Looking for a fun adventure this winter? Somewhere you can take your family or friends? Somewhere in the fresh air that will help cure those mid-winter blahs?

Look no further than our big blue back yard—also known as the Salish Sea!

Now through March 22 is our popular winter wildlife viewing season, with plenty of unforgettable viewing opportunities in and around the waters off southern Vancouver Island. You’ll be surprised at how much there is to see out there in the winter!

There’s lots to see!

1. Killer whales

Although whales can’t be guaranteed at this time of year, our extended range means a better chance of finding whales while you enjoy your time aboard one of our heated, semi-covered catamarans. Along the way, we have plenty of other things to show you! Here are our top seven winter wildlife wonders…

Well yeah, who doesn’t get excited seeing these guys? We certainly do. Roughly one in three of our winter wildlife tours encounter killer whales, also known as orcas. Here are our month by month whale sightings stats from 2023:

There are two ecotypes of killer whale we see in the Salish Sea. They don’t hang out together, they act and sound different. They eat from completely different menus.

Bigg’s or transient killer whales chow down on marine mammals such as seals, sea lions and porpoises. They travel in small family groups and can show up anywhere, at any time of year. We’ve had lots of Bigg’s encounters in recent winters.

Southern resident killer whales eat fish and travel in large family groups known as pods. There are 75 whales in this critically endangered population, in three pods we call J, K and L. We don’t intentionally watch this ecotype, and focus instead on Bigg’s killer whales and other types of whales.

2. Humpback whales

There’s a good chance to see a humpback whale or two in the winter, especially after we had such a tremendous humpback season in 2023. There are still a few hanging around.

Humpbacks are awesome. They’re the size of a city bus—just add a tail and two very long pectoral flippers, and you get the picture.

Most humpbacks head to places like Mexico or Hawaii for the winter. Smart. Except they don’t eat there. Which is why a few of them linger in the Salish Sea as long as they can, scooping up those last few fish and krill calories before journeying south.

3. Porpoises

We get two types of porpoise in this region. The teeny and bashful “now you see me, now you don’t” harbour porpoise is a year-round resident.

The more extroverted Dall’s porpoise can also be seen any month of the year. If they’re feeling playful, these black and white speed demons will ride the bow waves of our boat, just for fun. They’ll put a smile on your face, guaranteed!

4. Sea lions and seals

In winter and early spring, hundreds of male Steller sea lions and California sea lions gather at several haulout sites near Victoria. Where are the girls, you ask? There are a few here, but most of them remain with their kids (born last summer) back near the breeding grounds. That’s north for Stellers and south for Californias.

Meanwhile, the boys spend their days here dozing, getting fat and bickering over rock space. Doesn’t sound fair at all.

Pudgy, doe-eyed harbour seals dot the rocks on many islands and reefs throughout this region. They’re here all year, much to our delight — and the delight of Bigg’s killer whales who see them as very tasty “rock sausages.”

Massive and goofy-looking elephant seals — the largest seal in the northern hemisphere — can be seen in the Salish Sea, especially at Race Rocks. And especially in the winter, which is an important time for them. Breeding season runs from December to February. In the last few years we’ve had several squeaky pups born at Race Rocks, a frequent stop on our tours!

5. Sea otters

What has a whiskered beaver-like face, is wrapped in the thickest fur coat in the animal kingdom and uses his chest as a dinner plate? Oh, and he has his own Facebook page, too. It’s our local sea otter celebrity, Ollie, who has made Race Rocks Ecological Reserve his home for the last few years.

Although we don’t see Ollie on every tour, he always puts smiles on our faces when we do. And in the winter, we often see him do something sea otters rarely do—he climbs out onto the rocks to hang with the seals or sea lions. We’re always astonished at how big he is!

6. Bird, birds, birds…

With a wingspan of more than two metres, striking yellow beak and talons, and dapper black and white plumage, an adult bald eagle is a regal sight. When they’re not at the rivers ripping apart rotting salmon (yuck), we often see them in the winter months perched atop a tall tree or rock, or plucking a fish out of the water. Or terrorizing gulls, which don’t like getting eaten, understandably.

This region is a birder’s paradise, especially in winter when we get an A-Z assortment of feathered friends. Not literally, but you know what we mean. Auklets, cormorants, geese, grebes, herons, loons, mergansers, murres, oystercatchers, peregrine falcons, pigeon guillemots, and gulls and ducks galore.

7. The stunning view

What’s this doing on a list of wildlife, you ask? Well, don’t get so wrapped up in gawking at the animals that you forget to savour the spectacular West Coast scenery surrounding you.

What sort of scenery? Everything from lighthouses to majestic Mt. Baker and the snow-capped Olympic Mountains to the maze of straits, channels, islands, inlets and estuaries that make up this spectacular place! A classic Salish Sea sunset finale, if weather permits, is just icing on the cake!

Trust us, it’s the best therapy for your soul ever!

Book now!

Our winter wildlife viewing season runs now through March 22. We offer 1 p.m. departures daily (when numbers permit) on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays. Tours are three hours or more.

The wildlife viewing opportunities will continue through our spring shoulder season—from March 23 to April 30—with two departures daily (10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.), when numbers permit. Tours are 3.5-4 hours or more. Our summer season begins May 1.

So, layer up and come on out to meet our wild neighbours. We guarantee you’ll never look at the ocean the same way again!

And don’t forget—we continue to offer a 20% discount for residents of the 13 municipalities within Greater Victoria. Call our office so we can apply the discount to your booking; local ID verified at check-in.

To book a tour, give us a call or book online!