Breaching Humpbacks! - September 14th 2011

This morning we had to say a fond, but sad farewell to Hidden Cove Lodge, but vowed that we would return one day (and one day soon!).  However, before leaving Telegraph Cove we had one more whale watching trip, to hopefully see the Orcas again and other marine inhabitants, once again cruising in the area of Johnstone Strait.

In contrast to the sailing vessel we had been on two days prior the trip today would be onboard a larger motorised boat, holding in excess of 30 people. Although it held many more passengers the boat was a good size with plenty of viewing areas for all. 

The fine weather that we had on previous days had by now started to change rather rapidly and very heavy cloud was by now starting to build. It looked like rain was some time off, but at some point was going to be inevitable on our trip. Maybe not today, but soon. 

It was only around 30 minutes or so after leaving the dock at Telegraph Cove that we spotted our first whales, not Orcas but Humpbacks. Two large humpbacks moving along peacefully, occasionally coming up for air before signaling their long dives into the Strait with the show of their tail fin. 

As we were watching these whales we then noticed far ahead more spouts of water coming from blow holes, the captain signaled we would leave these Humpbacks as ahead were Orcas. In contrast to the full group of the A30’s we had seen two days prior there were just three here today, although they were still part of the same group. It was an older female and two younger members. They remained very illusive, spending most of the time under the water. 

As they cruised near to the shoreline ahead of us they attracted a group of Dall’s Porpoise. These creatures know that the Orcas were resident and thus no threat to them, unlike the more aggressive and predatory transient Orcas. The porpoises played around the Orcas, great fun for the porpoises but known to highly irritate the Orcas. Getting frustrated with the Porpoises the Orcas moved away quickly and must have dived deep to escape their antics as they then reappeared quite some way in the distance. 

As we watched the Orcas move away in the distance it was this moment that several of us on the boat noticed a tremendous splash, far far in the distance, and then again and again. It looked like the water was exploding! This could surely mean only one thing, a breaching whale! The Captain was soon on to this commotion so leaving the Orcas it was time to investigate what was going on in the distance.

As we neared the area, it was then we saw two Humpbacks Whales and the cause of all of the splashing in the distance. Cameras at the ready everyone on the boat hoped we would get a repeat performance, but this time closer!

As we hoped, the Humpbacks continued to breach as we approached to within a safe distance. It was incredibly hard to judge where and when they would breach. Again and again they breached, we were not even sure if it was the same whale breaching or both of them.

They rushed out of the water like torpedoes exploding from a submarine, the noise as they reentered the water was incredible as the water exploded with their huge mass reentering their aquatic home. The speed and velocity in which it happened was really quite something. Moving in close to the shore they spouted water from their blowholes, sounding like an elephant trumpeting with the mix of air and water channeling through at such high speed. By now it almost felt we were losing count of the number of breaches, it must surely have been at least three or four times by now. All on the boat all gasped at each breach, each time no less impressive than the last. This was something we had of course hoped to see but in reality never expected to see, but still we had not been quick enough to get shots of their full bodies out of the water!

By around breach number four/five we had started to get clued up as to where and when the next breach would happen, even though they changed their position considerably in between dives. Fortunately by now we started to get some shots of this incredible behaviour. Also giving us a chance to actually fully absorb their antics. Surely by now they would be getting exhausted! How on earth they managed to propel at least 20 tonnes (they were young/mid sized Humpbacks) of sheer mass out of the water with such power was just beyond comprehension. I (Sarah) had seen a Humpback breach once before in Australia recently but never really had the opportunity to take it in. The noise and the awe of such behaviour was starting to really sink in (excuse the pun!) 

In total they must have breached around seven/eight times, the show had to end at some point and soon enough it did. They both dived and then it all went quiet, reappearing some way off and returning to a calm state. What was causing them to breach with such frequency is a little unknown. Two competing adolescent males showing their strength perhaps? Not even the Marine Biologist on the boat was sure and had not seen something like this before. To say we felt totally privileged to have seen this is an understatement and even after more then 3000 whale watching trips our captain was also pretty ‘amped’! We are not sure who was more exhausted at this point, the Whales or us as the adrenaline pumped with excitement! 

Returning to shore we were all very ‘happy bunnies’. Ok, so we had not captured anything unique in terms of photography, we have all seen images of breaching whales before but to have seen this and to have this shot personally and to have in our own portfolio of images was great!. What an awesome way to end a fabulous three days in Telegraph Cove before we headed of for our next stop - Campbell River.

