Northern ’s Johnstone Strait & Blackfish Sound

5 days sailing with the spectacular marine mammal populations of Northern Vancouver Island 2020 Edition

Discover Encounter Learn The incredibly rich Orcas, humpback About the fascinating ecosystem of this wildlife whales, dolphins, behaviours and hotspot porpoises, seals and sea communication of killer lions whales Johnstone Strait & Blackfish Sound Whales By Sails

Johnstone Strait and Blackfish Sound are world-famous for the (orca) and humpback whale populations that inhabit these waters. Each year, large numbers whales, dolphins, seals, sea lions, and other marine wildlife congregate in this region to feast upon abundant populations salmon and herring. Fall is a beautiful and peaceful time of year to explore and enjoy this incredibly special place.

2 At a Glance

This 5-day sailing expedition aboard our classic schooner Passing Cloud allows us to observe, photograph and learn about killer whales, humpback whales, and many other marine mammals, as well as experience the marine wilderness of Northern Vancouver Island. Traveling under sail at every opportunity, this expedition connects us to the remarkable marine wildlife of this region and the ecosystems that support them.

5-days / 4-nights

2020 Departure Dates: October 14-19

Price Per Person: $2,800 CAD

Departs from / Returns to: Port NcNeill

What’s Included? All meals, accommodation, transportation, user fees, use of onboard gear and resources, and rubber boots. What’s not included? 5% GST, travel and accommodation before and after the expedition, gratuities, any personal expenses incurred due to weather, logistical delays, delayed departures of chartered aircraft, taxis, ferries.

3 Sample Itinerary: ’s Johnstone Strait “Thrilling experience, we enjoyed and Blackfish Sound every minute, especially the wonderful immersion in the Outer Day Shores World. Life is all about 1 experience & learning and we go Our expedition departs from the northern Vancouver away with much to think about.” Island community of Port McNeill, where we board the schooner Passing Cloud. After meeting the crew, – Hans Van De Sande and Sharon Sullivan settling into our accommodations, and receiving a safety briefing, we set sail for Johnstone Strait. As we cruise along the south shore of Hanson Island we’re on the look out for the killer whales and other whales that frequent this region. By mid October we are nearing the end of fish-eating killer whale season but our chances of seeing them are still good, and the mammal-eating killer whales can be seen anytime. After our first day of sailing and marine wildlife viewing, we’ll anchor in a protected cove for the evening. Tonight our Expedition Specialist will give us an introduction to the biology, ecology, and conservation of killer whales on the BC coast.

Day 2 This morning we are in the vicinity of the Killer Whale Ecological Reserve, a unique protected area where killer whales come to socialize and use the “rubbing beaches” found within the reserve. Throughout our voyage we hope to encounter killer whales engaged in such diverse behaviours as feeding, resting, socializing, travelling, breaching, spy hopping, and tail slapping. We’ll use our underwater hydrophone to listen to the vocalizations that killer whales use to communicate and locate prey. This afternoon we’ll go on a beautiful forest walk up to “Eagle Eye”, an observation platform where BC Park wardens monitor the movements of killer whales in and out of the reserve, and makes sure that vessels do not enter this important sanctuary. Day 3

After breakfast we’ll travel through Blackney Passage, a known hotspot for whales, dolphins, and seabirds due to its active tidal currents. We’ll spend some time here to view any wildlife in the area. Afterwards we’ll enter Blackfish Sound (“blackfish” being another name for killer whales) and scan the area for whale spouts and dorsal fins. Blackfish Sound has recently become an area where large numbers of humpback whale congregate and actively feed on the abundant forage fishes found here. We’ll learn about the spectacular recovery of humpback whales on the BC coast, and observe their exciting feeding behaviours. We’ll spend the rest of the day sailing and exploring this highly productive area and viewing the whales and other marine wildlife that we will inevitably encounter. Late in the day we’ll slip through scenic White Beach Passage and into our overnight anchorage at Mound Island.

Day 5 As we travel the short distance back to Port McNeill this morning we’re on the lookout for our last wildlife sightings – perhaps a lone minke whale, or a pod of Pacific white-sided dolphins! Once arriving back in Port McNeill, we disembark and say farewell to our new friends and this spectacular region.

Day 4 This morning we’ll go ashore to tour and discuss the massive shell midden and “clam garden” located here, both testament to thousands of years of occupation by the indigenous ‘Namgis First Nation of this region and their close connection with marine resources. After lunch we’ll cruise back into Blackfish Sound by way of to spend the afternoon exploring the Plumper Islands and Weyton Passage, sailing, and wildlife viewing. Late in the day we’ll anchor on Hanson Island and go ashore to explore the low tide. This is also a great place to try out sea kayaking if you haven’t already done so. Over dessert tonight we’ll reflect on all that we have seen and learned over the past 4 days. If you have any questions about our P.O. Box 361 expeditions, or a specific detail about the Cobble Hill, British Columbia expedition you have booked, please let V0R 1L0, Canada us know by phone or visit our website for more information. [email protected] outershores.ca

Photo Credits: James Thompson, and Russell 1-855-714-7233 (Toll Free in ) Markel. 1-250-220-2311 (Local and International)