Watch Whales in Tofino
Tofino on Vancouver Island, Canada has been a resource outpost, hippie enclave and now an eco-resort town, according the Lonely Planet guide on British Columbia & the Canadian Rockies. And it's a great place to commune with nature in general and the gentle giants in particular.
As well as being the winner of the National Geographic Reader's Choice Award for Best Spring Trip, whale watching in Tofino appeals to me in so many different ways. First, I really love water and second I've always been fascinated by whales. Not only are they SO BIG but they seem so kind and playful. Research tells us whales are intelligent and sociable, living in family groups, sharing family duties like child care and birthing and just playing together. They are also communicative with each other and humans.
Every spring thousands of gray whales migrate north from their breeding grounds in Mexico's Baja Peninsula to the Bering Sea to feed. Clayoquot Sound, just off Tofino, is a popular feeding ground for the nearly 20,000 gray whales on their yearly migration, so it's prime whale watching territory. Humpback whales feed there, too, along with the occasional orca. It's even possible to see the whales from land.
The area is also unusually beautiful, boasting surf-washed beaches and primeval forests making it a near paradise for nature-lovers. Since Tofino's main business is tourism there's lots to do. Besides the two and a half hour whale watching expeditions, there's also bear watching, bird watching, biking, hiking, trips to Hot Springs Cove, surfing, kayaking, shopping, spas, and pretty much any resort-type thing you could want.Get more information from these sources:
Photo credit: Cowichan Valley Camera Club (Tofino overview)
Photo credit: Go Tofino.com (beach)
