Travel by the Calendar

For a close up encounter with a Gray Whale, there’s no better place than springtime in Clayoquot Sound. Clayoquot Sound is remote and wild. Stands of dark green Douglas Fir cling to the coastline and only the white caps of waves separate the grey of the sea from the grey of the sky. Looking out across the sound, it’s obvious that nature is in charge here, the trees are big, the beaches are big, the towns are small. When the road from Nanaimo runs out, you’ll find yourself in Tofino, a quirky frontier town, that knows its worth as an ecotourism destination. And top of the list of ecotours is whale watching.

There are several companies operating out of Tofino. For an example of prices try Jamie’s whaling station, one of the Tofino based operators. Things you might want to ask your tour operator include

-what style of boat they operate (ie zodiac, cruiser or kayak)
-whether there is a land component to the tour (some will also take you hiking, or to hot springs)
-exactly what the whale sighting guarantee means (usually if you don’t see a whale, you can come back on another tour for free. Sounds great but not much use if you’re only there for a long weekend.

Tours go out morning and afternoon and generally last two to three hours. Most commonly seen are the Gray whales migrating up to the Bering strait for the summer. Leaving their winter home in Baja the latest, are mothers with calves, so by May you may well see these little families. Not all whales make it up to the Bering straight and many only get as far as the Pacific North West coast, before turning south again. The gray whales are quite inquisitive and although tour operators must keep a certain distance from the whale, there’s nothing stopping the whale coming up to the boat for a closer look. This is why I personally prefer the somewhat more sturdy zodiac, rather than risk being flipped out of a kayak! There are also orcas (killer whales) living in these waters, though they are less commonly seen.

If you go in May, you’ll usually only need to book a tour the day before. If you leave it later in the season, Tofino, and the whale watching can get busy. There’s a very different vibe to the town in the summer. There’s a buzz about the town, but it loses some of the wilderness wonder that makes it so special. Ecotourism attracts all types and therefore Tofino has accommodation to suit everyone. On the luxe end, Scarlett Johanson and Reynolds got married at the Clayoquot Wilderness resort in 2008. On the budget end, there is a YHA hostel right on the water in town. Although people rarely spot whales that close to town, you’ll certainly see otters and eagles from the jetty.