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Wildlife & Scenery Tour - Bears, Whales, Dolphins, Seals, Sea Lions & More - North Vancouver Island, British Columbia

8/2/2018

8 Comments

 
With the fantastic four days we spent with Orca Dreams (see posts here), we still wanted to see more, including the Grizzly Bears of Knight Inlet.

So, I booked a tour with professional photographer, Rolf Hicker. His company is Vancouver Island Tours, and he has a 12-hour Wildlife & Scenery Tour that includes Knight Inlet. And the best part is he takes a maximum of four people.

It was an epic day on the water, and though Rolf's tours are expensive because he keeps them small, it was worth every penny.
Grizzly Bears - Knight Inlet - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
We happened to be staying at Alder Bay Resort in our RV, and that's where Rolf launches his tour boat, Ambient Light, every morning.
Ambient Light - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
Ambient Light - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
That was quite fortunate for us since we met him at 5:30 a.m., and we just had to get up early enough to walk to the dock.

Rolf is from Germany, but emigrated to Canada in 2004 where he now runs his photo tours and the Artists Point B&B.

He told us he was hooked on the area when he was kayaking and suddenly a "2 meter fin rose out of the water beside my boat". He filmed Orcas underwater here for a period of seven years.

Today, our boat mates were two young ladies, sisters from Germany, who were guests at the B&B.

The plan was to go to Knight Inlet first to try to find Grizzlies before other tour boats arrived. The two-hour ride went by quickly as we chatted with Rolf about the wildlife, his amazing life, and places we've been.

Entering Knight Inlet, the water color changed, ....
Knight Inlet - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
​and Rolf puttered by a couple of spots where he has seen bears before. No luck there, but we did find a few Harbor Seals, and took the opportunity to photograph them.
Harbor Seals - Knight Inlet - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
Harbor Seal - Knight Inlet - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
We proceeded up the inlet to Glendale Cove which is known for having the highest concentration of Grizzlies in British Columbia.

Near the mouth of the cove is the Knight Inlet Lodge where people come from all over the world to stay and view bears. Float planes come and go a few times a day in the summer dropping off incoming guests and hauling out departures.
Knight Inlet Lodge
This time of year, the bears are feeding on what they can find along the shoreline, and Rolf was concerned that we might have to wait for low tide later in the morning to see bears. He said his favorite time of the year to see the bears here is in May and June, although most people like to come in the Fall when they are feeding on salmon.

However, the lodge boats were out and we could see people looking through binoculars. Right past the lodge, we saw our first Grizzlies, a sow and a cub.
Grizzly & Cub - Glendale Cove, BC - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
Grizzly & Cub - Glendale Cove, BC - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
They were feeding on the exposed plants and whatever else they uncovered under the seaweed and rocks.

And Rolf was relieved, as he is everytime his clients see the first bear.

We saw another Grizzly farther into the cove, but it was moving back into the woods, so we stayed with the two in front of us.

The lodge boats took their guests in for breakfast, so we had these bears to ourselves for quite a while.
Grizzly & Cub - Glendale Cove, BC - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
Grizzly & Cub - Glendale Cove, BC - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
There is a 100-meter viewing distance required, and Rolf had a range-finder to ensure we stayed at a proper distance and didn't disturb the bears.

It was especially important for this pair, as Rolf said there were two cubs yesterday. A researcher in a boat nearby confirmed that one cub disappeared overnight, and they weren't sure what happened to it.

​These bears seemed a bit skittish this morning and flinched when a Raven made some racket close by.
Grizzly Sow & Cub - Glendale Cove, BC - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
​When they heard a noise they didn't like, the cub would run up into the woods immediately, and then slowly return when the sow went back to feeding.

​Everyone hoped the other cub was okay, and they'll give it a couple days before they declare it missing.

​My little 18 - 200mm lens was not exactly good enough to get some of the magnificent shots I've seen from here. But with the distance and boat rocking, I did the best I could, and some of the photos turned out just fine for us.
Grizzly & Cub - Glendale Cove, BC - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
Soon, the boats from Tide Rip Grizzly Adventures out of Telegraph Cove started to arrive. They and Rolf work well together letting each other know where bears are being seen.

Around the corner just outside Glendale Cove, a couple of boats were watching a male on the rocky shore. 
Grizzly - Glendale Cove, BC - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
Grizzly - Glendale Cove, BC - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
It had shed its early summer coat, and was looking a little scraggly. It looked like it had a mohawk haircut with just a tuft of dark brown fur on its characteristic Grizzly hump.
Grizzly - Glendale Cove, BC - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
Grizzly - Glendale Cove, BC - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
The other boats left, and we had this bear to ourselves for a long time. 

