Sea Kayaking with Whales = Best Whale Watching for Nature Lovers
Kayaking with whales 
sounds like an adrenalin-high adventure, akin to cliff diving or whitewater rapids sought by robust 20 year old thrill-seekers. Consequently, many of our guests are surprised to find our tours are suitable for novices of any age or even those with no kayak experience at all. Sea kayaking is a versatile sport that allows for wonderful wilderness adventures at any level. Experienced paddlers may choose open-ocean or rapids, but Sea Kayak Adventures specializes in bringing nature-lovers closer to wildlife, seeking calm waters. Co-owners Terry and Nancy dedicated their lives to finding the best places to whale watch that also host calm, sheltered paddling conditions. Many of our guests have little or no kayak experience, but seek the opportunity to see whales up close.
Sea kayaks allow for complete immersion in nature. There is no glass between you and the outdoors, and no motors to scare away animals. The gentle paddling of a kayak is largely non-invasive to wildlife. Flocks of birds that would take wing at a human on foot or a motorboat do not flee the sight of a kayak, allowing closer encounters. Pinnipeds like sea lions and seals find the kayaks a curiosity, and will even approach for a closer look. And while we proudly adhere to all Be Whale Wise regulations, a raft of kayaks tucked respectfully into the kelp bed may have extraordinary views of a passing pod of orcas as they make their way along the coastline. In Baja, dolphins often pass near or through our kayaks, and great blue and fin whale spouts may alert their presence. In Patagonia, we float in our kayaks near gently breathing mom and baby southern right whales on a warm hiatus away from the cold of Antarctica. Whale watching has never been so intimate!
Shallow-bottomed kayaks, which can float in just a foot of water, allow exploration of inlets and channels that host tidal life wonders and beaches inaccessible from boat. Akin to backpacking on the ocean, kayaks allow for expedition style tours – without leaving behind all of the creature comforts. The hatches of the kayaks allow for carrying a full set of camping equipment, cooking tools, and fresh food. Because of this space, your wilderness adventure won’t be sustained by jerky or trail mix. Instead, enjoy freshly prepared meals like lasagna or a salmon-bake, along with fresh salads daily! We even bake cakes in dutch ovens on our tours! And because these are guided tours, you can enjoy your wildlife vacation while letting our fantastic guides show off their culinary skills and do all of the cooking.
Join us to kayak with whales and experience in person – and at eye level – these ocean wonders in their natural environment.
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.
Kayaking with orcas and humpback whales often takes center stage on our sea kayak tours off of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. However, this picturesque wilderness also hosts a wide variety of other interesting marine mammals to delight kayak guests. Here are some of our favorite marine animals in British Columbia:
Harbour Porpoises: This shy, gray porpoise is one of the smallest marine mammals. They travel in small groups, foraging for crustaceans, squid and fish, but rarely take part in aerial displays or acrobatics. They are sometimes called “puffers” because the sound of their breathing resembles that of a snorting pig.
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).
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 
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.
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. 
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. 
What an fantastic week for wildlife sightings on our July 17-22 Johnstone Strait Orca Waters Expedition. We saw a humpback whale from our kayaks (we could hear its deep breaths), porpoises, bald eagles, seals, sea lions, and even a minke whale. We found several wolf tracks while hiking in the forest and we listened to their howls one night. But the thrill-of-a-lifetime moment came when a pod of resident killer whales arrived in front of our campsite to rub on the beach gravels just a few meters from where we were standing! We quickly placed an underwater microphone (hydrophone) in the water and heard some amazing vocalizations from these fish-eating orcas. And, to top it all off, we had flat calm seas which made the paddling quite enjoyable, we really are in paradise! 
n 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. 
BC Canada - The northern resident salmon-eating orcas are back in Johnstone Strait, as per 2 whale watching day cruise boats in Johnstone Strait: 
Why this trip:
