Coming soon · New for 2027
Whales and Culture
A day of whale watching out of Port McNeill: first a guided visit to the U'mista Cultural Centre in Alert Bay, then Johnstone Strait and Blackfish Sound. Indigenous entrepreneur-led, twelve guests at most.
- Booking opens soon
- About 6 hours
- Departs Port McNeill
- Weekdays, June to August
- 12 guests maximum
Most whale tours start with the whales. Ours starts with Alert Bay.
Cover photo: a humpback whale trap feeding in Blackfish Sound, by Geoff Heith.
Check in at 10:00 at our office, 1514 Broughton Boulevard in Port McNeill, and we leave at 10:30; the timing works for guests coming in on the morning ferry. Our first stop is Alert Bay on Cormorant Island, in 'Namgis territory, for a guided visit to the U'mista Cultural Centre.
Inside are masks, coppers, rattles and blankets that the Canadian government seized when our people were criminalized for practicing our own culture. They weren't donated. They were taken in the early 1920s, and when they came back in the early 1980s, our people held a celebration to welcome them back.
Then we head out through Johnstone Strait, Blackfish Sound and along the White Cliffs. When we find whales we cut the engines, drift and listen to them on the hydrophone. We never chase. Lunch on board is catered by Mugz, and we're back in Port McNeill between 4:00 and 4:30.
Tour highlights
What the day holds
Check in at 10:00, leave at 10:30, back between 4:00 and 4:30, weekdays from June to August. The route depends on weather, tides and where the whales are.
The U'mista Cultural Centre
A guided visit in Alert Bay, in 'Namgis territory, to potlatch regalia that was seized and came home.
Johnstone Strait and Blackfish Sound
Our whale water: we look for orcas, humpbacks, dolphins, Steller sea lions and sea otters.
Engines off, hydrophone in
When we find whales we drift quietly and listen to them underwater. We never chase.
Twelve guests at most
Small but intimate; that is what we are all about. Lunch on board, catered by Mugz.
Wildlife
Who you might meet on the water
Orcas · Northern Residents return to Johnstone Strait from early July · Photo: Geoff Heith 
Humpback whales · feeding in Blackfish Sound · Photo: Geoff Heith 
Dolphins and porpoises · Pacific white-sided dolphins riding the bow through the Broughton Archipelago · Photo: Geoff Heith 
Sea otters · rafting in the kelp beds along the outer islands 
Steller sea lions · crowding the haul-out rocks, loud enough to hear before you see them · Photo: Geoff Heith 
Bald eagles · overhead all season, thickest when the salmon run · Photo: Geoff Heith
Johnstone Strait whale watching, month by month
June. The whales come back in June: humpbacks, minke whales, killer whales, Pacific white-sided dolphins and porpoises. The tour runs on weekdays, when the U'mista Cultural Centre is open.
July. From early July the Northern Resident orcas return to Johnstone Strait. Humpbacks feed in Blackfish Sound.
August. The salmon are running from August, and the eagles are thickest when they do. The resident orcas, who feed on salmon, follow the runs through these channels.
Every day. Each day on the water is different. We won't promise a sighting, and we never chase; when we find whales we cut the engines, keep our distance and listen on the hydrophone.
Alert Bay and the U'mista Cultural Centre
The U'mista Cultural Centre in Alert Bay is where the tour begins to carry real weight. Guests arrive on Cormorant Island and walk into a building that houses potlatch regalia: masks, coppers, rattles, that were confiscated by the Canadian government when our people were criminalized for practicing their own culture. These objects weren't donated or archived. They were seized.
The guided tour covers the potlatch system: what it is, why the government banned it from 1884 to 1951, what it meant for communities to have their ceremonies outlawed and their chiefs jailed for practicing them. Guests see the actual artifacts and hear the actual story of reclamation, how these pieces were eventually returned and why that matters.
What guests leave with is harder to name but consistent. They leave understanding that this territory was never empty, never unmanaged, never without governance. They leave having seen objects that survived a government's attempt to erase a people. And they leave with the felt sense that what they witnessed in Alert Bay is not history; it's a living culture that bent under enormous pressure and did not break.
Good to know
Before you book
When does the tour run?
Weekdays from June to August 2027, when the U'mista Cultural Centre is open. Check in at 10:00, we leave at 10:30, and we're back between 4:00 and 4:30.
Where do we meet? Is there a pickup?
Check in by 10:00 at our office, 1514 Broughton Boulevard, Port McNeill. Port McNeill is the default departure; the tour starts and ends there, and the 10:00 check-in is timed for the morning ferry. Guests staying in Alert Bay can take the morning ferry across to Port McNeill and join us there.
How much is it?
Flexible ticket CA$475 per person, or a non-refundable ticket at CA$425. A 12% fuel surcharge and 5% GST are added at booking.
What's included, and what should I bring?
Included: boat transportation from Port McNeill and back, a guided visit to the U'mista Cultural Centre in Alert Bay with admission included, lunch on board catered by Mugz, listening to the whales on the hydrophone, and rain ponchos and binoculars on board.
Bring:
- Warm, breathable, non-cotton layers
- A rain jacket
- Toque and sun hat
- Sunglasses and sunscreen
- Comfortable shoes for the walk into the U'mista
- Any medication you need
- Your camera
How do booking and cancellation work?
Flexible tickets get a full refund with 14 or more days notice; cancellations by email only. Non-refundable tickets must be booked online at least 30 days ahead and can't be moved to another date. If we have to cancel for high winds or mechanical failure, you choose a new date or a full refund. Full details: Payment and Cancellation Policies.
How long are we on the water?
The day runs from 10:30 until between 4:00 and 4:30. The U'mista visit comes first; after that we're on the water in Johnstone Strait, Blackfish Sound and along the White Cliffs, with lunch on board. We spend about an hour and a half to two hours at the U'mista.
Will we see whales? What if we don't?
These are wild animals in their own waters, and we won't promise what we can't control. Our crew knows where to look and how to watch without crowding them. On any day the U'mista visit is part of the tour, and the same water holds sea lions, sea otters, dolphins, porpoises and bald eagles. As on our bear tour: no refunds for weather or viewing conditions. If we cancel a departure, you receive a full refund.
What is the weather like?
Expect anything from sun to drizzle in one day, and cool air on the water even in July. Dress in warm, breathable layers and bring a rain jacket. If high winds make it unsafe, we cancel and you choose a new date or a full refund.
Can I bring my kids? Is there a minimum age?
The minimum age is 10 years old, and guests 18 and under must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. On a windy day the ride home can be bumpy.
Is the tour suitable for limited mobility?
The day is boat-based, with a walk into the U'mista Cultural Centre in Alert Bay. On a windy day the ride home can be bumpy and is not recommended for people with neck or back problems, pregnant women or people with osteoporosis. Every guest signs an assumption of risk waiver before boarding. If you're unsure, send us a note and we'll talk it through. In Alert Bay we dock close to the U'mista, about a 10 minute walk; at low tide the ramp up from the dock is steep and can be hard for guests with limited mobility.
Is lunch included? Can you handle dietary needs?
Yes. Lunch is catered by Mugz and served on board. When you book, tell us about any allergies or dietary needs.
Twelve guests a day, weekdays June to August.
Booking for 2027 opens soon. Send us your dates and we'll let you know as soon as it does; we answer every note ourselves.