Nearly a dozen outfitters conduct tours out onto the waters of Clayoquot Sound to view gray whales, bald eagles, porpoises, orcas, seals, and sea lions. March to October, Jamie's Whaling Station, 606 Campbell St., Tofino, BC V0R 2Z0 (tel. 800/667-9913 or 250/725-3919; www.jamies.com), uses a glass-bottomed 20m (65-ft.) power cruiser as well as a fleet of Zodiacs for tours to watch the gray whales. A combined Hot Springs Cove and whale-watching trip aboard a 10m (32-ft.) cruiser can be booked year-round. In addition to whale-watching and hot springs expeditions, Seaside Adventures (tel. 888/332-4252 or 250/725-2292; www.seaside-adventures.com) offers bear watching trips from May 1 through Sept. Fares for both companies' expeditions generally start at C$75 (US$60) per person for a 2- or 3-hour tour; customized trips can run as high as C$250 (US$200) per person for a full day.
March to November, Remote Passages, Meares Landing, 71 Wharf St., Tofino, BC V0R 2Z0 (tel. 800/666-9833 or 250/725-3330; www.remotepassages.com), runs daily 2 1/2-hour whale-watching tours in Clayoquot Sound on Zodiac boats, costing C$69 (US$55) for adults and C$55 (US$44) for children under 12. The company also conducts a 7-hour whale-watching/hot springs trip at C$110 (US$88) for adults and C$79 (US$63) for children under 12. Reservations are recommended.
For bird enthusiasts, the protected waters of Clayoquot Sound and the beaches of Pacific Rim National Park offer fantastic viewing opportunities. Just Birding (tel. 250/725-8018; www.justbirding.com) offers a range of bird-watching adventures, including walking tours of the beaches, paddle trips to bald eagle habitats, and boat tours for off-shore pelagic birding. Guided trips begin at C$79 (US$63) per person.