Grizzly Encounters - September 13th 2011

Today marked a particularly special day, it was our 9th wedding anniversary and what better way to spend it then to take a trip to Knight Inlet in the hope of spotting our first Grizzly Bears. 

Knight Inlet is actually located on mainland BC and famed for being a fairly reliable location to spot the Grizzly and the location of the well known ‘Glendale Cove/Knight Inlet’ Lodge. Given its remote wilderness location, one of the only ways to access Knight Inlet is either by boat or floatplane from Vancouver Island. Today we were going to access via a small boat for the 2 hour journey with ‘Tide Rip’ tours. In addition to the aforementioned lodge ‘Tide Rip’ are one of the only operators to have access to this area and have a vast knowledge of the area and the Bears themselves. So it was great knowing that we were going to be able to experience more Canadian wilderness, once again without hoards of tourists and with knowledgeable and passionate guides on a small group trip. 

Of course it was not just Grizzly Bears that we may encounter. During our two hour passage we had the possibility of spotting the vast array of marine birdlife as well as other marine wildlife, such as Dall’s Porpoise, Pacific White Sided Dolphins, Harbour Seals, Stellar Seal lions and of course Orcas and Humpback Whales. 

We were collected at 7am right from the jetty at Hidden Cove Lodge so we quite literally rolled out of bed and onto the boat. Together with 10 others we embarked upon the journey to the Inlet, excited about what may lay ahead for us. En route we encountered Harbour Seals and even spotted a Black Bear foraging along the shoreline, a nice unexpected bonus!

Although the sky was grey and cloudy it did not mask the beauty of Knight Inlet in any way, more towering peaks could be seen and the faint cry of Bald Eagles echoed around the Inlet. The water was a lovely milky green/blue colour due to glacial sediment carried from Glaciers high up in the valley, which gave a magical and almost mystical feel to the area. 

As we started to near the area where we would disembark the boat and board custom made ‘skiffs’ (12 person flat bottom motor/human powered boars with viewing platforms that could access the ‘nooks and crannies’ of the Inlet) our guide stopped the boat and scanned the shore with the binoculars. Even though we would not be focusing on the larger shorelines for Bears (instead the smaller parts of the inlet where the Bears would hopefully be fishing for Salmon) Lindsey, our guide wanted to check the spot for Grizzlies just in case. In addition, the tide at this time was still too low to be able to access the smaller parts of the inlet. So we had to wait a little while before nature would grant us access with the skiffs.

Well, you can guess what happens next!  Lindsey then proceeded to find us our first Grizzlies, foraging on the shoreline. However, not just one bear but a mother and two cubs. The shoreline where they foraged was not an easy approach so Lindsey did advise that we could not get very close, given the jagged rocks underneath and the waters here were choppy. We approached as close as the waters would allow and there they were two utterly adorable cubs and momma bear, awesome!

The cubs were hilarious to watch, there was something almost comical about the way they foraged around as they nibbled on kelp and uncovered rocks looking for food. One of the cubs used the rocks as a scratching post, rolling around on its back, easing its’ itching body as if performing right on cue for its delighted human audience. These guys were super cute but even at their young age (Approx. 1.5 years old) they had huge claws that could still cause serious damage to anything that came across its path. 

Given the boat was rocking due to the choppy waters and the distance away we again had some problems in keeping the lenses steady so knew the images we were shooting would not be too great but we managed to get one or maybe two shots that were not blurred by movement of the boat which was good. As keen photographers and having spent some years in the ‘field’ we know you cant just ‘rock up’ and get the shot like the cover of National Geographic. Putting in the time is all part of the fun and the challenges (and sometimes frustrations) that come with it!. 

So our anniversary wish had come true, we had seen our first Grizzly Bears and we had not even boarded the skiff yet!

Leaving the little tikes and mum alone it was time to move onto the skiffs. By now the tide had risen high enough that we could navigate the smaller sections of the inlet where we could try and see the Grizzlies fishing for salmon.

The skiffs were ideal for photography, stable and with plenty of room for everyone and also room for us to set up our tripods if needed.

We maneuvered silently up the channel, checking the banks either side for bears that may still have been feeding on sedges and some of the late berry crops further up. We had been advised that sightings of late in this area had been a little sparse and much of this could have been due to the fact that the bears food ‘season’s were a little out of kilter at present. Therefore they had been sighted far less feeding on the spawning Salmon as they would normally be doing at this time of year. This is sometimes just the way nature works and we have both undertaken enough wildlife trips to understand, accept and know that wildlife and indeed nature is unpredictable. That’s why we love it so much, you never know what you will see or what could happen!

