2017 Best Year Yet for Whale Sightings

When it comes to whale-watching destinations, Victoria is hard to beat.
 
In fact, according to Alan McGillivray, owner of Prince of Whales, BC’s biggest whale-watching company, 2017 has been the best year yet in terms of sightings – especially for humpbacks and transient killer whales.
 
“We had  lots of humpback sightings,” he said, “They think there are about 300 transients between Mexico and Alaska and we believe we saw more than 100 unique transients this season, which is quite phenomenal.”
 
Protecting the environment is a top priority for Prince of Whales, which is considered an industry-leader in sustainability. The company’s new $3.5 million environmentally-friendly custom-built Salish Sea Dream catamaran, which runs unique whale-watching day trips between Vancouver and Victoria and Victoria and Butchart Gardens, is less likely to affect whale activity.
 
“The number one cause of machine noise in the water is propeller cavitation – air bubbles forming as the propellers push through the ocean – but the catamaran has interior water propulsion jest , so there are no propellers,” added McGillivray.
 
The design of the Salish Sea Dream also incorporates no machinery hanging below the hull, which eliminates the risk of a marine mammal strike.
 
Prince of Whales fleet captain, Ian Kyle added: “She has no external propellers or drives that could harm any type of wildlife and her narrow twin hulls and shallow draught allow us to safely transit shallow reefs in the Salish Sea wand bring our guests closer to all of what nature has to show us.”
 
If you’re looking for a great hotel in Victoria, The Days Inn Victoria Uptown is the perfect option. Offering breathtaking views of the Gorge Waterway by day and the sparkling lights of the BC Legislature Building by night, the hotel is a fantastic accommodation option for a whale-watching getaway on Vancouver Island this winter.
 
 

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