The Beginning

Vancouver Island Whale Watch has a rich history that began in the fall of 2017 when co-founders Mike and Jilann set out to create an experience that would inspire environmental stewardship while also contributing to important scientific research.

Our slogan: Experience, Inspire, Protect

Both Jilann and Mike’s backgrounds have underscored their desire to work in a capacity that values the importance of marine life. Jilann studied biological science with a focus on coastal conservation and has contributed to numerous marine conservation projects throughout coastal British Columbia and Alaska. She is also on the board at Keta Coastal Conservation. Mike studied environmental science, and his experience working for Greenpeace sparked his appreciation for coastal marine life.

Vancouver Island Whale Watch opened in the spring of 2018 with the mission to inspire environmental stewardship through iconic whale watching experiences, while protecting the Salish Sea whales through research and advocacy.

Merging Tourism and Science

Since 2018 we have provided a sustainable whale watching experience to thousands of guests while also collecting valuable field data on every single trip. Our expert team of onboard biologists are able to identify individual whales based on their unique markings, which allows us to track the presence of specific pods and individuals in the Salish Sea, observe small-scale movements, and estimate their population size.

The data we collect on our tours can be used to develop conservation strategies and policies, and to monitor the health and wellbeing of whale populations in the Salish Sea.

Radical Transparency

We are the only whale-watching operator in North America to publish all of our sightings data, including ID photos, date/location, and detailed write-ups about every single whale encounter. Our findings are freely available to the public and can be found on our Recent Sightings section of our website.

Today

Over the past six years, our team has had the privilege of welcoming thousands of guests aboard our boats and sharing with them the beauty and majesty of whales in their natural habitat, all while supporting their conservation. It's our daily commitment to conservation and transparency that sets us apart and makes us proud of our history.

Today, we’ve logged over 1,000 whale encounters, and our sightings database has grown into a rich and valuable resource used by scientific organizations both in Canada and the United States, including the Center for Whale Research, Keta Coastal Conservation, and Happywhale.

We invite you to be a part of our story and discover whales in the Salish Sea with us. Book your trip today and join us on this exciting adventure!