We were astounded to see so many Bald Eagles in the Inlet, swopping down low over the streams that were our passage to the Bears. Neither of us had quite expected to see so many, no matter how many times we saw them we were still in awe of their beauty and colossal size, just a little smaller than the Golden Eagle.

Over one hour passed as we drifted up the channel, at this point being powered by Lindsey!, who had by now donned chest high waders and pulled us up the channel so we could remain silent, without the noise of motors disturbing any feeding bears. Lindsey pointed out many interesting sights, including some large bear tracks close to shore and a ridiculously long skin of a tapeworm that had exited from one of the bears, over 2 foot long and an inch thick, rather gross! We knew the bears were here and if they wanted to be seen we would find them.

As we started to near the end of our time in the inlet we had a signal from another skiff ahead of us (part of the Tide Rip group) that they had seen something around the corner. We saw people mobilise cameras faster than Lewis Hamilton pulls off the starting blocks and we knew it had to be a Bear! Sure enough as we came around the corner it was indeed a Grizzly submerged neck deep in water around 50 metres ahead. It was hard to decipher if it was male or female but Lindsey advised it was around 5-6 years old. Rather than feeding on Salmon the bear was clearly distracted and getting irritated by the midges, scratching its head and body constantly. We were all suffering the same fate in the boat but had a bear to distract us. We would worry about the midge bites later! 

The bear did not stay in its position long, just a few minutes before it raised itself out of the water. Then moving into the thick undergrowth along the waters edge and disappearing for good. It had been a brief sighting but all on the boat, including Andy and I were delighted to have seen another grizzly given that we had prepared ourselves not to have seen one at all!

So Knights Inlet did not disappoint in anyway, we had seen our very first Grizzlies, had seen some amazing Bald Eagles and had spent time in one of Canada’s prime and pristine wilderness areas. It most definitely a place we would want to return to again for sure. Happy Anniversary and thank you to the Grizzly Bears for making it a memorable one!

Momma Bear and her two cubs

Our Skiff

Moving through the channels of Knight Inlet

Lindsey powering our skiff!

Grizzly Bear tracks

A memorable morning with Killer Whales - September 12th 2011

On the morning of September 12th Andy and I made the short 10 minute drive to Alder Bay Campground where we would commence the first of two Whale watching trips to hopefully view Killer Whales (Orcas) and other whale species such as Humpback Whales in the famed Johnstone Strait. 

Our vessel for today was the S.V Tuan, a lovely 40 foot sailboat that accommodated just 12 passengers. As soon as the boat arrived we received a warm welcome by our hosts and were kitted with warm and waterproof apparel. At this point we thought the extra kit would be superfluous to our needs given that we had warm windproof jackets already, but later in the trip were glad of the extra layers! With safety briefings done we were well on our way with 8 other people, all of us very eager to see an Orca in the wild. 

It was foggy and very cold this morning with visibility less than 100 metres, this did not bode well for finding whales out in the open straits. Our concerns over the weather were soon diverted when thirty minutes into the trip an aroma of fresh baking whiffed from below deck, not a smell you expect to come across out on the open sea! Fortunately we were not having a hallucination of the senses as our host then appeared with cups of tea, coffee and hot chocolate, followed by home baked muffins that had been cooking in the oven below deck. Now we had not expected that!

Fortunately the weather began to lift, almost in sync with how our moods lifted by the welcome relief of hot drinks and home baking. Just like the day we had arrived at Hidden Cove the lifting fog then revealed the beauty of Johnstone Strait, dotted with large and small tree covered islands and a beautiful blue sky. Now it was time to don the binoculars and focus on finding some Orcas. Fortunately the S.V Tuan was in touch with the two other Whale watching companies that operated in this area so information as to the location of the Orcas would be freely shared even if we did not come across them first.

We passed Stellar Sea Lions and Harbour Seals all frolicking in the water and on nearby rocks. It was just as we passed the Orca research station that we had the call that we all wanted to hear. Orcas had been spotted! They were several miles away, near Robson Bay Ecological Reserve. As we were in a sail boat it would still take a little time to reach them, although at this point we were powered by the motor and not by the wind. 

Twenty minutes or so later we had our first glimpse of the Orcas, we could just make out a kilometre or so ahead the water spouts coming from the Orcas blowhole. First there was one, then two, then three different water spouts. So we had not just one Orca but several, this was getting even better! 

