SKA Blog

Kayaking with orcas lead Sea Kayak Adventures to Johnstone Strait, the northern section of Vancouver Island’s Inside Passage. Johnstone Strait in July-Sept is the best place in the world to kayak with orcas and see killer whales up close, due to the concentration of orcas in this narrow, sheltered waterway.  This unique subspecies of orca, called "northern residents," is found nowhere else on earth and eats only fish.  They congregate each summer in Johnstone Strait to feast on the prolific salmon runs concentrated by the geography of the strait.

This part of British Columbia, Canada also hosts a wealth of other life, from dolphins and porpoises to seals and otters. Below the waves, a myriad of fish, crustaceans, and invertebrates support this diverse ecosystem. None are more vital than the Pacific salmon, which plays a key role in sustenance for the entire ecosystem.  Bald eagles, orcas, bears and generations of First Nations people rely on the salmon which is why we must take care to protect them.

Kayak vacations increase in popularity as adventure travel becomes more accessible and affordable, even for families. Here are some great reasons to consider spending your next vacation on a kayak tour:

Closer to nature: Our kayak tours operate in National Marine Parks and UNESCO World Heritage Sites – basically, some of the most beautiful and pristine wilderness areas on the planet.  The very best way to experience these natural wonders is without the interference of the industrial world (which is after all why you’re choosing to visit).  Kayaks are quiet, unobtrusive to wildlife, and will allow you to access beaches and inlets where even boats can’t reach.  Even better, the carrying capacity of a kayak allows us to bring some of our creature comforts – like gourmet meals with fresh produce – on our wilderness adventure. Rather than roughing it with beef jerky and freeze dried foods, as might be necessary for a backpacking or hiking trip, kayak vacations allow for a “camping plus” experience.

Guides: Have an adventure vacation – and all the thrills – with someone who can help you make the most out of the experience. Our guides know the weather, wind, and water conditions to plan for optimum paddling, camping, and hiking. They know where to find the best wildlife viewing sites, which beaches to camp at, and how far to pull the kayaks up at night.  They are wonderful teachers, naturalists, entertainers and cooks to boot!  Adventure doesn’t have to mean miserable or foolhardy!

Exercise: Many people spend a great deal of their lives bound to a chair and desk.  Though sometimes we may feel so exhausted from work that we just want to lie on the beach (and there is plenty of time and opportunity to do so on our Baja tours!), exercise can regenerate our bodies even more thoroughly than a period of idleness. A kayak vacation does just that! Moreover, for those who feel stuck in a monotonous gym routine, a week of kayaking, hiking, and snorkeling in fresh air will make use of those hard-earned muscles (or give you the impetus to get to the gym beforehand!).

Price: Our trips start at $895 for a 5-day itinerary, including hotel. Even with the addition of airfare above the trip cost, many folks would be hard-pressed to find a week’s worth of travel, lodging, meals and guided activities for this price.  Hotel and food alone would nearly equal the cost, and even with a meager budget for activities, most vacations far surpass our prices.  So why not leave the planning, packing, and supplies up to SKA? Just bring your clothes. It’s that easy.

Eco-friendly: We are often at our most wasteful during vacation, where we don’t have the ease and familiarity be eco-conscious. The steps we take at home, like recycling, re-using grocery bags, and watching our energy consumption, are nearly impossible from a hotel room. This year, keep your vacation in line with your eco-responsibility and travel eco-friendly.  Kayak vacation tours make the perfect vehicle for environmentally-conscious tourism due to their lack of emissions and low-impact. Additionally, SKA offsets 100% of the energy used on our tours and is a certified carbon-neutral company.

Orcas and the San Juan Islands became synonymous for many North Americans due to the widely publicized killer whales that live in these waters. ­ However, many people don’t realize that a much larger population of salmon-eating orcas congregate just a couple hundred miles north of the San Juan Islands, in Vancouver Island’s northern Inside Passage in British Columbia, Canada. These “Northern Resident Orcas” number over 200 strong – more than twice the size of the population found in the San Juan Islands – and with a territory much more feasible to kayaking with orcas. From mid-July through mid-September, most pods congregate within a 40 mile channel following salmon runs in the world’s best-kept-secret orca-viewing site: Johnstone Strait.  The strait is only 3 miles wide at its largest point, making it a perfect venue to camp and kayak with killer whales.  (This is far easier than trying to find orcas among a group of scattered islands).

