6-day wildlife viewing tours to see Grizzly Bears and perhaps the rare Spirit Bear in October in Fiordland aboard our 54-ft motor yacht, Great Bear II.
Join Ocean Adventures in Fiordland , a B.C. Park in the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest on the central coast of British Columbia. Here you can watch Grizzly Bears fishing for salmon, perhaps catch a glimpse of the very rare Spirit Bear, watch whales, and learn about the unique culture of the Kitasoo Xai Xais First Nations People of Klemtu.
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.
While we do not have a trip focused solely on Fiordland in September / October, we are offering trips that will feature Fiordland.
Please email us at email us for other expeditions that include this amazing area.
SMALL GROUPS ARE BEST FOR GRIZZLY BEAR VIEWING
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 are limited to 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 LATE SEPTEMBER
As we explore B.C.'s Fiordland in late September 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 here in late September.
ABUNDANT WILDLIFE & LANDSCAPES OF IMMEASURABLE BEAUTY
While bears typically dig for roots throughout spring, summer and fall, the nutrition from roots is especially important to them at this time of year. You can see on this video how cubs learn what to do from copying their every move. This little spring cub is very tired though as he had been fishing with his Mum the whole day in the icy waters of the river.
In late September the wild Pacific salmon have returned to Fiordland's rivers and streams to spawn and complete their life cycle. The returning salmon are like a dinner bell to Grizzly Bears (Mums often teaching their cubs to fish), Black Bears, and perhaps even the rare and genetically unique Spirit Bear.
Although rarely seen, there is often evidence that wolves have come to the river to fish. Whether it involves dead salmon without their heads or we're being serenaded by their songs, wolves do provide clues to their whereabouts. The only sound that can drown out the sound of rushing waters in the rivers are the cries of sea gulls who have come to scavenge from the bears, or eagles as they come to fish, or the scolding of ravens or kingfishers as they fly overhead.
As we travel throughout Fiordland, we may have opportunities to witness the power and grace of Humpback whales as they fly out of the sea in a full breech or as we witness their cooperative feeding behaviours known as lunge feeding and bubble net feeding. We will also keep watch for Orca, Porpoises, Dolphins, Seals, and other marine mammals.
These waterways are edged in polished granite walls that rise thousands of feet out of the sea and at this time of year are laced with waterfalls that seem to fall from the sky. Mornings can provide us with some of the best landscape photo ops with ribbons of mist winding through trees lending to the ethereal beauty of this soul-stirring wilderness.
LED BY OUR FULLY QUALIFIED & EXPERIENCED BEAR GUIDE(S)
As we explore B.C.'s Fiordland in early October the wild Pacific salmon have returned to the creeks and rivers 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 of the Grizzly Bears, Black Bears, and the rare Spirit Bears as they fatten for their long winter's hibernation.
While Bears are generally known to be very territorial, they do seem to tolerate one another more as they congregate at the rivers to fish for salmon.
As you watch the bears fish, your guide(s) will explain how there is much more than meets the eye. See how bears and other animals help provide the fish fertilizer for the towering trees of the rainforest. Witness the unique fishing techniques of the bears, taught to them by their mothers, and see the look on a spring cub's face when he picks up his first fish.
Some bears, either friends as cubs or perhaps as litter mates, are seen playing in the river as the take a break from fishing.
As you explore these estuaries with your guide(s) learn how we know that wolves have been fishing for salmon and the signs that will help us determine when and where we might see them.
As well as feeding the bears, the trees, and the wolves, the wild Pacific salmon are also providing a feast for many birds. As bears stroll the rivers' edges and estuaries, clouds of gulls rise above them and then settle behind them as they pass to devour what the bears have left uneaten.
Eagles and Ravens can be seen and heard as they too are drawn to the river by the salmon.
KITASOO/XAI'XAIS FIRST NATIONS PEOPLE
As we Explore B.C.'s Fiordland in early October we will be learning about the unique culture of 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.
Contact us at info@oceanadventures.bc.ca for other expeditions to Fiordland in June, August, and September.
Experience the Wild ...in Wilderness !
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.
First class BC wilderness cruises, coastal tours and charters on the West Coast of British Columbia aboard the 54 ft. Great Bear II, out of Vancouver, BC.
· Haida Gwaii · Queen Charlotte Islands · Great Bear Rainforest · Gulf Islands · Princess Louisa Inlet ·
· Desolation Sound · Howe Sound · Indian Arm · Whale Watching · Bear Viewing · Wilderness Adventures ·
SMALL GROUPS ARE BEST FOR GRIZZLY BEAR VIEWING 
In late September the wild Pacific salmon have returned to Fiordland's rivers and streams to spawn and complete their life cycle. The returning salmon are like a dinner bell to Grizzly Bears (Mums often teaching their cubs to fish), Black Bears, and perhaps even the rare and genetically unique Spirit Bear.
Although rarely seen, there is often evidence that wolves have come to the river to fish. Whether it involves dead salmon without their heads or we're being serenaded by their songs, wolves do provide clues to their whereabouts. The only sound that can drown out the sound of rushing waters in the rivers are the cries of sea gulls who have come to scavenge from the bears, or eagles as they come to fish, or the scolding of ravens or kingfishers as they fly overhead.
As we travel throughout Fiordland, we may have opportunities to witness the power and grace of Humpback whales as they fly out of the sea in a full breech or as we witness their cooperative feeding behaviours known as lunge feeding and bubble net feeding. We will also keep watch for Orca, Porpoises, Dolphins, Seals, and other marine mammals.
As we Explore B.C.'s Fiordland in early October we will be learning about the unique culture of 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.