We finally approached the Orcas and it was then we saw the iconic black and white colouring of the whales, wow, these were real Killer Whales in the wild!! There were many of them, all different sizes. They cruised gently just below the surface, coming up for air at regular intervals, but just teasing us with just a small fraction of their bodies. Our hosts knew all the Whales in the area intimately and had sailed this area for 25 years. They advised that the pod we were watching was a group of 11 Resident Orcas, called the ‘A30’ group. Each Whale had its own unique identity from the shape of its dorsal fin and they proceeded to give us a fascinating insight into the history and family structure of this pod. 

An interesting point to note is that ‘resident’ Orcas differ from ‘transient’ Orcas both visually and behaviorally. The resident ones being the Salmon feeders, with a different colour and shaped ‘saddle patch’ who interact with other resident pods. The transient Orcas, seen less often are far more predatory and feed upon dolphins and seals etc in the area. 

The wind then gained momentum and it was time to cut the engine and hoist up the sail. We were going to sail along with the Orcas as long as the wind would allow. With the Orcas around 100-150 metres from our vessel we followed them silently, listening to them echolocate through the ships hydrophonic system. This was fascinating beyond belief and we felt so privileged to be in their company. It truly was a magical moment as the Orcas glided below the surface, occasionally appearing and then meeting up with other members of the pods, with one or two of the Orcas ‘spy hopping’ in the distance (Briefly raising their heads above the water). We both wanted this moment to last but at some point we had to accept that our time to leave the Orcas would come and soon enough it did. We must have spent over 45 minutes with them, more than we could have hoped for. One thing was for sure this was an experience we wanted to repeat again and again!!! 

As we sailed away and made our way back to Alder Bay we had the grand finale, a pod of Pacific White-Sided Dolphins. They moved across the Strait with incredible speed, performing acrobatics along the way. We soon gave up trying to get a photograph these guys, they were just way to fast for us! It was a really fantastic end to what had a been a great morning. Knowledgable and passionate hosts, amazing Orcas and certainly a lovely way to Whale watch on board a the S V Tuan.

 S.V Tuan

Orca (Killer Whale)

Hidden Cove Lodge . A Wilderness and Wildlife Haven. September 11th 2011

After an awesome time in Tofino it was time to head to our next stop, a 5.5 hour journey over to the East coast of Vancouver Island to Telegraph Cove where Orcas and Grizzly Bears were next on the ‘Skinner agenda’. The early bird certainly catches the worm, as just 30 minutes after leaving Tofino at 6:30am we came across a Black Bear mother and her very young solitary cub, happily browsing on berries just along the main road toward Port Alberni. They did not grace us with their presence for long but enough time to catch a glimpse and a quick 20 second burst of video, proof that bears are everywhere! 

With just a quick stop in the town of Campbell River we arrived shortly after lunch to ‘Hidden Cove Lodge’. In contrast to the town location of our previous accommodation Hidden Cove Lodge is a stunning and very secluded 10 room wilderness lodge right on the water front of Johnstone Strait, an area famed for the resident Orca pods and the location of where many of the ‘famous’ shots of Orcas have been captured. We were delighted to be spending the next 3 nights here. 

On arrival, the area immediately around the lodge was shrouded in a thick fog, giving us only a few metres of visibility out to sea, but enough to see that we were going to be very happy staying here. After a quick check in and bags deposited in the room we made the most of our time and explored the lodge grounds. 

We had seen more scat on the gravel road leading to the lodge and Dan, our friendly host and owner of the lodge explained that bears had been nearby the lodge daily for some time, could this possibly get any more perfect!? Would we see one of his local bears? we certainly had hoped so.

The lodge has its own private jetty, two local fisherman patiently sat in hope of catching dinner for the evening. Andy soon revealed his ‘secret’ interest in fishing and within 30 minutes of arriving had a rod in hand, kindly loaned by one of the two local guys. Talking to them was fascinating, a bounty of local stories and tales of previous catches dominated the conversation. 

As we sat on the jetty the fog began to lift, as it did we had no idea of what scenery was about to unfold, it was absolutely stunning and there are just not enough adjectives to describe its beauty. The sky was no longer a pale misty blue but now a deep shade of blue. The straight was calm and glassy and huge forests on an island opposite were slowly revealed. Followed by snow capped mountain peaks in the far distance. All this beauty was unravelled slowly, piece by piece. We were quite categorically in wilderness heaven! 