Curiously, and comically, this Harbor Seal was bear-watching with us.
Harbor Seal - Glendale Cove, BC - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
In the photo below you can see the seal (far right) watching the bear (far left).
Grizzly - Glendale Cove, BC - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
The seal would be so intent on watching the bear that we would startle it when we floated a little too close. It really was just as focused on the bear as we were, maybe even more so. It was fun to observe.

We continued to watch the bear eat mussels and whatever else it found.
Grizzly - Glendale Cove, BC - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
In this photo it seemed to be saying "I'll be glad when the salmon arrive, so I don't have to eat this stuff anymore".
Grizzly - Glendale Cove, BC - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
From there, we moved back around toward the mouth of Glendale Cove where another bear was lounging more than eating.
Grizzly - Glendale Cove, BC - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
It appeared to be a young Grizzly, and everyone agreed it was the "cutest" of the day, although those claws could definitely do some damage.
Grizzly - Glendale Cove, BC - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
So, we saw five bears including the cub in a pretty short period of time, and all were pretty close together. 

In my research and looking at photos of the Grizzlies in this area, I didn't recall seeing the types of pictures we got today with them grazing on mollusks and seaweed. So, the bear viewing was different than I expected, but it was interesting and a five-bear morning was certainly a great start to the day.

Rolf warned us that the winds pick up, and it can be rough getting out of Knight Inlet, one of the largest inlets in British Columbia. So, he tries to get in to see the bears early and head back by noon or sooner.

His prediction was right. It was quite the bumpy ride making our way out of Knight Inlet, and that was the least enjoyable part of today's trip.

When we reached calmer waters, Rolf gave us a choice to take a long way back (about a half an hour longer) or a shorter way. With the long way, he said there was a 50/50 chance of dolphins.

I immediately spouted "Long way!", and I think the others agreed, but they may have just gone along. It turned out to be a good decision.

We soon came upon what looked like a pod of about 200 Pacific White-sided Dolphins.  
Pacific White-sided Dolphins - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
And they immediately started coming toward us. They were definitely bored and in the mood to play.

For the next several minutes we were witness to the best dolphin show I've ever seen. Here are just a few of the many photos of these fun-loving, acrobatic animals.
Pacific White-sided Dolphins - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
Pacific White-sided Dolphins - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
Pacific White-sided Dolphins - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
Pacific White-sided Dolphins - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
I have about 20 photos of leaps like this one.
Pacific White-sided Dolphins - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
Watching them was far more fun than watching the bears.

This one would jump, twist in the air, and then give a loud tail slap when it hit the water.
Pacific White-sided Dolphins - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
Pacific White-sided Dolphins - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
And this is one of my favorite photos of the day.
Pacific White-sided Dolphins - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
We were all smiles as we left the dolphins and pulled into a more sheltered bay for lunch. Even on this cloudy day, the scenery was beautiful.
Lunch Spot - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
Lunch Spot - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
Rolf got out a tablecloth and set out everything we needed on the back of the boat to make our own wraps or salads.
Lunch - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
After relaxing and having a bite to eat, we continued on through the Broughton Archipelago, a kayakers paradise.

As we were exiting the marine park area, we stopped for photos of the Steller Sea Lions.
Steller Sea Lions - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
The dark one in the front in the photo below was rather feisty.
Steller Sea Lions - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
It slid into the water to spy-hop and check us out.
Steller Sea Lions - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
And then it climbed back out and had an argument with another sea lion.
Steller Sea Lions - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
Most were just lounging, ....
Steller Sea Lions - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
but there was some drama.

This bull climbed up on the rocks looking quite smug, ....
Steller Sea Lions - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
but, apparently, that rock belonged to a bigger bull, and he didn't like the intrusion.
Steller Sea Lions - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
Steller Sea Lions - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
We thought the larger bull would be satisfied just chasing his rival into the water, but he was angry enough to go in after him.
Steller Sea Lions - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
Well, that made things interesting. By the way, Steller Sea Lions are the largest of all sea lion species, and their size difference is quite apparent if you've been around other sea lion species.

Here's a good shot of the external ear flaps which is one characteristic that distinguishes sea lions from seals (which don't have external ears, and are sometimes referred to as "earless" seals).
Steller Sea Lions - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
After watching the sea lions, we continued on into Queen Charlotte Strait, and started our search for whales. It didn't take long.

