Written by, Jake Hawley -Senior Naturalist
Here at Orca Spirit, our tours are meant to bring our guests closer to nature and to educate about the wildlife we see, including of course, whales! However, the wildlife isn’t the only thing that can take your tour and make it a GREAT tour. Our Naturalists are working hard to make sure our guests are as comfortable as possible and seeing the best we have to offer on the Salish Sea, but there are many things our guests can try to make their experience the best it can be!
1 – Dress for Weather!
Even in the warmest months of the season, the weather on the water can be cold, and especially unpredictable! Even if you just have an extra layer in your bag or on your person, being prepared is never a bad thing! If you are choosing to go out on a zodiac tour, we provide complimentary hats and gloves for your tour.
2 – Bring Questions and Curiosity!
Your onboard Naturalists are here to talk about everything we see, and they absolutely LOVE questions. A lot of Naturalists have studied Biology or Ocean Sciences, and have a wealth of knowledge we love to share with our guests. Ask us about migration patterns, or why whales have behaviors like breaching, where does the name “Orca” come from. Learning about everything you’re seeing just makes the experience that much richer!
3 – Look with your EYES, not your iPhones.
This one may be controversial, we all want those cool tail shots for our Instagram’s and to show our families when we return from our vacations. However, this experience isn’t going to be as magical if you’re looking at the wildlife through your screens. Research has actually shown that humans are more likely to remember things if we look at them with our eyes, and we highly encourage that on our tours. If you’re still wanting photos, one of your Naturalists on board is also a designated Wildlife Photographer, capturing photos FOR you that you will get access to for free. This way, you can have an amazing experience with our wildlife, and still have photos to share with your friends and family afterwards!
4 – Prepare for Sea Sickness
Especially if you know you’re prone to sea sickness. Our waters can be flat, or they can be pretty bumpy, and this can also change mid tour. However, no matter the sea state, you can still start to feel sick! There are a few ways to get ahead of it.
-Get a good night’s rest before your tour.
-Eat a good meal! (Bland, light foods, like pretzels, plain bread and saltine crackers, are the best for preventing seasickness.)
-Breathe some fresh air!
Those are just a few things you can do to enhance your experience on your tour, but most of all, be ready to have lots of fun and see some incredible sights!!
Book your tour on our website to #ExperienceTheWild !
