Monday
Today's activity was booked months ago and started early with a pickup outside our hotel at 07:45.
Whale Watching Excursion
Our small bus pickup was on time and over the next few stops we were joined by people from Guernsey, Ireland, Whitchurch (one of whom was Welsh), a German family living in Boston USA.
and a honeymoon couple from south of Barcelona, Spain.
Our well travelled, entertaining and informative driver, Trevor, drove us South to Steveston Harbour, 27 km / 17 miles 45min, where the excursion was based.
Steveston Harbour evolved around a massive cannery employing hundreds. Salmon arrived to be canned and exported all over the world. Ironically, transportation was one of the things which killed the industry. When CN set about building competing rail routes to Trans Canadian, they often followed the far side of a valley from the existing line and were having to make use of second best passes; the landslides created by the construction blocked the salmons' path up the rivers to spawn with a resulting catastrophic collapse in salmon populations.
Since then, fish ladders have been installed in many rivers at human caused restrictions and the population has recovered very well. (Information courtesy of Trevor)
and a honeymoon couple from south of Barcelona, Spain.
Our well travelled, entertaining and informative driver, Trevor, drove us South to Steveston Harbour, 27 km / 17 miles 45min, where the excursion was based.
Steveston Harbour evolved around a massive cannery employing hundreds. Salmon arrived to be canned and exported all over the world. Ironically, transportation was one of the things which killed the industry. When CN set about building competing rail routes to Trans Canadian, they often followed the far side of a valley from the existing line and were having to make use of second best passes; the landslides created by the construction blocked the salmons' path up the rivers to spawn with a resulting catastrophic collapse in salmon populations.
Since then, fish ladders have been installed in many rivers at human caused restrictions and the population has recovered very well. (Information courtesy of Trevor)
Boat Trip
We were glad it was early and an overcast slightly cooler day as we donned our water and windproof over trousers and jackets supplied by the company and walked down to our boat. Ours is the rear one in the photo, the Explorathor II.
44 passengers on board and we headed out to sea. Once clear of the harbour, the water jets were throttled up and we streaked out across the sea at 40 kph.
We traveled out from Vancouver in a large curve which, at first we thought was to avoid US waters but when examining the Chart we realised there was a massive sand bank under the water.
Our first wildlife siting was of some 'wild sheep' on the shoreline; not quite what we had in mind.
Killer Whales are not in fact whales but members of the Dolphin family. They have teeth and use them to catch and eat their prey. There are two distinct types in the area:
Resident, who remain in the same area and only eat salmon. Residents are on the decline.
Transient who pass through the area and eat anything they can hunt from fish, including salmon, to seals and sea lions.
The group we saw would most likely be a mother and her sons. A matriarchal society, the breeding line is followed through the female line as it is the young females who leave to form a new family while the young males stay with their mother into adulthood.
Other boats are also circling, they are not allowed within 200 metres of the animals so keep trying to reposition in the direction they think the orcas are moving.
Many of the islands have summer residences on the shores. Some beautiful locations but everything has to come in by boat.
Unlike the Orcas, the Humpback is a true Whale with baleen rather than teeth to filter krill, plankton and small fish.
Throughout the trip I was only impressed with Vancouver Whale Watch so I'll give them a plug with a link.
44 passengers on board and we headed out to sea. Once clear of the harbour, the water jets were throttled up and we streaked out across the sea at 40 kph.
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| Jet boat |
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| Yellow People - Lynne foreground |
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| View from observation deck |
We traveled out from Vancouver in a large curve which, at first we thought was to avoid US waters but when examining the Chart we realised there was a massive sand bank under the water.
Our first wildlife siting was of some 'wild sheep' on the shoreline; not quite what we had in mind.
Orcas - Killer Whales
We crossed the sea toward Vancouver Island and then steered our way through the archipelago of islands on it's East coast swerving and passing through narrow channels; the sky had cleared and it was an enjoyable ride regardless of its purpose.
Off the southern tip of Stuart Island, we slowed and our guide was shouting can you see the fins and the blows? Well at first I couldn't then I finally spotted them. The fins of a family of Orcas.
At best I counted about 5 animals as they rolled over the surface and dived again. Occasional blows sent spray into the air above their bodies.
Off the southern tip of Stuart Island, we slowed and our guide was shouting can you see the fins and the blows? Well at first I couldn't then I finally spotted them. The fins of a family of Orcas.
At best I counted about 5 animals as they rolled over the surface and dived again. Occasional blows sent spray into the air above their bodies.
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| Two Killer Whales blowing |
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| Tail up dive |
Killer Whales are not in fact whales but members of the Dolphin family. They have teeth and use them to catch and eat their prey. There are two distinct types in the area:
Resident, who remain in the same area and only eat salmon. Residents are on the decline.
Transient who pass through the area and eat anything they can hunt from fish, including salmon, to seals and sea lions.
The group we saw would most likely be a mother and her sons. A matriarchal society, the breeding line is followed through the female line as it is the young females who leave to form a new family while the young males stay with their mother into adulthood.
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| Other whale watches |
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| Our Sister Boat - Explorathor Express |
Return Trip
We have now been at sea for around 2 hours and are at the Southern extent of today's excursion so begin our journey back North through the islands a little further West.
We stop briefly to look over a 'pile' of Harbour Seals lazing on rocks and slow to admire a Bald Eagle pearched in a tree which then gave us a good flying view before landing again.
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| Harbour Seals |
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| Bald Eagle |
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| Island Houses |
Hump Backed Whales
Halfway across the open sea channel back to the mainland, our sister boat slowed to a halt and radiod our boat. A Humpbacked Whale had been spotted and whilst the spots so far had all seemed fairly predicted by the crew, this was clearly a surprise to them.
The massive bulk of the back rolled over as it surfaced and dived. This dived a lot longer and its resurfacing position was less predictable. I saw a black shadow under the water not far from our boat and then two backs surfaced as there was a pair. We watched for a while seeing the humps disappear behind us and receding plumes as they blew.
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| Humpback Whale |
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| Pair of Humbacks |
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| Blow |
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| Whale Watchers |
Throughout the trip I was only impressed with Vancouver Whale Watch so I'll give them a plug with a link.
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| Arriving back to Steveston Harbour |
Lazy Sunday Afternoon
After returning to our hotel early afternoon we had a deserved lazy few hours reading and writing. After being so windblown we were quite dozy.
As it got later, we decided we should have a last walk around Vancouver and ambled down to Coal Harbour again. We again watch the boat planes and took in the seafront toward Canada Place before strolling back a different route.
We had intended going back to change and coming out again for our evening meal but we passed the Italian restaurant we intended eating at and decided to just settle in as we were.
A lovely meal with a litre bottle of wine put away we explored some of the residential streets the other side of Robson before retiring to our beloved balcony evening view for the last time.
We had intended going back to change and coming out again for our evening meal but we passed the Italian restaurant we intended eating at and decided to just settle in as we were.
A lovely meal with a litre bottle of wine put away we explored some of the residential streets the other side of Robson before retiring to our beloved balcony evening view for the last time.
Today's Statistics
Bus 29 miles / 47 km
Boat 84 miles / 135 km
Walk 2 miles / 3 km
Drive ZERO
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