Sidney Whale Watching

Two orcas glide silently through the water, their shiny black dorsal fins framed by an azure sky. In a thrilling display of acrobatic synchronicity, they explode out of the sea and into the air, a glorious spray rising from the water. Such awe-inspiring sights are regular occurrences in the calm waters of the Salish Sea, where humpback whales, grey whales, dolphins, and sea lions join the more than 80 resident orcas that swim in these waters throughout the year. For more than a decade, Michael Child of Sidney Whale Watching has been at the helm of his family-run company — taking visitors out from March to October in open hull boats, a ride combining the comforts of a full-size craft with the speed of a Zodiac. A member of the Kwakiutl First Nation, Child’s been plying these waters for as long as he can remember. “There are few places in the world like this,” he says. “Every time I take visitors out, I get to relive the wonder of seeing it for the first time.” Along with tours and private charters, Sidney Whale Watching, located in the town of Sidney, B.C., offers kayak and standup paddleboard rentals for those wanting a self-guided tour of the seabird roosting sites and the foraging grounds of porpoises that also call this spectacular setting home. “We’re so fortunate to have such beauty here,” says the passionate educator and conservation advocate. “We all get so busy in our lives, we sometimes forget there is a natural world we all depend upon.”