Photos courtesy of Matthew Maran
www.matthewmaran.com.
JAMIE'S WHALING STATION CELEBRATES
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"Your deepest roots are in nature,” says author Charles Cook. And on the west coast of Vancouver Island, Jamie’s Whaling Station has been
connecting visitors to nature since 1982. The coast’s original whale watching company, which celebrates its 30th Anniversary this year, is the place to visit for your next adventure. There is nothing mundane or average about the rugged West Coast. The abundance of wildlife and intact rainforests excite travellers of all ages, especially in the pristine coastal environments of Tofino and Ucluelet. In addition to whale watching, Jamie’s has a variety of excursions
on its roster, including bear watching, day trips to Hot Springs Cove, kayaking, sunset cruises, private charters, and trips to view the lush old growth rainforest of Meares Island, to name a few. The waters of Clayoquot Sound in Tofino and Barkley Sound in Ucluelet host gray whales, humpback whales, and transient orcas. Twenty thousand gray whales pass through this area during their long migration period, and about 200 known as ‘residents’ remain from March through October, offering an extended period for guaranteed sightings. Humpback whales display a variety of surface behaviors making them photogenic subjects. A spectacular breach, lunge feed, or tail slap can happen at any moment, which is why whale watching is so addictive! Orcas in BC are some of the most studied and sought-after cetaceans worldwide.
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islandtimesmagazine.ca Courtesy of Corene Inouye
OF WHALE WATCHING
The most commonly seen orcas in this region are ‘transients’, which are mammal-hunting and rely on stealth to catch large prey such as seals and sea lions. Seasonally, there are thousands of Steller and California sea lions that congregate around the islands. The local waters are also home to sea otters, river otters, harbour seals, porpoise, and a myriad of other marine life. The area is also known for its bird watching, boasting one of the healthiest populations of bald eagles in North America, averaging an active nest every square kilometre. Every year from late April through May, flocks of sandpipers, plovers, Whimbrels, and many other shorebirds pass through the Tofino area. The protected forests, expansive mudflats, beaches, and rocky shorelines create the perfect combination of habitats that draw 40 species of shorebirds to the area. Bear watching tours travel up calm inlet waters to see black bears foraging along the shorelines in search of tiny rock crabs and other delicacies, from April through October. The Vancouver Island black bear population is thought to be around 10,000. “We are so extremely fortunate to live, work & play in such an amazing place, with breathtaking scenery, nature and wildlife - we really do have it all,” says Corene Inouye, general manager of Jamie’s Whaling Station. Tofino’s rich beauty is not only visible by land and sea, but also by air,
and Jamie’s works with Tofino Air to offer combination tours that include scenic flights and wildlife viewing. An ‘Air Waves & Whales’ package and a Hot Springs ‘Sea to Sky’ package are extremely popular. Hot Springs
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