whale watching tour white rock

Whale Watching from White Rock

Did you know that you can go whale watching from White Rock? It’s true! Just head down to the end of the pier and look for White Rock Sea Tours & Whale Watching . Actually, we recommend booking a spot in advance to make sure that you snag a seat … because you’re not going to want to miss this adventure!

Whale watching trips depart daily from the White Rock Pier and the best times to view whales are between April and September.

White Rock Sea Tours and Whale Watching are members of the Pacific Whale Watch Association (PWWA), a group of Canadian and American whale-watching companies committed to research, education and responsible wildlife viewing.

White Rock Sea Tours & Whale Watching Departure from White Rock Pier ​1-604-868-1755​ [email protected] www.WhiteRockSeaTours.com

(all photos & video credit to White Rock Sea Tours & Whale Watching)

White Rock Sea Tours & Vancouver Whale Watch

• South Fraser

Thrilling whale watching experiences take you on a tour of the Gulf Islands, the US San Juan Islands, and beyond. Shorter tours offer wildlife viewing along the shores of Semiahmoo Bay and Boundary Bay, with daytime and sunset booking options.

More Experiences in Surrey

Although based out of Port Moody, Urban Pedal Rentals offers delivery and collection services of…

Eat and explore like a local! Sip, taste, and discover two Spice Trail Tours in…

Rent kayaks or standup paddleboards for your own adventures in the calm waters of the…

Whale Watching Adventure with White Rock Sea Tours

I have been fairly lucky lately in winning cool products and the most recent one was a Whale Watching trip for 2 with White Rock Sea Tours . When I received a notification from being tagged as the winner in their contest, I was super excited. My wife and I have been on a Whale Watching tour before, and it was a lot of fun, but I’ve heard that tours with Captain Andrew and White Rock Sea Tours were next level.

After some back and forth with trying to coordinate with my sister ( mudpunch ) who was gracious enough to look after our 3 munchkins for this roughly 4-hour whale watching tour and the booking department we were able to book a date and time that we would venture out onto the Salish Sea with Captain Andrew.

The weather was not the most favourable for a whale watching tour, overcast skies with some pretty heavy marine fog. It was not supposed to rain, but it sure looks like it might. Luckily for us, the rain stayed away.

White Rock Sea Tours

White Rock Sea Tours was once located on the White Rock Pier, but since the great storm in 2018 took out the pier, they have relocated to the Crescent Beach Marina.

Upon arrival at Crescent Beach Marina, we were unsure where to go, so we stopped off at the Marina Office, where we found out we also needed to pay for parking. Once I registered our vehicle, we were pointed in the direction to go, just at the marina’s entrance. White Rock Sea Tours sits inside a quaint little red building.

Captain Andrew

When we got to the red building, Captain Andrew came out and greeted us. In total, there were eight people on our whale watching tour. Andrew suited us up in Mustang Survival suites and gave us a briefing about the safety protocols and what our adventure would (also might) entail.

It was time to board the boat! The boat we were on was the newer Polaris Spartan , a 34-foot rigid hull inflatable with twin 300-hp engines. It seats 12 in a jockey-style seating arrangement with room for 2 more in the cabin with Captain Andrew. There is a washroom on board for those who might need it during a longer trip.

When we got back, I looked at the map to get a rough sense of where our whale watching adventure took us. We leave Crescent Marina, headed out into Boundary Bay, entered US waters as we passed Point Roberts. We darted across the Straight of Georgia over the BC Ferries sailing route (dodging 2 BC Ferries actually) and over to the east side of Galiano Island.

Along the way, numerous water birds were bobbing along on the eerily quiet ocean waters before reaching Galiano Island. Most notably, for me, were the Loons, which is always a treat to see. There were seagulls, surf scoters, cormorants and more.

When we reached the coast along Galiano, we had our first whale encounter. According to the radio chatter, there were a few Humpback whales in the area.

We were welcomed with a pectoral fin slap, a way that Humpback whales communicate with one another.

One photo I’ve been dying to get is of a Humpback and their tail fluke. If you want to know when you have a chance to photograph a Humpback’s tail fluke, watch for when it starts to go into a deep dive, it will raise its back out of the water more than it would normally do if it were swimming along the surface like in the above photos.

