Active Pursuits in Cowichan Valley

Cowichan Bay

Kayaking -- Cowichan Bay Kayak and Paddlesports, 1765 Cowichan Bay Rd. (tel. 888/749-2333 or 250/748-2333; www.cowichanbaykayak.com), offers kayak rentals and guided tours from the docks on Cowichan Bay. A 3-hour paddle around the Cowichan River estuary with a stop at Genoa Bay is C$49. A 2-hour single kayak rental is C$25.

Whale-Watching -- Ocean Ecoventures, 1745 Cowichan Bay Rd. (tel. 866/748-5333 or 250/748-3800; www.oceanecoventures.com), offers year-round, 3- to 4-hour whale-watching trips on 7m (23-ft.) rigid-hull inflatable boats. You're almost guaranteed to see orcas, and chances are good that you'll also see gray whales, harbor and Dall porpoises, sea lions, and bald eagles. Trips are C$109 adults and C$79 children 12 and under.