The cow s life expectancy is an amazing 50 years. In the spring they make their way past the western coast of Vancouver Island en route to their summer feeding grounds in the Bering Sea. You can view them from Pacific Rim National Park and there are several companies that provide excursions. The Humpback Whale s long pectoral flukes and pale underbellies is what set them apart from other whales. They visit the Pacific region in the summer, making their way up from their breeding grounds in the waters off Hawaii and Mexico.
Whale watching companies usually take passengers on a zodiac onto the open water to view the whales.
Don t think that you will get close enough to touch the whales though. There are strict guidelines set by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans that protect the whales and ensure that they are not disturbed. You would not be able to get closer than 100 meters and the maximum viewing time from that distance is 30 minutes. Diving and swimming with the whales is strictly prohibited. There are plentiful examples of other wildlife such as eagles, dolphins, sea lions, porpoises, seabirds and bears that inhabit the coastline of British Columbia.