Did you know that you can ID a specific Humpback whale from the markings on its tail fluke? Like how people can ID Orcas from their saddle patches, the Humpback whale’s markings on the tail help identify them.

One thing that I have always thought was interesting is how friendly the various whale watching tour companies are out on the water. From what I can see from this trip and previous trips, all the captains chat over the radio with whale locations. It is nice to see companies working together to ensure everyone can witness these magnificent mammals.

Captain Andrew was given the heads up that there were Humpbacks in the area from the other tour operators nearby. Unfortunately, none of them had seen any Orcas in the area. He mentioned that the Orcas were all hanging out around the Victoria area, but we were still hopeful to try and find some surrounding areas we could reach

After a while of watching these Humpbacks and then them just vanishing on us, it was time to start heading south along Galiano Island. Captain Andrew took us alongside Mayne Island to where Stellar Sea Lions and Harbour Seals like to hang out.

After floating alongside the little islands that that Stellar Sea Lions and Harbour Seals were on, it was time to head to Mayne Island and grab a bite to eat and a drink at the Mayne Island Resort’s restaurant the Bennett Bay Bistro .

We hung out for about an hour before getting back onto the boat and continuing our search for Orcas.

We headed a bit further south along Saturna Island where Captain Andrew told us the southern tip of Saturna where the US and Canada border are referred to as the “Main and Hastings” intersection of ocean currents. He mentions one could cut their engines and float, and you would be able to hear the blow from various whales in the area, though we were not as lucky. The waters were fairly calm and quiet. We could see Harbour Porpoises every so often, but no Humpbacks and no Orcas. It was a neat place to listen and float around. If I have not mentioned it yet, I love being out on the water.

After about ten minutes or so hoping something would show up it was time to head back home.

On the way back, we came across a buoy just off of Point Roberts with Stellar Sea Lions resting on it. As we passed by slowly we must of have disturbed them as they barked and slide into the ocean and swam away.

Got back to the Crescent Beach Marina just as the sun was setting below the horizon. It was a great time out on the water; even if we didn’t get to see Orcas, we did get to see Humpbacks, and I’ve wanted to see Humpbacks again. The last time I saw Humpbacks in the wild was on an Alaskan cruise many years ago.

Our tour started at 1pm and we didn’t get back to the marina until 7pm. We had about a 1-hour stay at Mayne Island.

If you are looking for a great time out on the water in search of marine wildlife, I would recommend booking a tour with Captain Andrew and his White Rock Sea Tours.

The cost of the experience with White Rock Sea Tours is $175/person. Currently for the month of October, BC Residents can go for $99/person. You can check out more about the White Rock Sea Tours Whale Watching tour here as well as the other services Andrew offers. You can find White Rock Sea Tours on the following Social Media places: Facebook: White Rock Sea Tours Instagram: @WhiteRockSeaTours Twitter: @WRSeaTours

 previous

Product Review: Angelcare AC527 Baby Breathing Monitor

newer 

Chalkola Chalk Markers Review

Posts related to this one.

Finding that Perfect Pumpkin at Hazelmere

Berry Picking at Emma Lea Farms in Delta

Family Outing: Apple Picking in Abbotsford

Leave a reply cancel reply.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

The 6 best Alaska cruise shore excursions — from heli-hiking to whale watching

MSN has partnered with The Points Guy for our coverage of credit card products. MSN and The Points Guy may receive a commission from card issuers.

There are some cruise destinations — Barcelona, for instance, or Venice — where you really don’t need to sign up for shore excursions . You can just walk off the ship and head to the major attractions on your own.

For the most part, the ports of Alaska aren’t like that.

To get the most out of an Alaska cruise , you’ll want to sign up for a tour in most if not all of the ports you visit. And not just any old tour. You’ll be looking for the best Alaska shore excursions that get you out into the Alaska backcountry.

For more cruise news, reviews and tips, sign up for TPG’s cruise newsletter.

In Alaska, many of the biggest “attractions” — breathtaking mountain landscapes, glaciers, fjords, breaching whales and feeding bears, for instance — are related to the Great Outdoors. As a result, many of the best Alaska shore excursions for cruisers are found outside of the towns where ships stop. If you just stay in the towns and explore on your own, you’ll miss a big part of what Alaska is all about.

