British Columbia Orcas & Grizzlies Sailing

Ship Trip
Dates & Prices
Highlights

Highlights

  • Spectacular orca (killer whale) and humpback whale watching
  • Opportunities to view black bear and grizzly bears
  • Large number of bald eagles and colorful seabirds
  • Beautiful scenery
Map

Map

Tour Overview

At the northern end of Vancouver Island lies a maze of islands and waterways, full of wildlife, beautiful scenery, and the history and traditions of the Kwakwaka’wakw people (Kwakiutl). The Pacific Ocean funnels into the protected waters of Johnstone Strait creating strong tidal currents, and incredibly nutrient-rich waters. Millions of salmon, returning to spawn in the mainland rivers, must converge to pass through the Strait. Groups of orca (or killer whales) hunt the salmon in the passages.

Johnstone Strait is the best place in the world to see orca / killer whales. Visit Alert Bay and Village Island, see diverse marine mammals and view grizzly bears up Knight Inlet!
Departures & Cabins

DEPARTURES & CABINS

British Columbia Orcas & Grizzlies Sailing

British Columbia Orcas & Grizzlies

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More dates may be available than those listed - contact us for more information.

What's Included

Tour Price Includes

  • All meals from lunch on Day 1 to breakfast on the last day
  • All accommodation onboard ship; skipper, cook, naturalist;
  • Full use of all onboard facilities, including kayaks.

Tour Price Does Not Include

  • Transportation to the start point and from the finish point of the trip
  • Accommodation or meals prior to the start of the trip or after the completion
  • Travel or cancellation insurance
  • Airport transfers
  • $200 CAD Sustainability fee
  • Taxes (5% GST)
  • The only money participants require during the trip is for optional purchases and gratuities for the crew.

Itinerary

On all our voyages we intentionally keep our itineraries flexible to take advantage of wildlife sightings, weather and tides, and the interests of the group. This sample itinerary describes a typical 7-day trip, however, activities may occur in a different order or be substituted by suitable alternatives.

Day 1: Embarkation, Port McNeill

Our Orcas & Grizzlies sailing tour starts and finishes in Port McNeill, BC. Meet your crew & vessel late morning in Port McNeill. Upon boarding, cabins will be assigned and an introductory safety briefing will be completed. We will then escape civilization into a maze of islands and waterways featuring old growth forests, rugged archipelagos, cozy anchorages, and amazing wildlife.

Orcas

Days 2-4: Johnstone Strait

Our focus these days will be on the waters of Johnstone Strait, Blackfish Sound, and Queen Charlotte Strait where we hope to encounter whales. Two species of Orca can be spotted in these waters: Northern Resident Orca and Bigg’s (transient) Orca. In addition, keep watch for the blows of humpback whales whose population has made a significant comeback to these waters.We will visit the modern Kwakwaka’wakw community of Alert Bay to visit the U’Mista Cultural Centre. A highlight of their display is the impressive Potlatch Collection featuring masks and regalia which were confiscated by the Canadian government in 1921. The Kwakwaka’wakw people fought for decades for the return of these sacred items. Thanks to their efforts, these important items now help us learn about the art, culture, and history of the Kwakwaka’wakw people.

Totem pole, Alert Bay

Days 5 - 6: The Broughton Archipelago and Bears

We will spend time navigating the labyrinth of undeveloped islands of Broughton Archipelago Marine Provincial Park. Exploring within these multitude of islands, we can search for different species of marine mammals, observe a variety of sea bird species, and visit remote beaches.

As we travel deeper into the coastal fjords surrounded by the snow-capped peaks of the Coast Mountains we enter an important habitat for grizzly bears and black bears. Starting in August, salmon return to spawn and this essential source of food concentrates bears in estuaries and along the rivers in the best places to fish.

Orcas and sailboat

Day 7: Departure

Mid morning we return to Port McNeill to complete our voyage. Participants can catch afternoon flights back to Vancouver.

What to Expect

On our British Columbia Orcas and Grizzlies sailing tour, as in all of our destinations, our itineraries remain flexible. This allows the crew to take time to enjoy wildlife sightings, spend more time at an ancient village site, or simply cater to the interests of the group.

Usually on the Pacific Coast we have a good variety of constantly changing weather. Expect a mixture of sunshine, rain and wind on most trips. You will require waterproof rain gear and rubberboots as most of our landings will be wet, where you will be stepping into the water and onto the beach.

We travel in protected areas most of the time. On many days of the summer this coast is like sailing on a lake – flat and calm. Sometimes we cross into open water for short periods of time where we may experience greater motion. If you are prone to motion sickness it is a good idea to bring sea sickness medication. Check with your doctor.

All of our meals are served buffet style. We can usually accommodate most special dietary concerns if we are given sufficient advance notice.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the weather like in Northern Vancouver Island?
In October you can expect some cool and rainy weather, but we could also have some fall like days.
This itinerary is one of our more potentially active tours – with a stop at the U’Mista Cultural Centre, a host of shore excursion opportunities, and the availability to kayak morning and evening, guests can anticipate a bit more of an active trip. As always, our crew are there to support guests when needed, especially when getting in and out of the zodiac from the boat or shoreline. We recommend feeling comfortable going for walks around your neighbourhood in preparation for this trip.
Though offering great opportunities for sailing, rarely does the itinerary voyage too far out into open water. As always, we adapt to whatever weather is given to us, which may include wavy conditions, but we anticipate those conditions being fewer and far between.
Yes! This itinerary is well set up to give our crew a good chance of unfurling the sails. We are always at the mercy of what weather we are given, but we have a high chance of making way under sail on this tour.
We experience pebbly and sandy beaches, grassy to dirt paths, and free form forest walks on this trip. If guests feel unsteady on the rocky beaches, we recommend hiking poles, and our crew are always there to lend a hand. The paths and shore excursions we take rarely gain or lose a significant amount of elevation and crew always take into consideration the abilities of the group before determining what activities they will facilitate.
Yes! Once at anchor in the afternoon/evening and in the morning before breakfast, there will typically be an offer to go kayaking.
The crew will consist of the Captain, First Mate, Cook and Naturalist (or Culturalist on the Haida Gwaii tour). The other passengers will have a diversity of backgrounds. Participants need to be amenable to live in the relatively close quarters of a motor-sailor yacht and able to follow Crew’s safety directions.
Participants need to be comfortable with small spaces and close living with passengers. There are steep narrow stairs on the sailboat that you will need to be able to navigate. The cabins and beds are small and there is small (but adequate) storage for your belongings (we encourage you to only pack what is necessary). Meals are served family/buffet style and there are a few tables where you can eat with other guests. Because of the size of the sailboats, we cannot store an abundance of fresh water, so showers need to be short. Please note that there are differences with the cabins and bathrooms on the sailboats. Some of the boats (Island Odyssey and Island Roamer) have bunk-style beds that require some agility to get in and out of. These boats also have shared bathrooms (heads). The Island Solitude has 2 lower berths and private bathroom in each cabin.

Featured Wildlife

While we cannot guarantee sightings of the birds or mammals listed below, we believe that encountering these species is quite likely during this tour.

  • Orca (Killer Whale)
  • Humpback Whale
  • Black Bear, Grizzly Bear
  • Bald Eagle
  • Black Oystercatcher
  • American Dipper
  • Chestnut-backed Chickadee
  • Pigeon guillemots
  • Rhinoceros auklets

Trip Reports & Inspiration

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