Chemainus/Nanaimo
Fintastic fun
An unforgettable marine excursion
Timing is everything: The whale-watching near Cowichan Bay can be phenomenal. Photo by Simon Pidcock
Vancouver Island has an amazing coastline with endless stretches of plant and animal habitat. One of the most popular things to do off the coast is whale-watching.
Simon Pidcock is the owner and operator of Ocean Ecoventures, a company that offers whale-watching excursions; these depart daily from Cowichan Bay—a 40-minute drive from Nanaimo and a 25-minute drive from Chemainus. Pidcock, who is also the vice-president of the Pacific Whale Watch Association for Vancouver Island, said his passion for the sea has led to his career.
“The movement of the whales really interests me,” said Pidcock. “They prove us wrong all of the time, but there are some general patterns that they do follow.”
Following the path
While the prime whale watching months are from April to October, Pidcock said that in spring and summer, he knows where the whales will be. And, although it’s a rare occurrence, if people do not get to see a whale on their excursion with Ocean Ecoventures, Pidcock will offer a complimentary whale-watching trip on a standby basis. However, about 97 per cent of the time, people on the tours will observe whales and other sea life.
“Whale-wise, we see orca whales,” said Pidcock. “There are two types that we primarily view: one is the southern resident orca whales…and there are transient orca whales that travel between southeast Alaska and southern California. Then there are humpback whales, gray whales, seals, sea lions, a lot of birdlife—eagles, diving birds, shorebirds—porpoises.”
Pidcock is part of a large spawning network that collaboratively works on visual whale spotting, which has given him insight into where the whales will be.
“It is all visual-based spotting and there are no tracking devices on the whales,” said Pidcock. “We hear (where the whales are) from fishermen, float plane pilots, ferry captains and people who live on the shoreline.”
RESOURCES: www.oceanecoventures.com
Vancouver Island key contacts
-
Nanaimo, BCLand of the Living Forest
For the fourth consecutive year, RVwest readers have voted Living Forest medal status as one of their favourite privately owned and operated campgrounds in B.C. or as favourite RV snowbirding destination in B.C. Centrally located on Vancouver Island near Nanaimo, this 53-acre waterfront campground is close to many attractions—such as the Nanaimo harbour, malls, ferries and main highways. Campground features include full-service RV sites, ocean views, 30- and 50-amp sites, WiFi, gourmet coffee bar with a view, sewer hookups, sani-dump, cable, tenting areas, laundromat and games room—along with many outdoor activities. Whether you're planning a summer or winter getaway to Vancouver Island, make Living Forest Oceanside Campground your destination.
Living Forest Oceanside Rv Park & Campgroundwww.campingbc.com 
Calgary, ABWelcome to RV Lifestyles: Western Canada's best tent trailer dealer
RV Lifestyles is proud to carry North America's best selling brands. Coleman camping trailers, Viking tent trailers and Northern Lite fiberglass truck campers—no matter which model you choose, you can rest assured that you will get user-friendly features and reliable quality with friendly and knowledgeable service.
With our large selection of new, used and consigned units, we're confident that we have a size, floor-plan and price that will suit your camping needs.Please browse our site and links, to research our product lines and give us a call at (403) 291-0077 (local) or 1-888-291-0052 (toll free) to answer any questions that you might have.
RV Lifestyleswww.rvlifestyles.ca-
Vancouver, BCBe sure to visit Nanaimo, BC
Nestled between the ocean and the mountains, Nanaimo offers residents and visitors a diverse range of recreational opportunities, fine dining, shopping, and arts and culture. Be sure to visit the historic downtown and go for a stroll along the Harbourside promenade. Nanaimo also has a vibrant social and cultural life. We host an 800 seat Performing Arts Theatre, a large, a brand new state-of-the-art conference centre, and we are known as the Island's "shopping mecca" since we offer not only name-brand stores but also one-of-a-kind art and clothing galleries, pottery and hand-made jewellery. We look forward to seeing you soon in Nanaimo - one of the most desirable, liveable small cities in North America!
Destination Nanaimowww.amazingnanaimo.com 
British ColumbiaEnter to win a dream B.C. vacation
Spend a few weeks touring B.C.'s great outdoors, create the ultimate road trip or choose any other adventure you would like to have in our beautiful province. Enter to win a dream B.C. vacation worth $20,000 and get your free 2010 vacation planner now.
BC Tourismwww.hellobc.com-
Vancouver, BCLive The Dream
Holiday Trails Resorts offers full service sites, heated pools, hot tubs, clubhouses, in-park shops, restaurants, playing fields, playgrounds, access to local attractions and scenic settings. Our mandate continues to be to provide quality RV resorts, in a variety of areas, so that our members can enjoy many years of camping at destinations of their choice.
Holiday Trails Resortswww.holidaytrailsresorts.com