Related: The best Alaska cruise for every type of traveler  

Picking the best Alaska shore excursions

People who know me know that I love talking about Alaska port towns. This isn’t just because I spent more than two decades writing about Alaska and other cruise destinations for major newspapers. For many years, I was the co-author of Frommer’s “Alaska Cruises & Ports of Call” guide. In researching nearly half a dozen editions of that book, I spent many days exploring each of the major cruise ports in the state. I’ve tried a large number of the shore excursions in places such as Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan. I’ve also poked around these towns a lot on my own.

As noted above, my biggest message to anyone planning an Alaska cruise is to get out of the towns . Sign up for something — a hike, a rafting trip, a train ride, a fishing outing — that gets you out into Alaska’s spectacular outdoor settings.

But I also have a few specific, top-line pro tips when you’re thinking about the best Alaska shore excursions:

• Get up in the air . It’ll be expensive. We’re talking $250 or more per person. But there’s nothing like seeing the grandeur of Alaska from a helicopter or floatplane. The Juneau Icefield, in particular, is a sight to behold. It covers around 1,500 square miles. You can see it on a flightseeing tour from Juneau, with some tours including landings on the ice.
• Don’t miss the whales. Even if you’re not a big wildlife person, you’ll be mesmerized by the humpback whales of Alaska. They are huge (at up to 52 feet, longer than a Greyhound bus), and there are boat tours that will get you up close to them. The best places to do this are out of Juneau and also Icy Strait Point if your ship stops there.
• Splurge for a trip to Misty Fjords National Monument . This glacier-carved wilderness area, not far from Ketchikan, is another don’t-miss sight. It’s everything you think of when you think of Alaska: icy blue lakes, waterfalls, snow-capped peaks and glacial valleys. The only way to get there is on a boat or floatplane tour, and they typically start at over $200 a person.

Unfortunately, as you can see from the above, many of the most spectacular excursions in Alaskan ports are expensive. But Alaska is not a place to skimp. Alaska is a place where you may want to budget almost as much per person for your shore excursions as you do for your cabin.

That said, you don’t have to splurge for a big outing at every call. In Juneau, for instance, you can get an outdoor experience with a relatively inexpensive trip to the nearby Mendenhall Glacier. It’s just 12 miles from the cruise ship docks and reachable by bus or taxi. The bus will set you back an astounding $45 per person, round-trip, which I find an intolerable gouge (but … it is what it is). If you have a few people, you’re probably better off with a taxi, which runs around $35 each way. For two or three people traveling together, it’s not all that pricey a trip.

Either way you do it, you’ll find some nice hiking trails around Mendenhall Glacier and a visitor center. There’s a creek there, too, where I’ve sometimes seen salmon running. One time, I even saw a bear. Speaking of which: A bear is something you think you want to see in Alaska until you actually see one. Then you’re just hoping you don’t get eaten.

Related: The best Alaska cruises for couples

I should also be clear that the towns themselves aren’t devoid of attractions. While I highly encourage Alaska-bound cruisers to get out into the wilderness, there are plenty of worthwhile things to do in each of the main port towns.

In Juneau, food tours have become popular; think King crab bisque and Alaska salmon. The Alaska State Museum is beautiful and worth a visit. Skagway is like a Gold Rush-themed movie set. You should at least walk its main street (Broadway), with its wooden-board sidewalks. If you’re a craft beer fan, like me , you also might want to sample a Spruce Tip Blonde Ale at the Skagway Brewing Company. It’s made with Sitka spruce tips picked locally in the spring.

In Ketchikan, you should save a few minutes to stroll up Creek Street, along Ketchikan Creek, where you might spot salmon running. It’s the ultimate Alaska selfie spot.

Related: The best cruises to Alaska from Seattle  

How to book the best Alaska shore excursions

The simplest way to book an Alaska shore excursion is through your cruise line. You check a box on an online form before sailing or while on board, and — poof! — it’s all arranged. They send a ticket to your room, and when you walk off the ship, a tour guide will be waiting for you.

Another way to go is to book directly with a tour operator in one of the ports. Many of the tour operators you’ll find in Alaskan ports are the same tour operators that operate the ship-sponsored excursions. Often, the tours that the local tour operators will sell you are the same tours that the cruise lines are selling you, at the same price . Shopping around isn’t necessarily going to get you anywhere.