A cute little Sea Otter joined us on the jetty, as the majestic Bald Eagles sourced above and Kingfishers torpedoed into the water. After around one hour suddenly Andy felt something tugging on the line, did he have a ‘catch’ or had he just caught a bunch of kelp?. As he pulled the line out it revealed his patience had paid off, perhaps not what Andy and I quite expected (Andy was after a nice big Halibut!) but he had caught a fish, a small Rock Cod. The Rock Cod spent just a moment in Andy’s hand and then it was time to release the little fella back into the water. 

Leaving the fisherman to pack up, the sun to set and then to a hearty home cooked dinner it was time to get some rest after a long, but great day. We had another early start before us and the first of our two trips for ‘Operation Orca’. 

Hidden Cove Lodge

Hidden Cove Lodge

After the fog lifted....view from Hidden Cove Lodge 

The reason why its called Hidden Cove Lodge!

Grounds of Hidden Cove Lodge

Andy fishing with the locals at a foggy Hidden Cove

Not quite the Halibut that Andy had hoped for!

Sea Otters and more driftwood - September 10th 2011

Our next bear watching adventure was not until 4:30pm so we had most of the day on September 10th to do our own thing and explore more of the Pacific Rim National Park 

Jet lag seems to be continuing as Andy and I keep waking up at 5am wide awake, either that or our bodies are still tuned to our African adventures whereby getting up at 5am is the norm. The morning of the 10th was no exception so making the most of our sleep deprived state we decided to get up early again, thus making the most of the day.

Sitting outside our lovely apartment as the sun rose that morning was just divine, so peaceful and tranquil. How could anyone ever get bored of this scenery! As I sipped my tea (oh how I wish I had brought PG tips!) something caught my eye in the water below the pier. At first I thought it was small seal, and then I realised that it was a Sea Otter. Tea abandoned I ran in to our room to do two things, grab Andy and a camera. 

The otters had moved a little by the time camera and husband were in tow but not to far that we found them again within moments. They were so unbelievably cute, popping their heads up and down in the water, cruising for fish and other food along the shore in Tofino. It was still barely light so not too conducive for photography but Andy managed to get a few shots in as we willed the light to increase!

The cheeky little otters than jumped on one of the Zodiacs, the ones we had been on the day prior. They scuttled around mischievously and at one point starting scratching the canvas on the zodiac like a cat scratches a sofa!  They really were comical and we were very happy to have seen Sea Otters. 

Leaving the otters to their naughtiness we headed back to our apartment and decided to go for a walk in Bear country and in particular along a trail about 20 minutes outside of Tofino that was famed for huge and ancient Western Red Cedars. Although short, the trail was stunning and of course we found time to hug a few trees, as you do! 

After this trail we headed off to a coastal trail at Wickaninnish beach. Again, this was stunning and right in the centre of the area in which Wolves have been increasingly seen recently. We knew we would not be lucky two days running but it was still exciting knowing they had been, or maybe were still around. Of course we were still in Bear country (Bears are found in most parts of Vancouver Island) so we always walked with caution and made sure we made enough noise to alert any bears of our presence. We wanted to see a bear along these trails but the last thing we wanted to do was to surprise one and get too close.

Walking along the trail we came across VERY fresh bear scat, mmm, interesting! As we approached each corner of the trail we wondered if we would bump into Yogi Bear! Then we came across what looked like Wolf scat, and on closer inspection its shape and size and contents (hair!) meant that we were probably correct, although we are by no means experts on North American wildlife scat. Ok, so we had to be a little careful here although it was not as fresh as the bear scat. Park wardens had placed some remote cameras along this trail, we wandered if Mr or Mrs Bear or or a Grey Wolf had been ‘papped’ that morning.

Meandering alone through small coves it was lovely, huge piles of driftwood again pilled up high where the sea had tossed it onto the beach. We then came across what looked like wolf tracks in the sand, it did not look like a typical domestic dog track and its ‘gait’ signaled that whatever Canid species it was had to be large and very long legged with significant claws and too large for a Coyote (even taking into account the fact it was on sand). We were not 100% but given all the other indications (and the fact that wildlife cameras had been placed in the same location) it seemed a logical conclusion!

We reached the end of the trail and then decided to head back as by now we were hungry, all that walking and tracking had meant we had developed quite an appetite.

