Ocean Ecoventures belongs to an extensive Whale Spotting Network, a coalition of fishermen, Whale Watching Companies, land-based spotters, and whale enthusiasts.
On most days during the spring and summer months, we know where the whales are located, and as such, can guarantee, on the day of your tour, whether you will see whales. Our sightings record for 2011 was 97%.
We are upfront and honest about whale sightings. Viewing whales in the wild is so great because no two tours are ever alike. We have always extended a “Rain Check” to the few passengers who do not see whales on their tour. Our rain check is a complimentary Whale Watching trip on a stand-by basis. This complimentary whale watching trip in non-transferable.
We offer the “Rain Check” from May 15th to September 15.
That being said we really feel that our tours are amazing whether we see whales or not. The amount of wildlife in the Salish Sea is unbelievably diverse, not to mention the spectacular seascapes and scenery. Our commentary is fun, friendly and educational.
We are also firm believers of “If You Don’t Go You Won’t See!” There are a few tours each year that leave the dock with “no whale reports” only to find whales during the tour.
Ocean Ecoventures is committed to responsible and ethical wildlife viewing. We believe it is a priviledge to witness marine wildlife in their natural habitat, and as such these animals must be protected from human harrassment and above all they must be respected.
Ocean Ecoventures is a member of the Pacific Whale Watch Association formerly the Whale Watch Operators Association Northwest, a group of 31 companies who are dedicated to responsible wildlife viewing.
This dynamic organization, with the assistance of marine researchers and biologists, has developed a set of guidelines for operating vessels around Orca Whales and other marine wildlife. The PWWA has created a cohesive network within the whale watching industry which operates in the Pacific waters of Washington state and British Columbia.
One primary objective of this proactive organization is to support local educators and scientists who significantly contribute to the conservation of the Southern Resident Killer Whale population.
For example in October, 2005, the PWWA unanimously voted to support local orca whale research and public education programs.orca fin The Canadian Marine Mammal Monitoring Program (M3) in Victoria B.C., received a $3,000 grant, The Center for Whale Research on San Juan Island received a $4,000 grant, and the Soundwatch Boater Education Program based out of Friday Harbour received a $3,000 grant.
We believe that it is vital to the safety and well-being of the Southern Resident Orca Whales that wildlife viewing companies cooperate and collaborate with scientists and researchers. The daily marine wildlife observations made by Whale Watching operators, combined with scientifically-based information can only result in a positive outcome for the Orca Whales.
Location: Ocean EcoVentures is the most centrally located whale watching company on Vancouver Island. From the moment we leave the dock you are immersed in nature. The Orca Whales we view can travel up to 100 miles in a 24 hour period. Cowichan Bay is situated in the center of the Southern Resident Killer Whales and Bigg’s Killer Whales (Transient Orca) travel territories. This ensures that we have the highest sightings of Killer Whales on Vancouver Island every year. We also view Humpback Whales regularly feeding within fifteen minutes of Cowichan Bay over the summer and fall months.
Small Tour Groups: We take a maximum of 12 passengers in our boats. Our boats are never crowded, everyone in the boat has an excellent view. Customer service is paramount, you will never be just another face in the crowd. We thrive on personal interaction, it’s our guests who make us what we are!
Our Team: Everyone in our team is passionate about the whales, wildlife and the Salish Sea. We feel privileged to share Vancouver Island’s marine ecosystem and all that inhabits it with our guests from all over the world. Our captains are the best in the industry, highly trained, fun, engaging and vigilant when it comes to safety.
Our Ethos: Conservation through education. We view our boats as floating classrooms. Our goal is to help foster personal connections between our guests and our local environment. We believe that preservation can come only through these relationships, connections and education. We strive to operate in most conscious and ecological way possible. We are dedicated to responsible and ethical whale watching and wildlife viewing.
“What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”—Jane Goodall
Photography: Looking for that perfect shot? Ocean EcoVentures is know for producing world class whale and wildlife images. Whether you are taking pictures with a top of the line DSLR or a cell phone our captains will have you in the right place at the right time to capture those unforgettable moments.
We read about this company on trip advisor and made our reservations.The tour certainly lived up to the worthy praise that preceded it. We saw a pod of something like 30 whales!! Plus a smaller pod of 3 before that. Also porpoises, seals & eagles. It was beautiful and the guide was absolutley excellent. He was organized, informative & friendly. The boat was also great: an inflatable just like what the coast guard uses. It skips right over the water & enables you to feel far fewer rock & rolls than an ordinary boat does, which is really good for someone like me, who does get seasick! Also really appreciated that there were just 8 of us instead of a whole mob of people as we saw on other whale watch boats. This really is worth a trip no matter where you are on the island and it is suitable for children.
Clarke Family, Coburg, Ontario
We would like to take the opportunity to say a big thank you for the trip on the 25th August, it was just fabulous. We ploughed through all the tourist information available in Victoria BC and especially the whale trips and we did not see any advertisement for your company. You need to get your company ‘out there’, what you offer, no one else does, i.e., the small capacity and willingness to provide your customers with truly amazing memories. If any of our photos turn out any good, we will email them to you, if you like. We do not get home until late September, so it shall be a while. Thank you again so much and we wish you much success in your business and we shall be recommending your trip to anyone we encounter who may be interested in whale watching trips.
Kind regards, Kris and Maree
We had such a great time on this trip. The scenery here is fantastic and our captain was very knowledgeable about local history and wildlife. It was nice to have our own set of binoculars through the boat ride. A nice touch.
Julie Harris, Seattle, Washington
A whale breaching 100 yards from the boat – what more can we say?
Conni and Chris Jensen, Colorado Springs, Colorado
I don’t know how to swim, so I was nervous to even go on the boat. But the friendly and professional attitude of the Captain and the comfort of the boat put me at ease. I can’t wait to go again and see even more beautiful BC coastline.
Kathy Parks, Picton, Ontario
Our boating trip was well beyond what we expected – fun, educational, and exciting. We’ll definitely be back
John and Catherine Sanderson, Calgary, Alberta
We just wanted to thank you again for the excellent service your outfit provided us. Your excursion was the highlight of our trip. We are already planning our next trip to see our “new friends of the sea” Keep in touch and let us know when you start offering “frequent whale watching rewards program” haha! Thanks again!
Jen and Joe, Colorado
You went out of your way to make the day a real experience, and you succeeded 150%! I think Evan is trying to find a way to get ourselves and the rest of our team back to the West Coast so that we can do it again! I honestly don’t think I could think of one negative thing to say, because both Evan and I walked away almost speechless (which for the two of us, is tough!). Thank you so much for spending the day with us, and accommodating our schedules-we both appreciated how you went out of your way to make the day great. We had an amazing time, and would do it again in a heartbeat! If there is anything that we can do for you, please let us know! All the best!
Valerie @ YUM Canada
This was our first trip to B.C., and we’re thrilled to have discovered this great company. We saw orca whales, humpback whales, beautiful scenery, bald eagles, and sandy beaches. This boat ride was a highlight of our trip to this beautiful island.
Sam and Carrie Johnston, Ottawa, Ontario