Indeed, in some cases, the cruise lines own the tour operators in Alaska ports, or at least a piece of them. For instance, the parent company of Princess Cruises and Holland America  is a part-owner of Skagway’s big attraction, the White Pass & Yukon Route Railway.

That said, you can sometimes get discounts by calling a tour operator directly. I’ve had some luck with that over the years. It’s hit or miss.

Related: 8 tips for booking the best cruise shore excursion for your money

The 6 best Alaska shore excursions

Below, I’ve listed six of my all-time favorite Alaska shore excursions. These all are tours that you’ll find in the tour lineups at every major cruise line that operates in Alaska. That said, different lines sometimes have different names for these tours — and sometimes different pricing.

For the listings below, I’ve used the tour names and pricing listed in the current tour sheets at Princess, which along with sister line Holland America, is the biggest cruise operator in Alaska.

Related: The ultimate guide to picking a cruise line  

Dog-sledding and glacier adventure by helicopter

Cost: $669.95 per person

Port where available: Juneau

For those with a hefty bankroll, this might be the ultimate Alaska shore excursion. Combining helicopter flightseeing over the seemingly endless Juneau Icefield with a landing on a glacier for dog sledding, it hits two of Alaska’s most iconic experiences.

It’s also insanely expensive, as I know from firsthand experience. I once took my entire family of five on this excursion, dropping more than $2,000 in the process. That’s a huge chunk of change for an outing that lasts three hours.

But I’ll tell you this: I don’t regret doing it. Not one bit. For starters, the views of the Juneau Icefield as you fly to and from the dog-sledding camp are incredible (assuming the weather cooperates). But the real joy was seeing my three young girls interacting with the teams of Alaskan huskies that live at the camp.

Once you arrive at the camp, you’ll meet the dogs and their mushers, see where they live, get a quick tutorial in mushing, and then head out for a spin around the camp on a dog-pulled sled.

Related: These are the best times to visit Alaska

Whale watching and wildlife quest

Cost: $189.95

If it’s Alaska’s famous humpback whales that you want to see, you’ll want to book a whale-watching tour. The waters around Juneau are particularly known for humpback whales — so much so that the operator of this excursion offers a whale-sighting guarantee.

Setting off from the Juneau harbor in a whale-watching boat, you’ll cruise to nearby areas to see not just humpback whales but harbor seals and sea lions, too. You might even spot a killer whale or porpoise.

The boat used for this excursion has both inside and outdoor viewing areas. The trips last about four hours, including transfer time from your cruise ship to the whale-watching boat.

Related: The ultimate list of Alaska cruise tips  

Note that if you have a big enough group, it sometimes pays to arrange a private boat out of Juneau to take you to see humpback whales. Many lines offer a private boat charter for whale watching as a tour option, or you can arrange one through a local company.

Klondike rock climbing and rappelling

Cost: $119.95

Port where available: Skagway

If you’re like me, you may be a little terrified at the idea of climbing the sheer face of a rock cliff. But don’t let that scare you away from this 3 1/4-hour tour. It’s a hoot.

Experienced climbing guides will meet you at your ship and drive you up the Klondike Highway to an area of granite cliffs that’s the perfect playground for beginner and more seasoned climbers alike. Upon arrival, the guides provide you with all the gear you need — climbing shoes, helmets and harnesses — for a safe scramble up a 70-foot-high wall. They’ll also offer plenty of instruction (and encouragement) plus a snack of trail mix and hot chocolate.

If it all sounds a bit daunting, know that you don’t need any experience at climbing to do it; I sure didn’t have any when I tried it, nor did my young daughters, who absolutely loved it. There are multiple routes up the cliffs, some perfect for beginners. After making it to the top, you’ll rappel back down — an entirely different kind of thrill.

Related: How to plan a cruise with points and miles

White Pass & Yukon Route Railway ride

Cost: $149.95

Call it the iconic attraction of Skagway, Alaska. A ride into the mountains on this narrow-gauge railroad is the tour everybody takes when visiting the Gold Rush town-turned-tourist hub. And for good reason. It offers an easy way to get deep into the Great Alaskan Outdoors.

Truth be told, I’m a fan of more active excursions. But for someone who isn’t going to hike, bike, horseback ride or raft their way through the wilderness around Skagway (there are tours for all of those things, too), a ride on the White Pass & Yukon Railway is one of the best ways to get a glimpse of the area’s classic Alaskan scenery.

