Vancouver Island North, Vancouver Island, BC, Canada

The popular international travel guide, Lonely Planet, has recently released its list of the Top 10 Canadian Adventures and a uniquely North Island experience has ranked #2!  Killer whale watching is the adventure activity and, more specifically, killer whale watching from a kayak.

North Island waters have been identified as the place to be to witness these beautiful mammals.  Base camp kayak trips in Johnstone Strait allow adventurers to spend the maximum amount of time exploring the marine wildlife while offering comfortable camping amenities including dining areas and even a hot shower!  It is not uncommon to see orcas swimming past these camps while enjoying the evening campfire

Increased activity in late summer during the salmon spawning season offers an even better chance to catch sight of killer whales and many other animals on the water such as humpback whales, Steller sea lions, Minke whales, Dall’s porpoise, Pacific white-sided dolphins, marine birds and bald eagles, while grizzly and black bears take advantage by fishing from shore.

The description provided by Lonely Planet also talks about locations in the Vancouver Island North region where orcas rub their bellies on pebble beaches, the only spot in the world where they are known to do this.

Kayaking in Johnstone Strait, Photo by Kingfisher Wilderness Adventures, www.kingfisher.ca

Each year Tourism Vancouver Island recognizes stakeholders who have demonstrated great efforts and achievements in the tourism industry over the past year. Individually sponsored this year, the annual Tourism Vancouver Island Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony showcased the best of Vancouver Island tourism representatives and businesses.  The awards were presented at the Tigh-Na-Mara Seaside Spa Resort & Conference Centre on September 8th, 2010.
Sponsored by Canadawide Media, the Raising the Bar Award recognizes a business or organization that has developed or renewed a tourism product or package that captures the attention of travelers and thus increases the desirability of the Vancouver Island region as a destination.  This year, the Raising the Bar Award was presented to the Quatse Salmon Stewardship Centre and accepted by Grant Anderson, Chair of the North Vancouver Island Salmonid Enhancement Association.  The centre is an interactive and educational venue in Port Hardy that provides responsible leadership in the area of salmon enhancement with all proceeds going directly towards salmon conservation and education.  The centre has an interpretive gallery where visitors have the opportunity to learn the challenges that salmon face at all stages of life and what they may encounter along their journey. Information is provided on the work that the centre does to support salmon populations and habitat on Vancouver Island North and individuals are provided with details on how they can help support the health of salmon and habitat in their own communities.  The Quatse Salmon Stewardship Centre has seen visitor numbers sharply increase month over month since opening for its first full season in May 2010. Word of mouth recommendations through accommodation providers and visitor centres have been steadily increasing.  During this first year of operation the centre has been added to the itinerary of bus tours organized for youth groups within BC, and has hosted an RV club tour.
In good company, awards were also handed out to the following deserving businesses and individuals for their excellence in the tourism industry. The Multi-Faceted Advertising Campaign Award was presented to Wildplay Element Parks, sponsored by Canadawide Media; The Power of Partners Award was presented to Tigh-Na-Mara Seaside Spa Resort & Conference Centre, sponsored by Golf Vancouver Island; The Tourism Sustainability Award went to The Beach Club Resort, sponsored by ETHOS BC; Jenn Houtby-Ferguson of Tigh-Na-Mara was recognized as Tourism Employee of the Year, sponsored by Tigh-Na-Mara Seaside Spa Resort & Conference Centre; and The Most Valuable Player Award was presented to Janet Docherty, of Merridale Ciderworks and the Wine Island Vintners Association.

Grant Anderson accepts the Raising the Bar Award on behalf of the Quatse Salmon Stewardship Centre

