Explore B.C.'s Fiordland in August on our Grizzly Bear Tours

6 or 8-day adventure cruises to explore B.C.'s Fiordland aboard our 54 foot ship Great Bear II

Watch Grizzly Bears fishing for salmon in Fiordland in B.C.'s Great Bear Rainforest on our Grizzly Bear tours. You will also have opportunities for whale watching, bird watching and to learn about the unique cultures of Coastal First Nations with Ocean Adventures on B.C.'s west coast.

Our 54 foot ship, Great Bear II offers unparalleled comfort and privacy as you experience B.C.'s most remote and spectacular settings.

Our ship, Great Bear II, is Transport Canada certified as a passenger vessel, and carries all the latest navigation and safety equipment. Each year, the ship undergoes rigorous inspections by Transport Canada, by owner and Captain, Eric Boyum, and by systems specialists that Ocean Adventures employs.

SMALLER GROUPS ARE IDEAL FOR THE VIEWING OF WILDLIFE

Although we have had private charters with as few as 1 guest for special photo assignments or couples celebrating their special anniversary, our scheduled trips and our private charters have a maximum of 5 guests. We believe that our smaller group sizes allow our guests to really discover the heart beat of this unique and soul- stirring wilderness.

Thoughtful, quiet, patient wildlife viewing is practiced so that our guests can witness the natural behaviours of the wildlife and so that we can make the least possible impact on the wildlife and their wild homes, all of which are of the utmost importance to us.

FOCUS OF EXPLORE B.C.'S FIORDLAND in AUGUST

As we explore B.C.'s Fiordland in August we will be traveling through the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest. Powerful landscapes, spectacular wildlife viewing, whale watching and the unique culture of the Kitasoo/Xai'xais People of Klemtu are the focus of our trips in Fiordland in August.

ABUNDANT WILDLIFE & LANDSCAPES OF IMMEASURABLE BEAUTY

In August the wild Pacific salmon begin their return to Fiordland's rivers and streams to spawn and complete their cycle of life. The returning salmon are like a dinner bell to the bears that will be fattening for hibernation, for wolves feeding their families and for many kinds of birds.

In almost all the waters we will be traveling herring are providing a feast for Humpback Whales in preparation for their long migration to Hawaii. Humpback whales offer the best whale watching as they seem to fly out of the sea in a full breach or as they demonstrate their cooperative feeding behaviour know as bubble net feeding, or as they slap their powerful tails on the water to warn other whales.

Deep in the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest, we will travel the narrow channels of Fiordland, a provincial park that is cooperatively managed by B.C. Parks and the Kitasoo/Xai'xais People of Klemtu. As we travel, polished granite walls rise thousands of feet out of the sea and at this time are laced with waterfalls that seem to fall from the sky.

LED BY OUR FULLY QUALIFIED & EXPERIENCED BEAR GUIDE(S)

As we Explore B.C.'s Fiordland in August the wild Pacific salmon are beginning their return to the rivers and streams of their birth in the Great Bear Rainforest. The wild Pacific salmon are the lifeblood of the coast and at this time of year, are the primary food source of Grizzly Bears, Black Bears, the very rare Spirit Bear, Wolves, and many species of birds. The salmon play a critical role in the survival of the bears as they fatten for the long winter's hibernation.

While bears are primarily solitary and territorial, this is the time of year when they tolerate one another as they come to the rivers to feast on the returning wild Pacific salmon.

Bears have their own fishing techniques taught to them by their mothers and we can often determine which bears are related just by watching them fish.

Some bears prefer to eat the salmon they have caught at the river's edge, with their leftovers providing food for many species of birds, small animals such as Pine Martens and Mink and a variety of insects.

Other bears prefer to drag their salmon into the forest, with those leftovers supplying fertilizer for the towering trees of the Great Bear Rainforest.

If we discover the carcass of a salmon with only the head eaten, we know that there may be wolves that have recently come to fish on the river.

KITASOO/XAI'XAIS FIRST NATIONS PEOPLE

As we Explore B.C.'s Fiordland in August on our Grizzly Bear tour, we will learn about the Kitasoo/Xai'xais People whose traditional lands we will be visiting.

Learn how these First Nations People peacefully co-existed with the bears in these river estuaries, about their awe inspiring culture, and see their Big House in their village of Klemtu.

As you Explore B.C.'s Fiordland you will hear and see why these traditional lands are so important to their future.

WILD PLACES THAT KEEP OUR GUESTS RETURNING

Here in the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest amidst some of the most powerful landscapes on earth, we have opportunities to witness the web of life, in real time.

From opportunities to learn why the wild Pacific salmon are considered a keystone species, to photo ops of bears amidst backdrops of polished granite cliffs laced with waterfalls, to watching Humpback whales or Orca, to just sitting back on deck and absorbing the serenity of this spectacular wilderness, you will soon discover why these wild places keep our guests returning.

Testimonials

"The magnificent landscape: fiords, forests and granite cliffs are all apart of our heritage. But the bears... ahhhh...the bears! You could not have planned it any better!" ~ John and Marnie, Victoria, B.C.

"Passionate, enthusiastic, welcoming... plus we saw SO much wildlife! Thank you very much!" ~ Julie, U.K.

"It has been an unforgettable experience and I really hope I can persuade Dad to bring us back . (I don't think much persuading will be necessary!)" ~ Bella, U.K.

Experience the Wild  ...in Wilderness !

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