Related: 13 things you should do before every cruise  

From the comfort of a vintage rail car, you’ll get stunning views of mountains, gorges, glacial rivers and waterfalls as you climb nearly 3,000 feet to the summit of White Pass — the headwaters to the mighty Yukon River. Designated an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark, the 20-mile route is a marvel in its own right, with improbably steep grades at times and segments that pass over soaring wooden trestles and around tight, cliff-hanging curves.

Heli-hike and rail adventure

Cost: $399.95

This is another tour with a sky-high cost. But, in my opinion, it’s well worth the money. Indeed, it’s one of my all-time favorite Alaska shore excursions.

The five-hour, Skagway-based outing begins with a transfer from your ship to a nearby helicopter pad, where you’ll find a helicopter waiting to whisk you high into the surrounding Sawtooth Mountain Range.

On a quick flight to your destination — a mountain trail in the Tongass National Forest — you’ll get spectacular views of the mountains and Goat Lake. You’ll land at Glacier Station, a remote mountain helicopter pad alongside the White Pass & Yukon Railway tracks. From there, you’ll set off on a two- to six-mile guided wilderness hike on a trail along the Skagway River. The highlight of the hike: a magnificent view of Laughton Glacier.

Returning to Glacier Station, you’ll end the day with a ride back to Skagway on the White Pass & Yukon Railway, which makes a special stop to pick you up.

Misty Fjords National Monument by seaplane

Cost: $299.95

Port where available: Ketchikan

There’s nothing that says Alaska quite like a trip in a floatplane. And, if you’re going to do a floatplane ride, there’s nowhere better than in Ketchikan. You’ll find a small armada of floatplanes waiting to take you to nearby Misty Fjords National Monument.

Misty Fjords is one of those quintessential Alaska destinations that’s so beautiful you just want to cry. That is, if it’s not too “misty” to see it. It got its name for a reason. The area is often shrouded in clouds and drizzly rain. Ketchikan is known as one of the rainiest places in North America, with over 13 feet of rain each year. So, yeah, bring a rain jacket.

But, also get ready for lovely views of glacier-carved fjords, cliffs and rock walls jutting thousands of feet out of the ocean. The whole thing is covered with temperate rainforests and features huge waterfalls (thanks to all that rain). It’s definitely a sight to see.

Note that there often are two versions of this tour available: One that is about two hours in length and only includes flightseeing and a slightly longer version that includes a water landing within Misty Fjord National Monument.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

• The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
• A beginners guide to picking a cruise line
• The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship
• The ultimate guide to what to pack for a cruise
• A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
• 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
• 15 ways cruisers waste money
• The ultimate guide to choosing a cruise ship cabin

SPONSORED:  With states reopening, enjoying a meal from a restaurant no longer just means curbside pickup.

And when you do spend on dining, you should use a credit card that will maximize your rewards and potentially even score special discounts. Thanks to temporary card bonuses and changes due to coronavirus, you may even be able to score a meal at your favorite restaurant for free. 

These are the best credit cards for dining out, taking out, and ordering in to maximize every meal purchase.

Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Buy a gift card today!

Quick Details

• Available year-round
• Great for special events, corporate parties & private whale watching excursions
• Comfortable zodiac-style boat with heated cabin and onboard washroom
• Call or email to discuss options and availability

Private Charters

Private charters can be customized for your own private whale watching adventure, Vancouver coastal cruise, fireworks display, memorial service, sunset harbour cruise, party, corporate event, family get-together, birthday, fishing cruise, or romantic cruise for two.

You choose the departure time and enjoy the exclusive use of the vessel for the duration of the trip.

We offer private adventures and group charters ideal for family reunions, corporate team building, whale watching, fireworks, sightseeing, and special occasions. Charters include a captain and fuel. Please give us a call at (604) 868-1755 or email [email protected] to discuss your specific needs and how we can organize the best day ever!

• If guests have any health issue, please consult your doctor and inform the captain of any concerns prior to boarding and anytime throughout your trip. Call us anytime with questions or to seek clarification.
• We reserve the right to postpone or delay any trip due to weather conditions, mechanical or unforeseen circumstances. Boats may   be delayed.
• We reserve the right to assign vessels and seating.
• Tours may vary in duration.
• Guests are required to sign a waiver during booking. See FAQ for a sample.