Kayaking with whales is a “Bucket List” item for many outdoors enthusiasts. Floating on tranquil tide at eye level with a spy-hopping whale is an unforgettable experience. There is something special about meeting this intelligent, wild creature in its home habitat. Kayaks allow for a more intimate setting than commercial whale watching cruises, as you can observe the whales’ behavior without the sound of a motor or flocks of other guests jostling to a boat railing for a look. Additionally, the eco-minded will enjoy the low impact of carbon-neutral kayaks on the ocean habitat of these gentle giants. Best of all, Sea Kayak Adventures offers a number of tours to kayak with whales in a variety of the world’s most beautiful wilderness areas. Where would you like to go?

Kayaking with orcas and meeting the majestic killer whale in its own environment inspires dreams among many admirers, and often a bit of awe for others.  Orcas hold both the reputation of a ferocious predator as well as a glamorized, friendly “Seaworld” performer and everything in between. As many companies advertise orca kayaking tours with stunning photographs of close encounters, many people acquire the impression that they will spend hours each day kayaking with killer whales. Such expectations do not take into account the laws which protect the orcas, the behavior of these animals, and the geographic location of the kayak tour.

Since 1996, Sea Kayak Adventures has operated tours off of northern Vancouver Island in Johnstone Strait, the best orca location on Earth to observe a unique congregation of specifically fish-eating killer whales found only here. Every summer we guide hundreds of guests to kayak orca waters and return to Telegraph Cove with glowing faces, happy customers, and stories of whale magic. Here are some helpful tips and clarifications to assist in a better understanding of your experience:

Strait from the Strait: Final BC Trip Report

On our last trip, August 28-Sept 2, started out with some thick fog in the Johnstone Strait but it thinned out enough to find the A30′s (10) orcas foraging for salmon. We saw a bear swimming from one island to another.  And, we saw an adult humpback whale breach some 10 - 12 times in Blackfish sound.  What a show!  Learn more about why whales breach by clicking here.

The orcas were in the area again later in the week as well as Steller sea lions, harbour seals and lots of sea birds.  We ended our season with calm seas and sunny skies.

Straight from the Strait: Guides Report from the Field

Orca Base Camp August 22-25

It was a terrific four days on the water with lots of Orca and several Humpback whale sightings during the trip. Each day we watched the resident fish-eating orcas as they slowly traveled down Johnstone Strait.  The highlight was watching a juvenile orca come into our bay at Little Kaikash and pass within a few meters of where we were standing. The little guy provided some excellent photo opportunities and everyone at camp got lots of great pictures.  The trip also offered some incredible Humpback whale viewing.  Guests witnessed two of these huge whales cruising close to shore next to the rocks near our base camp.  

The glass calm water made for perfect paddling and watching for whales, porpoises, Stellar sea lions, seabirds and quite a few bald eagles.  Add a freshly caught Chinook salmon (courtesy of a local fisherman) barbequed over a campfire and we had a 10 Star week.

This week was amazing from start to finish, with orca encounters to take your breath away! Guests on our Johnstone Strait Base Camp tour Aug 15-18 on northern Vancouver Island were thrilled to view over 60 killer whales!  We observed pods: A30′s, I15′s, A23′s, A35′s & Springer, A36′s, A12, A34′s and the A24 matrilines of fish-eating "northern resident" killer whales feasting on the peak salmon runs. Quite often it seemed like everywhere you turned there were killer whales!

Straight from the Strait: Guides Report from the Field

From Leah, on the August 7-12 Johnstone Strait Trip:

"Last week was amazing in Johnstone Strait, orcas close every day in the Strait, plus humpback whales & minke whales in Blackfish Sound. Also, Pacific white-sided dolphins and Dall's porpoise. Views were very close and guests were really 'stoked' to witness such wonderful creatures in the wild! Weather great not a drop of rain all week. Listed over 40 bird species."

