BC Ferries

WHERE THE WHALES ARE

The animals you might see from the ferry terminals depend on the route you are on and the time of year.

Bear Cove – BC Ferries’ Port Hardy terminal is located on the north-east end of Vancouver Island, providing service to Bella Coola, Prince Rupert, and Bella Bella. Ferries from Bear Cove travel through both coastal and deeper waters, providing opportunities to see a wide variety of cetaceans. Humpback whales, killer whales, and harbour porpoises are common in the area and are often seen by BC Ferries passengers. As you travel further north, keep an eye out for less common species like northern right whale dolphins or even sperm whales.

Bella Coola – Bella Coola is a gateway to the Great Bear Rainforest, the world’s largest intact temperate rainforest. The region is home to an abundance of wildlife including the Spirit Bear; a unique and rare subspecies of white-coated black bear that holds a sacred place in the oral traditions and culture of the Indigenous Peoples on the central coast.

Blubber Bay – Once a whaling station in the 1800s, Blubber Bay is now the site of a BC Ferries terminal which serves the route travelling from Texada Island to Powell River. Northern resident and transient killer whales, humpback whales, and smaller species such as Pacific white-sided dolphins, harbour porpoise, and Dall’s porpoise are often seen by passengers.

Buckley Bay – Buckley Bay terminal is located on the east coast of Vancouver Island, providing service to Denman Island and by extension, Hornby Island. Buckley Bay is a gateway to the Southern Gulf Islands where you can find wildlife in every direction. Particularly during the summer you’ll have a chance to see humpback whales feeding on groups of schooling fish. Transient killer whales patrol the shores in search of seals, sea lions, and porpoises feeding on similar food. The area is known for having one of the northernmost herring spawns in the Strait of Georgia, an exciting time in late winter-early spring where herring swarm the area in huge numbers to lay their eggs. This event attracts all sorts of wildlife—bald eagles, sea birds, seals and sea lions, and of course many species of whales.

Campbell River – the BC Ferries’ Campbell River terminal is located on the eastern side of Vancouver Island and is adjacent to the Discovery Passage. An area rich in wildlife, the waters surrounding Campbell River are home to multiple species of cetacean including killer whales, humpback whales, Dall’s porpoise, harbour porpoise, Pacific white-sided dolphins, and pinnipeds.

Duke Point – This terminal is located on Vancouver Island on the southeastern part of the city of Nanaimo. The terminal provides service to Tsawwassen in Metro Vancouver. Nanaimo is known for its rich culture, beautiful beaches and harbour to explore, and Nanaimo bars; a tasty chocolate, custard-layered treat.

Earls Cove – Earls Cove Terminal is located at the North end of the Sechelt Peninsula on the Sunshine Coast. The terminal provides service to Saltery Bay. Earls Cove is known for its breathtaking wilderness which surrounds the region. The waters here are home to many species of cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) which can be seen during the 50-minute ride across the Jervis inlet. The inlet leads in from the Malaspina Strait and is frequented by Dall’s porpoises and Pacific white-sided dolphins, two playful cetacean species that are often seen riding the wakes created by Ferries and smaller vessels. British Columbia’s iconic killer whales can also be seen in the waters just off Earls Cove, as well as many other rare species which are reported by citizen scientists who travel with BC Ferries.

Fulford Harbour – Fulford Harbour Terminal is located on the southeast side of Salt Spring Island, providing service to Swartz Bay on Vancouver Island. Marine life is all around you on Salt Spring Island and you could spot one of many different species of cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) from the numerous beaches and viewpoints, and even on route to and from Swartz Bay. While the whales are most active in the summer months, the iconic Southern Resident Killer whales can be spotted all year round as they forage for salmon in the Salish Sea. Bigg’s killer whales, also called transients, are also spotted here year-round, generally in smaller groups. They spend their time prowling along the shore in search of their favourite prey of seals and sea lions.

Heriot Bay – Located on the east side of Quadra Island, the Heriot Bay terminal provides service to Cortes Island. These islands lie at the junction of two main waterways, Johnstone Strait to the north, and the Strait of Georgia to the south. This meeting of waters makes for a particularly prolific environment, rich with marine life. Either from the ferry terminal, or on route, you’ll have a chance to see many whale species that come to feed in this nutrient rich area. Humpback whale populations are frequently seen feeding here during the summer months. Look out for their impressive blow and large tail fins as they surface between dives. Smaller species like killer whales, Pacific-white sided dolphin, and harbour porpoise are also frequently seen in these areas.

