Whale Watching - Victoria or Vancouver ?

Is it better to do whale watching out of Victoria or Vancouver?

Cruising on the Emerald Princess and wondering if May 12 too early for the whales in that area?

Thank you.

Sherry

I think maybe you would have some luck in seeing humpback whlaes in May. If nothing else, I think you might see some ocras (not really whales but in the dolphin family) in Victoria.

There is are year-round resident pods of Orcas (aka "Killer Whales") in the San Juan Islands and the straits between Vancouver Island and the Canadian mainland.

The migrating Gray Whales stay out in the Pacific Ocean and migrate in late Spring.

Victoria would be my choice as a little closer to the Gulf Islands. As fir time if year you are good. From Tourism Vancouver, "From May to October, it’s prime viewing time to see southern resident orcas feeding on migrating salmon in the Strait of Georgia and the Gulf Islands. "

Saw people getting on the RHIB boats in Victoria for this. Nice survival suits.

Definitely Victoria.

It offered great viewing between May and October.

Keith

Is it better to do whale watching out of Victoria or Vancouver?

 

Cruising on the Emerald Princess and wondering if May 12 too early for the whales in that area?

 

Thank you.

 

Sherry

We had an excellent whale watching excursion out of Victoria.

Victoria. We live south of Victoria in the U.S., April and May you may see Grays and humpback, all year you may see resident and transient orcas, minke whales, and harbour and dall's porpoises. Last summer transient orcas were abundant. They eat seals and sea lions which are greatly increasing in population here.

Go out of Victoria. Short run to the San Juan Islands if the Orca's are in the area. Tour operators are pretty good about letting the rest of the boats know where the Orca's are active. There are also Minke's in the area. This past summer there were a number of Humpback's between Port Angeles and Victoria. Food must be plentiful for the Humpback's to stay in the area instead of heading to Alaska for the summer.