on beaches and paddled up close enough to one to exchange some friendly eye contact. It went about its business of turning over rocks and licking up little crabs without minding our presence. We also revisited an abandoned Native village that’s been on our route for many years and remembered the feeling of awe we have at the culture that thrived there for thousands of years. Being back on the water and drifting through the
islands is a big event to those of us who feel like it’s been
too long between kayaking seasons. And who feel it’s been
too long since we’ve had a chance to watch the sky turn pink
at the end of the day over the ocean, hear the blows of the porpoises
and whales and watch the eagles locking talons while deciding whose
territory is whose. We’re starting our first trips on Sunday
and we’re anxious to greet our first group of travelers.
April 23, 2007
Well, we're back. Six days in wonderful Baja, and while words and pictures don't come close to the real experience, we'll do our best. We boarded our mothership in the city of La Paz and were immediately aware of the incredible Mexican hospitality provided by all members of the ship. From the jovial ‘capitan,’ to the always smiling kitchen crew (who in turn gave us great cuisine to smile about!) they always made us feel at home. We also met our Canadian naturalists, who were never short of a fascinating fact or entertaining story from 20 plus years of experience in the area. Our group was a wonderful mix of eight seasoned travelers, who had a very contagious sense of adventure and took to heart that laughter was the best medicine, as it was often ringing through the boat! The first day we motored out to the beautiful Espiritu Santo Island, our first taste of the ruggedly beautiful Baja coastline. It's composed of incredible red sandstone cliffs and wind- and water-carved formations, and occasionally opens up to some of the most beautiful turquoise bays imaginable. It was in one of these bays that we decided would be perfect for our first introductory paddle and snorkel, as well as a beach BBQ as we acclimatized to the summer-like sun and warmth! The snorkeling was fabulous as we saw many wonderfully shaped corals, iridescent fish, and exotic crabs, starfish, and sea cucumbers of shapes and colors quite different from the Pacific Northwest. The second day began with blue skies and mirror-like waters, so we couldn't resist jumping in our kayaks from the start. We paddled to some islets just off the main island, and the anticipated wildlife didn't disappoint. Dozens of California sea lions seemed to be everywhere, from being placed in the most unusual positions rather high up in nooks on the rocks, to swimming and splashing around us in a very curious and playful way. There were also many sea birds; herons, frigates, gulls, pelicans, cormorants, and even a couple blue footed boobies who had a very unusual march-stepping motion as part of their courtship. We then traded in our kayaks for snorkels, and to get a below-the-surface view of these playful sea lions. Not only did a few curious animals come quite close to check us out, but what a memorable experience to see how graceful these enormous animals can truly be. Reboarding our ship, we then traveled north over the glassy Sea of Cortez. The day’s once-in-a-lifetime events were not finished yet, as we encountered the biggest animal on Earth, the blue whale! The third day started with a paddle to a tiny fishing settlement, where five families have lived for the past 80 years. It was fascinating to watch them bring in a great catch of tuna, rays, sharks, and crabs, among other types of fish. They even gave us some fresh fish which was later turned into a very tasty ceviche dish! The afternoon was again how any day should be on a sunny, warm, Mexican afternoon, filled with snorkeling, swimming, and beach combing. The evening featured star gazing with one of the naturalists, who also teaches astronomy. Needless to say, staring up at the greatest planetarium (the real night sky) with a great teacher was a real highlight. The fourth day, in true showmanship, proved to keep getting better! Another calm sunny morning, we started paddling down the isolated shoreline of San Jose Island, and could barely believe the numerous stone arches and caves that we were able to explore both in kayaks and on foot. We also found a beach at the base of some enormous limestone cliffs that was littered with fossils, a reminder that we were standing on what was once a sea floor. The afternoon began with the appearance of a great number of manta rays, who appear to be 'flapping' their wings just below the surface, and occasionally jump clear of the water while continuing to flap! Then as if on cue, a humpback whale blow was sighted. It's lazy feeding pattern allowed us to get a very close look, and both our cameras and memories were quickly filled with images of impressive blows and the graceful 'fluking' of the giant animal. And as if that wasn't enough, on route to our anchorage, a number of bottlenose dolphins joined us and played in our bow wake, again to the excitement of all aboard! And for our last day, it seemed like a perfect ending. Another perfect day, a glassy calm paddle, a hike exploring the unusual desert vegetation, and a snorkel to get one last glimpse at the impressive underwater diversity. We sadly left the boat, but checked into a beautiful waterfront hotel, where we gathered for dinner before making many fond farewells . But the great thing is, we know the Baja will be waiting for us all again next year! Lela (the
Panterra naturalist onboard) provided us with a daily photo journal
of the trip as well. click
here to view it.
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It’s
always with a bit of sadness that we reach the end of our kayaking
adventures for the season. But we have polished off another season
on the waters of British Columbia’s Inside Passage. Our September
17-20 Wild Orca Adventure is back in port and our final
travelers are beginning their journeys home. Luke, Sam and Cory
led our group and filed this report. )
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Samanta,
Matt and Darren were our August 19th Wildlife Discovery
expedition leaders this week. A big bunch of whale enthusiasts,
after seeing black bears right away to start their week, they turned
this trip into a non-stop search for whale encounters. )
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