Horseshoe Bay – Horseshoe Bay Terminal is located in West Vancouver and provides service to the Sunshine Coast, Bowen Island and Nanaimo. While travelling on these routes, you will have a great chance of spotting some of the many whale species that share our waters. Humpback whales are frequently spotted feeding during the summer months along the route between Vancouver Island and the mainland. Keep your eyes on the water for splashes, blows, and fins from these large baleen whales. The smallest whale species in BC, the harbour porpoise, is also frequently seen in the waters around Horseshoe Bay. While not as prominent, a keen eye can spot their small triangular fins rolling gently in the waves, usually in groups of two to five.

Langdale – BC Ferries’ Langdale terminal is located on the southern Sunshine Coast adjacent to the Salish Sea. The Sunshine Coast region on the eastern shore of the Strait of Georgia is known for its mountain views, forest trails, and beautiful beaches. Killer whales, humpback whales, harbour porpoise, and harbour seals are all commonly seen.

Little River – Little River is a tributary of Little River Bay, with the BC Ferries terminal to the east of the river’s mouth. Killer whales, humpback whales, harbour porpoise, and harbour seals are often seen by passengers.

Nanaimo Harbour – The Nanaimo Harbour ferry terminal is located in the downtown core of its namesake city and provides service to Gabriola Island. Even on this short route, passengers still may have the chance to see some of the whale species that share our waters. Humpback whales are frequently spotted north of Gabriola, feeding in the nutrient rich waters of the Salish Sea. If visitors travel to the east side of the island, they’ll have a view of the Strait of Georgia where they may have a chance to spot the other whales that travel through these areas including killer whales, minke whales, harbour porpoises or Pacific white-sided dolphins.

Prince Rupert – The busy waters outside of Canada’s fasting growing port are home to many species of cetaceans. Humpback whales use the food-rich area to bulk up during summer months before migrating south to Hawaii and Mexico to breed. Killer whales are frequently seen transiting the area, and many more rare species can be seen by BC Ferries passengers when traveling through deeper waters.

Saltery Bay – Saltery Bay Terminal is located on the Sunshine Coast, just 30 minutes from Powell River. The terminal provides service to Earls Cove. Saltery bay is known for its stunning provincial park which attracts divers, campers and adventurers from across the region. Visitors to the Whale Trail are often treated to a glimpses of humpback whales feeding off the productive Malaspina Strait, or a pod of southern resident killer whales on the hunt for salmon returning to spawn in Lang Creek. Other cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) can also be seen, including grey whales who have been known to get comfortable and stay quite a while.

Shingle Spit – Shingle Spit terminal is located on the west side of Hornby Island and provides service to Denman Island. It’s a quick 10-minute trip to Gravelly Bay so keep your eyes open for the many species of cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) that spend time in the Salish Sea. Watch out for groups of seabirds on the water—it might be a sign that whales are near! Humpback whales often corral groups of schooling fish, pushing them near the surface, making a great opportunity for gulls and other birds to find a meal. Killer whales, including the critically endangered southern resident population, are frequently seen around the islands, as are the smaller and more elusive harbour porpoise.

Skidegate – BC Ferries’ Skidegate terminal is located in Haida Gwaii on the south coast of Graham Island. The waters surrounding Skidegate terminal are home to multiple species of cetaceans with humpback whales, and killer whales regularly transiting the area.

Swartz Bay – Swartz Bay terminal is located on the north end of the Saanich Peninsula and provides service to the Southern Gulf Islands, Salt Spring Island, and Tsawwassen. Swartz Bay is also a gateway to the Salish Sea, a rich and diverse marine ecosystem that is home to many species of cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises). The surrounding waters lie within the critical habitat for the Southern resident killer whales who spend much of their time here to feeding on salmon, their main food source. You may also spot large baleen whales like humpback, minke, and gray whales, or smaller species like Pacific white-sided dolphins, harbour porpoises, and Dall’s porpoises. Keep your eyes out for all these species either from the terminal or while you’re onboard the ferry.

Tsawwassen – BC Ferries’ Tsawwassen terminal is located at the southwestern end of a causeway that extends into the Strait of Georgia in the Salish Sea. You might be able to spot southern resident killer whales, humpback whales, and other smaller cetaceans.

Whaletown – Whaletown terminal is located on the west side of Cortes Island, providing service to Quadra Island. The settlement that the terminal gets its name from was once a busy whaling station, where blubber from humpback whales was rendered into oil used in items like lamps and soaps. Commercial whaling officially ended in British Columbia when the last active whaling station closed in 1967. By this point the effects of whaling had already taken its toll. Humpback whales hadn’t been seen in the waters surrounding Cortes Island since 1870. Thankfully humpbacks have returned to BC in large numbers in recent years, coming to feed in the productive Georgia Strait during their migration to Alaskan waters. Cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) are no longer threatened by whaling, but the busy waters in British Columbia pose different risks, like noise pollution and ship strikes.