Orca Waters - Family Base Camp (25.130)

Itinerary

• Day
  1

  This four-day trip focuses on exploring nature at a pace suited for families and children. While the minimum age for participation on our regular tours is 15, this trip is ideal for families with children aged 6 to 14. Using the same established base camp as our regular base camp tours, each day we depart for short paddles where we take the time to interpret nature, explore sheltered bays and spot wildlife. Children are introduced to this fantastic area in a fun, relaxed manner, and the entire family will enjoy the thrill of viewing Orcas from kayaks. On Day 1 we meet in the lobby of a hotel in Port McNeill at 9:00 am to begin our trip. All your gear is taken to our awaiting water taxi by our van and a short 5 minute walk takes us to the harbour where we board the water taxi for the one hour trip to our base camp (in inclement weather our van will return to drive you to the water taxi). If necessary you will be able to store extra luggage at the hotel during your trip and leave your car parked in their lot free of charge. On arrival at our base camp your guides will give you a short camp orientation. Once everyone is set up in their tents a short introduction to kayaking will be followed up by practising in the cove outside our camp. Once everyone is comfortable in their kayaks we begin our journey.

  Meals: Lunch, Dinner

  Accomodation: Camping
• Day
  2

  After enjoying a relaxed breakfast we begin the days paddle. Our base camp is well situated on one of the orcas main travel path as well as being in an area routinely visited by humpback whales. Also close by are many islets that are home to numerous sea birds and seals. Our exact routes will vary each day depending on possible wildlife sightings, currents, tides and weather.

  Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  Accomodation: Camping
• Day
  3

  We provide an underwater hydrophone on all of our Orca Water tours and will often stop to listen to the sounds the orcas make. Our guides can often distinguish different orca clans by the sounds that they make and even identify many of the individual orcas through the shapes and markings of their dorsal fins. With the use of a photographic catalogue we can compare the orcas that we have seen over the day to identify the orcas to the families and clans they belong to.

  Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  Accomodation: Camping
• Day
  4

  After a hearty breakfast we will be picked up by our water taxi (approximately 10:00 am) for the trip across the strait to the village of Telegraph Cove. In the cove we will visit the “Bones Project” whale museum. We will have lunch in Telegraph Cove and our van will be waiting to return to Port McNeill after lunch. Many of our guests decide to spend one extra night in Port McNeill instead of trying to rush back that same evening. If that is the case we often all get together for a no-host farewell dinner.

  Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

  Accomodation: Accommodation by Customer