Now is the time to discover the many secrets of Vancouver Island North! September is the optimum time to explore as it offers the most diverse and active time of year for marine life.
Wildlife sightings are a common occurrence and can include marine birds, bald eagles, orca (killer whales), humpback whales, Steller sea lions, Minke whales, Dall’s porpoise, Pacific white-sided dolphins, grizzly and black bears and more. Touring with a reputable operator offers the best viewings and has the lowest impact on nature and wildlife, as the operators are knowledgeable about responsible viewing practices. The interpretive information provided by guides and naturalists, gives the visitor a deeper understanding of what they are experiencing.
Jackie Hildering, a local marine educator and biologist, notes that, in September, there is usually a chum salmon run and a great number of small schooling fish, creating an abundance of food for marine mammals. September’s large tidal exchanges concentrate these food sources which often allows for the viewing of marine mammals while they are feeding.
“Resident” (fishing-eating) orca in the area socialize and feed on the chum and Chinook salmon. Sea lions are typically seen in large groups with approximately 100 – 150 in one location and migratory birds such as sooty shearwaters, appear in the thousands. Pacific white-sided dolphins are frequently sighted in much larger groups at this time of year as well, most often in highly gregarious groups of hundreds of animals. As if that were not enough, there is always the possibility of the mammal-eating “transient” orca appearing as well, even of witnessing them going after the dolphins.
Hildering, who is also a photographer, says the lighting in September tends to be magical as well. In sharing another of September’s many secrets, she notes that humpback whales seem to invest more energy into socializing verses feeding at this time of year. This offers visitors a greater opportunity to witness social interactions between these giants.
More information on the rich and abundant marine life can be viewed at www.themarinedetective.com

Humpback in Johnstone Strait, Photo Credit: Jackie Hildering, www.themarinedetective.ca

Orca in Johnstone Strait, Photo Credit: Jackie Hildering, www.themarinedetective.ca

Sport fishing at Nimmo Bay Resort comes with a catch – catch and release that is, with a policy of fly fishing and spin fishing using single barbless hooks. It’s just one of the statements of stewardship (SOS again) that owner Craig Murray has built his success on as a founding member of the BC Sustainable Tourism Collective. Murray, who calls the remote high-end lodge “a helicopter wilderness adventure resort’’ emphasizes that in conjunction with fishing, the lodge also arranges heli-hiking, rafting, kayaking, beachcombing and glacier-trekking. They’ll even fly guests by helicopter to Vancouver Island North marinas to meet up with local whale-watching excursions. Grizzly bear viewing is a bonus portion of any stay at the lodge, with its location at the head of McKenzie Sound in the Great Bear Rainforest. The other benefits are three professional chefs who prepare fresh local gourmet, heart healthy food – emphasis on sustainable seafood. Prime season is mid-June to the end of October, with January to May and August to October steelhead fishing dates. www.nimmobay.com; www.sustainablebc.ca

Dave Trebett‘s North Island Daytrippers, a local hiking company, offers guided hikes to remote west coast beaches like Grant Bay, Raft Cove, Hecht Beach and San Josef Bay. The popular day trip to San Josef Bay includes optional stops at the Cedar Shoe Tree and at exotic Ronning’s Garden near Holberg. The hike from the trailhead to “San Jo’’ is 2.5 km (1.5 mi) and is about a 45 minute walk through old-growth and second-growth forest over portions of “corduroy trail’’ – early settlers’ split logs laid over ground like railway ties. Trebett says visitors are always amazed. “It seems like just a walk through the forest and then it opens to beautiful white sand beaches. It’s pretty impressive.’’ A headland between First and Second beaches reveals volcanic rock carved into twisted sea stacks topped with trees. “They’re probably the most photographed rocks on the Island,’’ says Trebett. There are 12-m (40-ft) sea caves, too, and lots of wildlife, like fish-diving ospreys, eagles and otters. Trebett gives hikers the option to hit Holberg’s favourite watering hole after the hike – the Scarlett Ibis pub is ideal for a cold brew and fish and chips. www.islanddaytrippers.com

Cheryl Jorgenson at the Port McNeill Visitor Centre compares that wonderful laid-back “island feeling” visitors experience in Sointula as somewhat similar to the tropics. It’s the sense that time has stopped and urban distractions are held at bay. Jorgenson is kept busy year-round helping visitors plan one-day or multi-day trips to area hot spots, including those catching the 25-minute BC Ferries ride from Port McNeill to Sointula on Malcolm Island. Sointula Museum staffer Heidi Soltau is well-versed in the history of the local Finnish community that gave the village its name, meaning “Place of Harmony.’’ She can tell you all about the utopian ideals that shaped the community, the fishing economy that endures today, the 100 year-old Co-op grocery store (BC’s oldest) that remains the community’s social hub, and will let you know about cultural plays and poetry readings documented in the museum’s well-stocked Finnish library that goes back to the early 1900s. Gorgeous beaches and scenery are the other attractions here. Visit Pultenay Point Trail & Lighthouse, Mateoja Heritage Trail, Bere Point Regional Park and the well-named Beautiful Bay Trail. www.sointulainfo.ca