Our time for our next bear viewing trip soon approached and off we ventured again on the zodiac. Although on this trip no Wolves (we knew that luck two days running was almost impossible!) we again had some really great bear sightings, including a mother and two cubs, possibly the same cubs from the day previous. All feeding along the shoreline. Bear sightings so far now totally 13 bears in two days!

Another great end to our last day in Tofino before we head off on September 11th for the 5.5 hour drive to Telegraph Cove where we will stay for three nights focusing again on Bears and Whales.

Sea Otters

 Tree Hugging!

Amazing Rain Forests

Driftwood at Wickaninnish beach

Very fresh Bear Scat!

Wolf Tracks?

Did someone say Wolf? - September 9th 2011

After a little time to explore the local town of Tofino it was time to mobilize for our first Black Bear viewing trip. At this time of the year the bears in the area of Clayoquot Sound are generally found along various inlets and they make use of low tides to feed on clams in order to obtain essential protein ready for the winter ahead. This meant that would would again be back on the zodiac boat to try and find the bears by scouting along the shoreline. Apart from a brief sighting on a trip to Sequoia National Park (USA) ten years ago this would be our first time in seeing bears, so we were well and truly excited about the prospect of seeing a Black Bear in the wild. 

The weather was glorious, very hot with clear skies, which at this time of year is unusual for this area. So far the autumn gear we had brought had stayed unworn and lets hope its stays that way!

Sharing the zodiac with 10 other passengers we headed off at 4:30pm toward Mears Island, the scenery breathtaking and the dramatic green carpeted mountains reflecting in the water, which in contrast to the morning was much calmer. 

An impressive Bald Eagle fed on a recent kill on an open mud flat. Gulls and crows soared above, their cries echoing through the various channels that we passed through. Around 20 minutes later, still in awe of how amazing this scenery was we arrived to the back of Mears Island. Slowly we cruised around 100 metres off the shore, looking for the tell tale black shape that would signal we had found our bears! 

Well, we did not have to wait long! There it was, a deep black shape moving along the edge of the shoreline in the distance, our first proper sighting of a Black Bear. As we moved in much closer it appeared to be a young adult, small in size and the guide finding this one hard to tell if it was male or female. Generally it is not always that easy to sex the bears. Males tending to be larger with flatter faces, females smaller with more pointed snouts. 

Totally un-phased by our presence and the cameras clicking from all over the boat he/she went about its business of sourcing food. Effortlessly moving large boulders to discover if there was a bounty of clams underneath. Focused on one thing only it sniffed its way around the shore, its coat shone in the sun and its wet nose glistened. As expected both Andy and I struggled to hold the cameras steady, of course we blamed it on the movement of the boat. However, in truth it was more likely the fact that we were so excited about seeing our first bear! 

We stayed with the little bear for around 15 minutes or so before the guide wanted to head off and look for other bears. Just as we moved off we sighted a mother and one cub, along the next small cove. These bears were much more nervous, perhaps the sound of starting the Zodiac engine had spooked them as we saw just enough to see it was adult and young before they ran back into the thick woodland and by the rustle of the tress above must have hot footed it up a tree. 

As we moved slowly looking for other bears the guide started talking to another nearby boat over the radio. It was then we heard the word ‘Wolf’. He stopped the Zodiac and explained to us all that a guest on a nearby boat had thought they may have just seen a Wolf run in the forest so if all guests we are happy bear viewing was paused and off to see if we could see what the guest had observed. We were not going to argue with this idea! So at this point I (Sarah) became ‘Mrs sceptical’, we knew Wolves were around the area, but the ‘area’ was huge, wolves very transient and incredibly illusive, could it really have been a wolf? We moved back toward the area of the other boat that our guide had communicated with, following the shoreline closely in the area that the possible sighting had occurred. Nothing, just crows, thick forest and the faint sound of the previous bear still rolling rocks over. 

However, ‘nothing’ did not last long as then, to everyones amazement out came a lone wolf! Ok, so this was a Wolf, a real Wolf, a Wolf in the wild!!! Everyone gasped, this was unbelievable and neither Andy or I thought we would honestly see a wolf, even though of course in the back of our minds we had always hoped we would.

It was tall and leggy with a nice rounded stomach, looking the picture of health. The guide then explained that other wolves had been seen earlier that day by a passing boat, having hunted a Black bear nearby to where we were. We looked back to where the other bear had been (both the young bear and mother and cub) and they had vanished. Not surprising given that Wolves were a threat to bears. Their acute sense of smell must have warned them of its presence. the wolf moved with speed along the rocks, sometimes disappearing back into the woods and then back onto the shore again briefly. It was really hard to get shots as we continued to move with the Wolf. It was certainly on a mission. Having followed it for around 10 minutes we then knew we would soon lose it as the shoreline ended which would force it in tall grassy area leading to the forest. 

