Captain’s Blog

Port Renfrew Whale Watching Report: How Do We Find Whales Around Port Renfrew?

July 23, 2021

Written by: Matt Burnaby, Zodiac Captain Halfway through our fifth season here in Port Renfrew, Sarah and I often ask ourselves how it is possible that we have managed to find whales on every single voyage. While there are only a handful of exceptions where we have not been able to access the waters outside […]

Victoria Sightings Report: Brown Pelicans, Whales, Ollie the Sea Otter, and Much More!

July 22, 2021

Weekly Sightings Summary July 12th to 18th As we approach the middle of summer, sightings of wildlife continue to be diverse and abundant here in the Salish Sea! This week was full of experiences with creatures who depend on the salty waters that surround south Vancouver Island, including rare species like Brown Pelicans, mammal hunting […]

Port Renfrew Whale Watching Report: Happywhale.com: Facebook but for Whales!

July 14, 2021

Written by: Matt Burnaby, Zodiac Captain Having access to waters that no other whale watching vessel goes to allows us the unique opportunity to gather data on wildlife through citizen science. We are the only whale watching company based in Port Renfrew, amidst the numerous sports fishing boats in the area. That said, these incredible […]

Port Renfrew Whale Watching Report: Nature in Renny!

July 11, 2021

Written by Matt Burnaby, Zodiac Captain Driving from Victoria to Port Renfrew is where the adventure begins. Part of the Pacific Marine Loop, Port Renfrew sits between Victoria and Cowichan. Coming from either direction takes you down a winding paved road leading you through the wild coastlines, valleys and rivers of the Pacific temperate rainforests. […]

Victoria Whale Watching Report: Lunge Feeding Humpbacks!

June 13, 2021

Sunday, June 13th, 2021 With the forecast set for rain, the guests and crew left the Victoria Inner Harbour donned in rain gear eager to find whales and other critters of the Pacific Northwest. We made our way straight south out of the harbour and into the center of the 17 mile wide Juan De […]

The Magnificent Bald Eagles of the North Pacific Coast!

May 26, 2021

            Photo Credit: Rachael Merrett- Orca Spirit Marine Naturalist Bald Eagles are an icon of the Pacific Northwest. Whether they are soaring high above, perching in a tall tree, or clutching a fish from the ocean, they are always spectacular to see. Bald Eagles are a large raptor species that […]

The Harbour Seal: Fuzzy, Cute and About to Have Babies!

May 5, 2021

Meet the Harbour Seals! Harbour Seals are the most abundant marine mammal in British Columbia. They sure are abundantly adorable and always exciting to see! With so many different haul out sites within the Salish Sea, guests are sure to spot Harbour Seals on any of our tours. With their annual pupping season about to […]

5 Things You Didn’t Know About a Zodiac Whale Watching Adventure

April 7, 2021

Ever wondered what it would be like to find yourself in the middle of an experience that was as exhilarating as it was relaxing? That was the question I was trying to get answered a couple of weeks back when I talked to Captain Mick Miller about what it’s like touring a group of people […]

Designed with a Porpoise

March 17, 2021

When people think of going whale watching near Victoria, they often anticipate seeing large whales like humpbacks, orcas and grey whales. But there are much tinier cetaceans out there that are just as fascinating and fun to watch – the porpoises! Whale watching near Victoria provides an excellent opportunity to spot two different species of […]