Ucluelet, Vancouver Island, B.C.
- White Sands & Turquoise Water |
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| 'I touched a gray whale!' |
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photo credit:
BC Tourism |
I touched a gray whale! It's an experience I will remember for
the rest of my life. We were returning to Ucluelet, (pronounced
U-Clue-Let) after a wonderful day of kayaking in the Broken
Group Islands, part of Pacific Rim National Park. Three boats
had stopped to whale watch in the Loudoun Channel so we drew
closer, keeping a respectful distance between us. Excited passengers
on a Zodiac thrilled to every move the whales made, sometimes
screaming with delight. |
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photo credit:
Glen Werkman |
Suddenly it was our turn. Two gray whales came over to see what
we were all about. Brian Congdon, our guide, identifies many
whales in the area and calls these,"the Friendlies." Out came
the cameras and video recorders, including those of our guides,
who said they had never seen anything like this before. |
| For over an hour the whales swam near our boat or under it.
They rolled over, sometimes lying on their sides as if they
were watching us. Sometimes they extended their pectoral fins,
which we touched. They lunged to gather food and when they resurfaced,
they would sometimes roll on their backs to allow the food to
gather behind their teeth. |
| Sometimes they nuzzled each other and seemed inseparable.
We touched them and felt the spray from their blowholes, which
is supposed to bring good luck. It smelled like rotting fish
but that was a small price to pay for the thrill of those moments.
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| Our guides were as excited as we were. Brian put a hydrophone
in the water so we could hear the clicking noises the whales
made to identify their surroundings and communicate with each
other. As suddenly as they had come, they disappeared. When
we realized they were not coming back, we headed for Ucluelet,
thrilled with a grand finale to a perfect day. |
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| photo
credit: BC Tourism |
Our day had started at daybreak. Tracy Morben of Majestic Ocean
Kayaking was our guide for a kayaking trip in the Broken Group
Islands. Partnered with Subtidal Adventures, Brian Congdon a
veteran with 28 years in the business, took us across the inlet
in a "Zodiac" and dropped us off on an isolated, well-protected
island. (broken islands photo credit: Tourism BC) |
| Under Tracey's direction we unloaded the kayaks, removed our
warm and practical orange survival suits, and assembled the
equipment including neoprene boots, mitts and jackets. Clothes,
shoes and cameras were stored in dry bags and tucked under our
waterproof aprons. Unless the kayak tips, everything stays dry,
even when it rains. We were in the best of hands with the best
of equipment. |
| The kayaking was delightful. After two hours of paddling,
a welcome break in quiet waters was munching on a huge, homemade
oatmeal cookie. We stopped for a filling lunch at Chalk Island
using a huge fallen tree for a table, with tablecloth, serviettes
and hot beverages. |
| The Broken Group Islands are a pristine archipelago made up
of more than 100 rocky islands and islets in Barkley Sound that
can only be reached by boat. The beauty of our surroundings
and the abundance of wildlife left me at a loss for adequate
words. |
| Tired but happy we made our way back to Ucluelet, a tiny town
with a population of 1,753, on the edge of a great rain forest.
Ucluelet means, "safe harbour," a harbour that bustles with
a mixture of fishing boats, modern yachts and small passenger
boats. |
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photo credit:
Lorne Mallin |
Fresh seafood is a Ucluelet specialty, famous for salmon, cod
and halibut. The restaurants are inexpensive but good while
accommodations vary from cost-conscious to prestigious romantic
hideaways. The townspeople are pleased that no big chain hotels
have come in yet! |
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photo credit:
BC Tourism |
The new Wild Pacific Trail is truly "Life on the Edge." It skirts
the rugged cliffs and shoreline of Amphitrite Point. The 2.7-km
loop (1.5 miles) can be walked in 45 minutes but that wouldn't
allow time to appreciate the fury of the waves or the splendour
of a sunset. It's a perfect trail for storm, whale & bird watching.
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| Each spring, more than 26,000
Pacific Gray Whales migrate northward from early March to late
April. During other months it is common to see resident gray
whales, transient Orcas and occasionally humpbacks and dolphins.
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photo credit:
BC Tourism |
Black Bear Watching is a canoe adventure, one of several tours
offered by Daryl Keeble of Pristine Adventures. Clayoquot Sound
boasts the highest blackbear population density in the world.
Using a canoe, Daryl gets his guests closer to wildlife than
by any other form of transportation. Spring and fall are peak
viewing times for black bear but we also saw raccoons, eagles,
shore birds, sea lions, seals, mink and river otters. |
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photo credit:
BC Tourism |
This statement summarizes Daryl's philosophy of life. "Money
pulls me away from the land. If I get caught up in commercialism
I become nothing more than an ad for a car. Life is too important
for that."
His love for the outdoors and his respect for the land and
animals has given him a rare insight to the fine balance of
man's relationship with nature. He has a keen interest in
preserving what he loves for future generations. |
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| When you go |
Pristine Adventures
Guide: Daryl Keeble
1-250-726-4477 |
Majestic Ocean Kayaking
Barkley Sound & Clayoquot Sound
$195.00 includes the Zodiac taking the kayaks to and from the
Broken Group Islands
www.majestic.bc.ca
1-800-889-7644 |
Subtidal Adventures
Ucluelet, Barkley Sound, B.C.
www.subtidaladventures.com
1-877-444-1134 |
Mountain View B&B
1280 Rupert St.
Host: Maggie Brown
www.bbcanada.com/700.html |
A Snug Harbour Inn
(deluxe)
460 Marine
Host: Skip and Denise Rowland
1-888-936-5222
www.awesomeview.com |
Oyster Jim's Oysters
World famous roasting oysters
Ph: 726-7350 |
For more information:
Ucluelet Chamber of Commerce
(250) 726-4641
info@uclueletinfo.com
www.uclueletinfo.com |
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