Managing to get one or two shots it was time to absorb this amazing creature as it moved with amazing agility over the difficult rocky and slippery terrain of the shoreline, jumping up and over fallen trees.

Just at the point where we knew we would lose it in the long grass suddenly another shape became visible, a black shape and then all of a sudden two smaller grey shapes, the size of a medium size dog moving in the long grass. Just as you were trying to digest what this was in the grass the guide excitedly advises that it was MORE Wolves and not only more Wolves but at least two pups and a black Wolf. We saw them for just a few seconds as the lone Wolf we had followed joined them. As the Wolf joined them it picked something up off the ground, it was practically impossible to see what was going on given the grass and distance but just long enough to see that it had a bears paw in its mouth! So these must have been the same wolves that had reportedly hunted a Bear. We wish we could tell you that we got some shots of this happening, the pups and the black Wolf. Sadly not, the grass was too high, the boat was rocking and then they all disappeared behind a large mound and out of sight for good. We managed just a few seconds on video. Fortunately we knew we had got a couple of images of the Lone Gray Wolf (although how sharp they would be was dubious!) We knew these would not be great images but we did our best given we were on a small moving boat.

Wow, what a sighting!!!! not just bears but Wolves, seriously Wolves in the wild. AWESOME!. Feeling almost exhausted after this ten minutes of sheer excitement we had expected the guide to say we were heading back, but no...our bear mission was to continue! 

Shortly after, we came across another bear, this time a much larger bear and by its shape and size looked to be a large adult female. She was very obliging, moving across the shore again, like the other bears feeding with intent and picking up rocks as if they were made of balsa! This was all far too much excitement but at least at this point we managed to get a couple of nice shots. Heading off again, thinking at this point we were surely heading back to the dock we then came across a mum and two cubs. This was by now sheer craziness!! We were not able to get that close to these guys, firstly as mum and cubs can often be a little more nervous and secondly as the shoreline prevented us from approaching. 

Andy I by this point were ‘beared out’! we had hoped to see at least one bear, and never even entertained the idea that on our first Bear viewing excursion that we would see 7 bears, let alone a wolf!!

The 2.5 hour trip had exceeded all of our expectations, we had been very lucky and felt incredibly privileged (although to be fair we came to Canada with the expectation that any sighting is a bonus and as with all wildlife nothing is guaranteed!).

Now it really was time to head back......what a day! Time to check the images we had captured. Although knowing that we should prepare ourselves for some frustration that some would not be in focus due to all the boat movement, but in truth hoping we had got at least one good shot of the Wolf and of course the bears.

Black Bear

Momma Bear and Two Cubs

Gray Wolf

Our first 36 Hours in Canada. Happy faces all around!

The day for us to leave the UK and depart for our Canadian adventure finally came on September 7th and so here is our first blog of what we hope will be an action packed 2.5 weeks of wildlife and wilderness adventures. If the start of is anything to go by I don’t think we will be disappointed and so far Canada is exceeding our expectations in many ways!

This is not our first trip to Canada, having been here approximately 4 years ago whilst snowboarding in Banff but it is our first time to British Columbia and to we looked forward to seeing some of the Canadian wilderness without being shrouded by a a blanket of snow.

The morning after we landed in Vancouver we were straight on the early ferry to Vancouver island, where we are spending around 8 days focusing on Whales and Bears across 3  different areas of the island, starting with three days in Tofino, a small town located on the west of the island and nestled amongst stunning tree covered mountain peaks.

Of course we had ‘googled’ before we left about the areas we were visiting but nothing, and I mean nothing could have prepared us for the spectacular scenery that unfolded as soon as we arrived in the island and so far has continued way beyond what we ever imagined. Traveling along the highway from the ferry immense forests dominated everywhere we turned, impressive mountain peaks covered with a dense blanket of green, and some still with a small covering of ice and snow that clearly never melted. Everything in Canada was big! The mountains, the trees and not to mention huge great gas guzzling trucks!. As we traveled further west the roads became windy, the scenery became more and more spectacular as we passed crystal clear lakes and thick forest with huge Douglas Fir trees. Huge great granite boulders that jutted out from the mountains and lay strewn along the many many creeks we passed over. It was clear that the 3.5 hour journey to Tofino was going to take considerably longer as we could not help by stop of the roadside and take in the awe that was the Canadian wilderness, including places such as Cathedral Grove Provincial Park.

