Earlier this month, I spent a full week traveling across the dynamic landscape of Vancouver Island with Nathaniel Atakora and Tourism Victoria. This trip kicked off with a morning ferry ride across the Georgia Straight to meet Nathaniel Atakora at the Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea. Here we learned more about ocean ecology and explore this regions unique sea life.
This is Vancouver Island’s newest way to learn about ocean ecology and explore British Columbia’s unique sea life. With floor to ceiling viewing panels highlighting the breathtaking array of local marine life through Discovery Streams mirroring complex mini-ecosystems. Truly an aqueous experience that promotes environmental awareness and conservation of the ocean environment.
The next day we left Nanaimo to meet our guides at Ocean EcoVentures Whale Watching Ocean EcoVentures started running whale watching tours in 2003 and has been creating up-close experiences with British Columbia’s local Orca Pods ever since.
I can’t describe the feeling of being surrounded by breaching Orcas. An immersive experience with these majestic mammals. After an hour of wales watching bliss we left to relax at the Farm Table Inn, a charming Bed & Breakfast, Restaurant and Farm close by.
Blue Grouse Estate is comprised of 65 acres tucked away on a sunny Vancouver Island slope in the Cowichan Valley, named from a Salishan First Nations word meaning “the warm land”. With a guided wine tour, tasting and charcuterie.
We then left to hike to Botanical Beach, near the town of Port Renfrew. This thrilling beach has an extensive upland habitat, but is best known for its abundance of intertidal life. The organisms that live here must be able to handle a wide range of conditions. When the tide is out there are large changes in temperature, predators, food sources and salinity.
That night we checked into the Prestige Oceanfront Resort, located in Greater Victoria on the southwestern tip of Vancouver Island, in the seaside township of Sooke for a good night’s rest.
In the morning we walked over to meet up with our friends Robin and Dana in the Sooke Marina for a fishing adventure with True Key Fishing