From Terry, on the August 8-13 Wilderness Islands Trip:

"Lots of orcas, humpback whales and harbor porpoises on our Wilderness Islands tour. On the first day water taxi shuttle to the Broughton islands we saw a pod of orcas, all males with their large 2 meter fins too impress everyone on board.  The next day we were able to see a humpback from our kayaks. Watching a humpback whale fluking is one of those magical moments that stay with you forever.  The trip had calm seas with cloudy mornings and sunny afternoons. We had a spectacular sunset from Owl Island.  We weaved our way south through the myriad of small islands and channels.  Each granitic island is covered with emerald green forest of windswept trees, moss and salal. On our fifth day we headed towards Johnstone Strait where we encountered a group of resident killer whales who were slowly traveling down the strait past our camp.  During the trip we saw Dall’s porpoise, harbour seals, Steller sea lions, 100′s of rhinoceros auklets, common murres,  and dozens of bald eagles filled the week to the brim with sightings! What a fabulous trip we had in this beautiful and remote place!"

Photo: Rhinocerous Auklet by Dow Lambert/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Sarah's Report from the Field

As we mentioned in our last blog entry, the July 31st - August 5th trip to Johnstone Strait was a fantastic success.  Trip leader and long time SKA guide Sarah Hauser reported the following:

"Last week's trip to Johnstone Strait was packed full of wildlife and calm seas. Our first night out we had a visit from the Straitwatch girls and they chatted with us around the campfire with fresh baked dessert about what they do in the Johnstone strait educating people on the marine wildlife viewing guidelines. Another highlight would be the northern resident orcas that came right along the shore of our campsite and two of them came into the shallow waters of the beach just meters from us for a little rub on the pebbles.  Amazing!"

Orcas prevail this summer! Rarely have we witnessed a season so full of wonderful wildlife sightings.  The humpbacks seem to be ranging farther into the Johnstone Strait this summer, making them more visible to our sea kayak travelers as they navigate the many untouched island channels in these calm waters.

This weekend marked the end of two more successful trips in the Johnstone Strait.  A charter group of high school students followed orcas between Robson Bight and KaiKash on only their second day of paddling. A close sea lion encounter also enthralled the group, whose younger members initiated a drenching water fight with their parents and chaperones after a day exploring the Broughton Archipelago Marine Provincial Park.

The other kayak group hosted no water fights, but was thrilled nonetheless with a variety of wildlife experiences.  Seals, sea lions, and black bear were spotted as well as Humpback, Dall’s porpoises, harbour porpoises, birds, and of course, orcas.  The Orcas were present a number of times and enjoyed a good belly rub near the shore.  One pod chose to make a dramatic appearance by swimming right past the group at the end of an orca presentation by the Strait watch warden - talk about perfect timing! All were delighted by this display and the marvelous opportunity to view these animals up close in the wild. 

Both trips enjoyed beautiful paddling weather with little rain in this secluded, idyllic location, offering a cool respite from the blazing temperatures elsewhere in the continent.

Sound like fun? Don’t miss your opportunity to secure one of the last 4 spots on our August 14th or August 28th departures. This summer is truly a year of abundant orcas and magnificent marine mammals.  NOW is the time to book and take home memories to last a lifetime.  Visit our website at www.seakayakadventures.com for more information on all of our BC tours.

On our first Johnstone Strait orca kayak tour of the season last week, we were thrilled to see orcas, humpback whales, Dall's porpoise, Pacific white-sided dolphins and harbor seals, and a wonderful time was had by all. We still have room this July and August on our 4 and 6-day paddling tours in Johnstone Strait, northern Vancouver Island, home to the world's only orca preserve Robson Bight Ecological Preserve - the best place we've found to be close to orcas in pristine wilderness.

Book selected July 2011 Johnstone Strait tours by May 31, 2011 and receive $100 off the listed price. View all available tour dates here!