Eventually we arrived in Tofino, tired but excited about our next few days ahead. Our self catered studio accommodation was just perfect, located right at the waters edge with more amazing views that you just could never get tired of. Already, less than 24 hours in BC we were in love with this place!

We had some time in the afternoon to investigate the area more and spent some time along the Pacific Rim National park. We headed straight for the beach, knowing it was a known surf spot we also wanted to check out if there were any clean ‘barrels’ to be had!

To see the temperate rain forest come right to the edge of the ocean was just fascinating and it felt like a scene from prehistoric times with huge ferns and trees that seemed to be never ending in height. There was something truly mystical about this area. The surf was ‘up’ but rather messy so we were in no desperate rush to go and hire boards and jump on a wave. Driftwood covered the coastline as far as the eye could see on every beach we stopped at. It felt like every piece of wood had a story to tell. All different shapes, sizes and textures moulded by the power of the Pacific Ocean. I (Sarah) especially seem to have become obsessed with driftwood, come to Tofino and you will see what I mean!! 

Added to this amazing scenery was the fact that we were now well and truly in Bear territory, but not only bears as we soon found out. Signs dominated the parking areas warning that Wolf and Cougar sightings were on the increase. Ok, so now we were well and truly in predator heaven!!!

Our first adventure was to hopefully see Gray Whales, that could have consisted of either migrating whales or some of the resident population. We boarded a 12 passenger Zodiac with comfy seats for what was to be a trilling ride (as we were sat at the front of the zodiac, the bumpiest and most exhilarating place to sit!!) We travelled up the Clayoquot sound for a considerable distance, concentrating hard all around for the tell tale spout of water from a blowhole that would pinpoint the location of the our target mammal for the morning. Over 1.5 hours and still no luck, the swell was picking up and ride becoming bumpier with each minute that passed. Our guide was clearly getting a little anxious, keen to find some whales. As we started to accept that today was not going to be our day for spotting a whale we had ‘word’ that a Humpback Whale and her calf had been sighted. Our guide ‘hot footed’ to the area where they had been seen, still with no guarantee that we would see them. Then in the distance we saw several boats, they must still be in sight. By now the swell was gathering momentum, making it hard to see what was over the next crested peak. We arrived to where the Whales were and there she was, mother and calf. It was impossible for photography and almost impossible to see them over the undulating sea, but wow what a sight as she slowly glided under the surface, occasionally revealing her location with a spout of water from her blow hole, and every now and then revealing her immense size with a glimpse of her back as her calf followed closely. We stayed only 15 minutes or so with the Whale before we had to head back, pleased at least that we had seen a whale, even if it had not been the species we had expected to see. Any sighting of any animal in the wild especially a whale in such a huge area is a privilege. On the way back we also saw two large bald eagles nestled high upon a tall Douglas Fir, simply stunning!

We arrived back to the dock at 1pm feeling like we had done ten rounds with Mike Tyson after being hurled around in the front of the Zodiac! As we arrived back to our apartment we then found out that whilst out on the ocean at 12:41pm Vancouver Island (VI) had suffered an earthquake, just a little further north from our location. Reaching 6.4 magnitude it was by no means a small quake but fortunately not enough to cause any structural damage, the quake was felt all across Tofino, the whole of VI and also on the mainland. As we had been out in the ocean we were shielded from feeling the effects and there was no Tsumani warning in effect  as the epicenter of the quake was technically very shallow, just 25km down (Along the Pacific Rim we are in the ‘Tsunami Zone’ evident by the many signs showing evacuation routes). 

So that was the end of our first morning in Tofino......time to ‘regroup’ ready for our first bear watching adventure later that afternoon. 

Little did we know it was not just bears we were going to see! Check back later for our next update later today/tomorrow of what we saw!

The view from the Ferry leaving Mainland BC and toward Vancouver Island

En Route to Tofino

En Route to Tofino - Cathedral Grove Provincial Park

En Route to Tofino

One of the beautiful lakes en route to Tofino

Tofino - Tsunami Zone!

View from our studio apartment

Our studio apartment - bottom level, 2nd from the left

Signs along the Pacific Rim National Park in Tofino....Awesome!

Amazing Coastline - Pacific Rim National Park , Nr Tofino

Drfitwood