Tour Itinerary

Your Orca Overnight Adventure departs from the boat ramp located adjacent to our store in Telegraph Cove. You are welcome to come visit us, at your convenience in the days before the tour with any of those last minute questions or to pick up dry bags for your gear. Alternately we meet you at 8-30am on the morning of your trip. Your professional kayak guide will be here to greet you with dry bags and advise on how to pack. We recommend that you will have already had your breakfast – the Seahorse Café located right in the Cove can look after most tastes. Your kayaks will be already loaded with all the camping and group equipment with space left for your gear. The tour starts with introductions to your fellow adventurers and a brief safety and paddling technique discussion to ensure your comfort on the water. After being fitted to your kayak you will be ready for launch. This tour is typically on the water before 9-30am while other companies are still unloading kayaks from their trailers.

We launch into the protected, natural harbor of Telegraph Cove where you will have some time to get used to being in your kayak before we head through the narrow opening to Johnstone Strait and the seemingly unending wilderness beyond. Our route will take you North Easterly with the spectacular, rugged coast of Vancouver Island on your right, the distant mountains of mainland BC on your left and the realm of the Orca in between. Our tours focus on the journey; we try to ensure that all stress is left behind in the parking lot. As such, on your way to our lunch beach you will follow a meandering route that will explore the islands and coves that dot this part of the coast. Emphasis is on wildlife, scenery and nature interpretation, however our guides will be more than happy to provide ongoing instruction to improve your paddling technique. While you paddle our guides will be monitoring their VHF radios to ensure that no possible whale encounters are missed.

Lunch will be taken on a remote beach, overlooking Johnstone Strait. Marine wildlife frequents this area so keep your eyes peeled. During 2008, Brad, one of our top guides rescued a baby Dalls Porpoise, that had become entangled in the kelp just off this beach, from drowning. It was released to its mother's care and after a brief rest they swam off down the coast. After lunch you will continue towards the camp which is located approximately 5km (3 nautical miles) from Robson Bight, the internationally renowned whale Ecological Reserve. Once at our campsite you will help make camp and enjoy a sumptuous meal on the beach. Do not worry if you have never set a tent before, ours are specially selected to be simple yet resilient and someone will always be close by to help.

The evening may be spent around a campfire chatting with your guide and others on the trip. If lucky, you may again see Orca or Humpback whales as they swim by the camp. It is not unheard of for Orca to use the camp beach as a rubbing beach. The northern latitude can provide some spectacular sunsets and due to the remoteness and lack of light pollution clear nights can offer a view of the night sky you may never of seen before. Time your tour to coincide with a full moon and be treated to a relaxed show as the moon slowly climbs over the distant mainland peaks to light the water between you, the beach and your camp. On still nights you may spy the killer whales swimming by in the moonlight!

If you are not already up to see the sunrise your guide will call you to coffee and breakfast. After breakfast you will break camp and get back out onto the water. Our return trip will again maximize wildlife encounters as you paddle the vicinity and commence the journey up Johnstone Strait back towards Telegraph Cove. Should we be lucky enough to find ourselves in the vicinity of the whales, your guide will break out the Hydrophone, which enables us to listen in to the underwater conversations of these magnificent creatures. Enroute we stop for lunch and will return to Telegraph Cove around 3-30pm.

No previous experience is required as we use very stable tandem kayaks with small group sizes. Single kayaks may be available for those with previous kayaking experience and knowledge of self-rescue techniques.

Meals included – 2 Lunches, Dinner and Breakfast.

This is an example of the type of itinerary you can expect. Because we believe that this is your experience, we like to be flexible. Your leaders will take weather, tides and currents into consideration to provide you with the best opportunities to enjoy what our area has to offer.