Labrador is the mainland and Newfoundland (pronounced New-fund-land) is the island.

This is an area renown for its abundance of cod fish. 22 species of whales and dolphins come to Newfoundland and Labrador annually  – they can be spotted from land or from a boat.

The most common types are the Humpback, Minke and Fin, with Beluga and Killer, but the others which might also be spotted are: Beluga, Narwhal, Sperm Whale, Pygmy Sperm Whale, Blue Whale, Sei Whale, Bowhead Whale, Right Whale, Northern Bottle-Nosed Whale, Sowerby’s Beaked Whale, Blainville’s Beaked Whale, True’s Beaked Whale.

Boat whale watching cruises take tourists to the scenic coastal waters off St. Anthony. And, there’s Iceberg Alley – an area famous for its bounty of icebergs, whales, dolphins and seabirds. The tourist season usually runs from June through September

The capital of Newfoundland and Labrador is St. John’s (also North America’s oldest city), located on the Avalon Peninsula. There are regular ferries between the island and the mainland.

Newfoundland and Labrador is bordered on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, on the north by the Labrador Sea, on the west by Quebec and the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, and on the south by Quebec and the Atlantic Ocean.

Come with us on a sea adventure to explore the scenic coasts of Maine, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador

The Bay of Fundy lies on the Atlantic coast of North America, on the northeast end of the Gulf of Maine between the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. The Bay of Fundy is known for its high tidal range … in some places the vertical difference between high and low tide is 14 meters!

The rich feeding grounds around the Fundy Isles make the area a highly accessible sites for viewing whales, as they feast on the abundant supply of food churned up twice a day by the powerful tides.

For a guide to accommodation and activities in the Bay of Fundy area, visit Real Adventures.

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Scenic In New Brunswick

Come with us on a sea adventure to explore the scenic coasts of Maine, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, with your hosts Captains Rick and Karen. Share our dream of life on the sea on our renovated 90-foot Dutch fishing vessel.

There is a wide variety of whale watching destinations in British Columbia, from the cities of Vancouver and Victoria Bay to locations off the north and west coasts of Vancouver island and parts of Northern British Columbia.

March to September are the best time for Gray Whales; May to September for Orcas. Best months are May, June, July, August and September. Minke and Humpback whales are also encountered as they make their way to the fertile feeding grounds of Alaska.

Vancouver: Pick-ups are available from most hotels, and there is a choice of departure point: the historic fishing village of Steveston, located at the mouth of the Fraser River (40 minutes from downtown Vancouver via Highway 99), or from downtown Vancouver. From either you can explore the Strait of Georgia, Fraser River Delta and Gulf Islands.

Vancouver Island: About 80 Orcas live in the waters off the southern island coastline year-round, and the island is considered to possess some of the world’s highest-density and most accessible whale-watching locations. Migrating Gray Whales pass by between March and October.

The most popular whale watching departure points are Tofino & Ucluelet (you can enjoy land based whale watching there), Telegraph Cove, Port McNeill & Alert Bay, the Southern Gulf Islands and Victoria. To the north of the island, the protected waters of Johnstone Strait provide sightings of Orcas and minke whales.

Kayaking provides a wonderful way to explore the maze of islands and marine wildlife – go for a guided tour. Some tours set up camp on the islands.

Tofino and Ucluelet host an annual Pacific Rim Whale Festival in March. Visitors can enjoy whale watching, lectures – and lots of family activities.

Where do you find 200 Orcas? In the waters around Telegraph Cove, Port McNeill and Alert Bay. The Robson Bight Ecological Reserve in Johnstone Strait is famous for its “rubbing stones.”  Orcas love to rub their bodies on the smooth stones of the reserve’s beaches. It is not know why they do this – and they are the only whales who indulge in this activity.

The southern Gulf Islands lie in close proximity to the feeding grounds of Orcas, with their waters home to three pods of southern resident Orcas. Sightings are most common between May and November, when great numbers of salmon, their staple food, are spawning nearby. The islands offer regular a ferry service from Vancouver Island and the mainland. There is also an inter-island ferry service.

Victoria: The charming “Garden City” of Victoria, at the southern tip of Vancouver Island, is a world-class destination for whale watching. The best time for whale watching in the Victoria area is during the feeding season from May through November.

Whale watching in Northern British Columbia: Humpback, gray and killer whales are the attractions.

During the summer months, whales are one of the main attractions on British Columbia’s northern coast.  They make the most of the salmon-rich waters where they feed and frolic within the sheltered Northern Inside Passage.

The 140 islands of Haida Gwaii (the Queen Charlottes) provides fantastic viewing opportunities, and in Prince Rupert, thousands of whales gather, from late spring through early fall, near this northern port town. About 20,000 gray whales alone pass by on their way to the Bering Sea. Prince Rupert is situated at the mouth of the Skeena Rive and is easily accessible by air, rail, cruise ship, ferry, car or RV. It is an arrival and departure point for BC Ferries sailings to and from the Queen Charlotte Islands.

Whales can also be watched by kayak from Prince Rupert, with guided excursions ranging from a few hours to several days. Kayaks can also be hired by the more experienced viewer who plans a self-guided trip.