Lions, otters, whales, oh my!

BAILA LAZARUS

As I rested my elbow on the side of the zodiac to steady the hand holding my camera, a chorus of squeals arose from behind me. I jumped and turned just in time to see an orca splash sideways back into the water after doing a little pirouette in the air. Camera up again. Steady.... Another chorus from behind me as a mother and baby surfaced, with the little orca wiggling its tail as if waving to us. I turned, once again, just to see the little wave and another splash.

Such is the difficulty of watching and photographing one of nature's most beautiful animals. But, thanks to the migration habits of a few pods near Seattle, at least you don't have to travel far up Vancouver Island to see them. Unknown to many, a day trip out of Steveston with Vancouver Whale Watch will guarantee you sightings of these killer whales. And though the boats are not allowed to go closer than 100 metres of the whales, they can cut their engines and float, allowing the orcas to come as close as they want, often within just a few metres of the zodiac.

Hanging out between Seattle and Vancouver are three groups of whales known as J pod, K pod and L pod. Around April, following the salmon that are returning to the Fraser River to spawn, J pod heads up the West Coast toward the San Juan Islands. Later on, they are joined by the other two pods. The sizes of the groups range from 20 to about 40, so when all three pods are together, there are as many as 80 whales frolicking just a few hours' boat ride from Vancouver.

Early in the season, Vancouver Whale Watch tours head out of Steveston and generally follow a southwesterly path across the Strait of Georgia, between Galiano and Mayne islands, passing North Pender and Stuart Island and down to the southwest coast of San Juan Island, near False Bay. As the season progresses, the pods head north and can be seen in any number of areas around the Gulf Islands. Radio contact with other ships allows whale watchers to determine where the best viewing areas will be.

Though the trip out to the whale-watching area takes about two hours, passengers are treated to views of bald eagles, California sea lions, harbor seals, otters and bevies of other wild animals. A naturalist on board provides an explanation of the sights along the way and can answer any questions. Since the area is known around the world for orca research, all the whales have been identified and the naturalists can let you know if you're watching Granny or one of her kids, simply by identifying the dorsal fin. And if, by some fluke, you don't spy an orca on your first visit, Vancouver Whale Watch allows you to return as often as necessary until you do.

For more information on Vancouver Whale Watch, call 604-274-9565 or check out www.vancouverwhalewatch.com.

If you go:

Dates and prices: Tours run from April to October and range in price from $59 for children to $99 for adults (plus GST).

Clothing: Under a cloudy sky, with the windchill, it can feel like 0°C. Take the hat and gloves that are offered and bring fleece layers. If you are going in the smaller, open zodiac, take a set of extra clothing, including shoes. One large spray from the wind can get you wet down to your underwear.

Parking: Most parking in the area has a two-hour limit but there's a large, free, gravel parking lot on Chatham, just west of Fourth. It's a few minutes walk from the docks, so you can drop your gear at the office, drive to the lot and walk back.

Riding: Tourists can choose between a smaller, open, 12-person zodiac or one of two larger, semi-covered, 38-passenger boats. The smaller zodiac offers an extremely bumpy ride that can be very hard on the back. If you're worried about compressing vertebrae, opt for the larger zodiacs or sit at the far back of the smaller one.

Food: Bring a lunch or call in advance to have one ready for you.

Baila Lazarus is a freelance writer, photographer and illustrator living in Vancouver.

^TOP