When Erica Farrell booked a wildlife/adventure tour for her family, visiting from England, she was ever hopeful.
A whale, maybe害羞草研究所� perhaps a small pod.
What they got was more than anyone could have expected. Even the tour guide was beaming at day害羞草研究所檚 end.
The six-hour tour produced a family of orcas, a shoreline of sea lions, and a dozen humpback whales breaching, belly-flopping, and swimming right up to the boat.
害羞草研究所淪ince I害羞草研究所檝e been doing these tours, 20 years, that was probably one of my top 10 of all time,害羞草研究所� said Garry Henkel, owner/operator of 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e done more than 3,000 tours, but today was a special day. Some days you just see humpbacks. Some days you just see orcas. Some days, you just see spouts. But today was special. I don害羞草研究所檛 get to do this often.害羞草研究所�
| Orcas at play in Desolation Sound. (Terry Farrell/Comox Valley Record) |
The British contingent was awed.
害羞草研究所淎lmost speechless with admiration for the beauty, the wildlife,害羞草研究所� said Erica害羞草研究所檚 mother, Brenda Nevard, who was visiting Vancouver Island for the first time. 害羞草研究所淒ifficult to put into words. A once in a lifetime experience.害羞草研究所�
Brenda害羞草研究所檚 son, Phil Nevard, and his wife, Lythan, were equally impressed, not only with the wildlife experience, but with Henkel害羞草研究所檚 expertise as well.
害羞草研究所淚t was great to have such a knowledgeable guide with a First Nations害羞草研究所� respect for nature and the sea,害羞草研究所� said Phil.
害羞草研究所淚t was one of the best days of my life and to be out with someone who respects the animals and is as excited to see them as we are was amazing,害羞草研究所� added Lythan.
| A humpback goes for a deep dive.(Photo by Erica Farrell) |
Henkel said the re-emergence of humpback whales to the area has made the adventure tour experience that much better.
害羞草研究所淲e never used to see any humpbacks here until probably the last four or five years,害羞草研究所� said Henkel. 害羞草研究所淢any, many years ago, they were hunted, back in the 1800s, early 1900s害羞草研究所� almost hunted to extinction. I think they are making a comeback now finally because there害羞草研究所檚 less pressure on them, and because there害羞草研究所檚 a lot of krill.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 great, because we used to just look for orcas and dolphins and stuff, but now we have the humpbacks as well so it really adds to the experience.害羞草研究所�
Erica害羞草研究所檚 son, Ian Bowen of Grande Prairie, Alta., was also on the boat.
害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e very lucky as Canadians to have this in our backyard,害羞草研究所� he said.
Henkel concurred.
害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 not many places in the world you can see that - orcas and humpbacks,害羞草研究所� said Henkel. 害羞草研究所淚n our area, in September, now you can sometimes see orcas, humpbacks, grizzly bears, black bears and sometimes dolphins, all in one day.害羞草研究所�
For more information on adventure tours, visit