We got a glimpse of a Minke Whale, a small baleen whale and the first Rolf has seen this summer. And then we found a Humpback.
Humpback Whale - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
We then spotted a lot of birds circling which can indicate the presence of what is known as a "bait ball". We hurried over hoping to see a whale "lunge" feeding on the ball of fish.

​It happened right as we approached, and we were barely prepared to get pictures. Amazing!
Humpback Whale - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
I wish we would have gotten there seconds sooner, but it was still awesome to see. Birds and tiny fish were scattering out of the way as the behemoth crashed the party. 

As the whale disappeared, we kept our eye on the birds, and a couple of seals got in the mix.
Gulls, auklets, & seals - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
Also, the Minke Whale was feeding alongside the much larger Humpback. Here's my best shot of the Minke.
Minke Whale - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
Rolf told us to focus on the spot where the gulls were hitting the water. That indicated the fish were being forced to the surface by something below them, and they were easy to pick off. And it possibly meant we could witness a powerful "lunge" feeding moment.
Gulls over bait ball - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
Though we didn't see a spectacular "lunge", the Humpback passed through a few more times displaying different feeding techniques.
Humpback Whale - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
Humpback Whale - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
Humpback Whale - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
Humpback Whale - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
Well, that was very cool.

The Humpback moved on and gave us a tail shot on its way out.
The gulls scattered, and many of the Rhinoceros Auklets left the fray with a prize.
Rhinoceros Auklet with fish - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
And with that, we were off to see if we could find any Orcas.

Rolf headed to Blackfish Sound. We never heard him confer with any of the whale-watching boats over the radio, and I'm not sure how he knew, but we found Orcas.

We had to just stop and shut off the engine because the small pod was coming right at us and they split up going past on both sides of the boat. We didn't know where to look or aim our cameras, and my Orca photos today aren't great, ..... but I got a few.
Orca - Blackfish Sound - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
Orca - Blackfish Sound - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
Orca - Blackfish Sound - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
What an absolutely fantastic day of wildlife watching. Whenever we go on tours like this, we try to keep our expectations low as wildlife is unpredictable. But this was an expensive trip, so our expectations were fairly high in spite of our usual method of trying to deflect disappointment.

Fortunately, the wildlife exceeded our expectations and imaginations, and Rolf did a great job getting us to the proper spots. 

Just for kicks, we saw a couple more Humpbacks on the way to Alder Bay.
Humpback Whale - Vancouver Island Photo Tours
What a day!! My photos pale in comparison to Rolf's, but I'm thrilled with what we got, and we'll refer back to them fondly for a long, long time.

Nobody can guarantee wildlife sightings, but if you are in the area and want what is pretty much a small private charter and personal attention, then Rolf and Vancouver Island Photo Tours is the way to go.
8 Comments
Steve Colibaba
8/6/2018 08:46:32 pm

Wow...what a spectacular trip! Great photos, especially the dolphins leaping out of the water.
Safe travels!

Reply
Howard link
8/7/2018 01:05:48 am

Yes it was a spectacular trip, and we loved the dolphins. I have some decent Bottle-nosed Dolphin photos, but these Pacific White-sided Dolphins gave us lots of opportunities to get some great shots. Thanks for sharing BC with us.

Reply
Rolf Hicker link
8/7/2018 02:36:48 pm

Thank you so much for this amazing article about my tours!! Much appreciated and I'm so happy that we had such a wonderful day. Hope to see you back again one day!!!

Reply
Howard link
8/7/2018 11:22:46 pm

Thank you for an amazing day, and the pictures tell the story - no exaggeration required. It was a pleasure meeting you, and we wish you all the best. I have a feeling our paths will cross again one day. Looking forward to it.

Reply
Cindy Fiske
8/7/2018 10:56:24 pm

Wow! What a day you had with Rolf! You got some amazing photos! <3 Wonderful! I know Rolf has areal passion for his tours & puts his heart into it! <3

Reply
Howard link
8/7/2018 11:25:13 pm

Thanks for your comments and kind words. The passion is what drew us to Rolf, and I'm so glad we spent a day on the water with him in that gorgeous part of the world.

Reply
Tracy Perkins
8/12/2018 08:49:54 am

What a fantastic day. All the pictures were great but those dolphin pictures were really spectacular.

Reply
Howard link
9/16/2018 07:58:59 pm

It was a fantastic day. Glad you enjoyed the photos, and yes the dolphins put on quite a show for us.

Reply



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