Blissful Blows: Kayaking in British Columbia

Kayaking in British Columbia: Here you encounter giant sea creatures while paddling, watch humpback whales feeding, meet the largest sea lions in the world, and can even observe orcas. What moments of joy await during such a kayaking experience, when the best season for it is, and which providers are recommended, Off The Path reveals in this article!

Adventures have one thing in common: They are hard to put into words, and in the end, there is always happiness - and a very special happiness awaits while kayaking in British Columbia.

Together with the other participants, we load our dry bags onto the yellow boat at the small harbor of Port Hardy, a small town in the northern part of Vancouver Island. The waters of the Johnstone Strait are calm, the sun is shining, and seagulls are circling above us.

It's evident in each one of us: the excitement, the anticipation. It's just like when you were a little kid and couldn't wait to unwrap the gifts under the Christmas tree.

Finally, everything is on board and our captain starts the engine. Once the water taxi leaves the harbor, the sea becomes a bit rougher. Like in a speedboat, we race over the waves, passing Port McNeill and Malcolm Island. To our right is Telegraph Cove, where most whale-watching tours begin. Vancouver Island is particularly one of the most important places in the world among orca researchers.

We continue on and head towards Hanson Island - and indeed: Ahead of us, a few porpoises leap out of the water, and in the distance, we even spot a humpback whale!

Which whales will we encounter in the next few days?

Our kayaking journey takes us from Port Hardy, along Malcolm Island and past Telegraph Cove, to Hanson Island.

We approach Hanson Island and pass by Weynton Island into a small bay. Our guide, Darren, is already waiting for us on the beach, and it's time to unload everything again. We form a chain, and in no time, our dry bags are ashore.

Sarah takes over and shows us the camp. Besides a large outdoor kitchen and two restrooms, there's even a shower here. In addition, several tents await us; we take the "honeymoon tent": It's on a wooden platform, and from the entrance, you have a direct view of the sea and the opposite Telegraph Cove. Inside are two single beds. At the head of the beds, a small table with a lamp separates them.

We walk from our tent to the tip of the island and settle down on a huge log. A dull noise captures our attention: It's the blow of a whale. This time, a massive humpback whale swims right past us, only a few meters from the shore.

'Lunch Time!' a voice pulls us out of our bliss, and shortly after, we are served a delicious lunch. Afterwards, we get ready and walk to the bay where we landed this morning. Each of us is assigned a kayak, and afterwards, our three guides, Darren, Sarah, and Ben, give us an introduction to kayaking.

As we are about to push our kayaks into the water, Darren whistles us back. The wind has turned and is blowing so strongly that a kayaking tour would not only be unenjoyable but also dangerous. Disappointed, we push our kayaks back on land.

The bad mood only lasts a short time as we discover two hammocks. Snuggling in with jackets, blankets, and books, we spend at least two hours hanging in the trees, enjoying just doing nothing - and not having reception either. We move to the other side of the island, lean against a rock in the sun, and sink back into our books. Again, a voice brings us back to reality: "Appetizers ready!", Ben calls out.

Between appetizers and dinner, we spend time at another small cove, located behind our camp kitchen. With a bottle of beer in hand, we simply gaze out at the sea until dinner is ready. Stuffed and full of anticipation, we later retreat to our tent.

The next day, we finally get to take the kayaks out. First, we do some exercises to learn how to maneuver our kayaks. After that, we paddle along the southern coast of Hanson Island and discover colorful starfish, sea cucumbers, and small fish; the water here is so clear. Clear, but icy cold. One reason why whales and especially orcas love to hang out here.

We paddle to the southern tip of Hanson Island and spot a humpback whale again in the distance. On the way back to camp, we stop at Big Bay, named after Mr. Big: He invented the method to distinguish orcas by their dorsal fins. Since then, individuals have been identified worldwide, and it is unfortunately known that the orca population is much smaller than thought - these animals are even endangered.

While yesterday we watched humpbacks feeding from land, we are now in the midst of it. Just a few meters beside us, a humpback whale opens its massive mouth - we are breathless. We continue paddling through the Plumper Islands, passing a huge, not-so-pleasant-smelling colony of several hundred Steller sea lions: These animals can grow up to three meters long and weigh a ton, making them the largest sea lion species in the world.

On one of the Plumper Islands, we go ashore. During lunch, we spot a small group of orcas in the distance and can hardly believe our eyes. But our binoculars confirm what we see: Several orcas are swimming right in front of the coast of nearby Swanson Island.

Immediately, we pack our things and head into the water with our kayaks. Sarah knows the behavior of the animals and lets us paddle in the opposite direction of Swanson Island. Suddenly, a huge orca surfaces in the distance in front of our kayaks. It must be a transient orca, Sarah explains. Unlike other orcas, transient orcas exclusively feed on marine mammals.

Our strokes grow stronger, and the excitement in our stomachs increases. To our left, we spot two more orcas, and it seems they are hunting a seal. They are so fast that we can barely keep up with our kayaks, and soon, they disappear behind one of the Plumper Islands. Each of us has a massive smile on our faces.

In the evening, the next goosebump moment awaits us: Together we sit on the rocks of Hanson Island and look out at the sea as a small orca family swims by in the golden light of the setting sun. We all agree: The last evening at camp couldn't end any better.

Even though it's only for a few minutes each time, they are moments filled with joy, and the blow of the whales will forever remain in our memories with smiles on our faces.