Coastal Rainforest Safaris

06/06/2026

The gentle giants are showing up and showing out!

05/31/2026

Our guide, Tyler, educating guests within his own territory! This is how we do it at Coastal Rainforest Safaris! Click the link in the bio to join us on one of our spectacular experiences!

Guide -

05/28/2026

Our faces when we realized we forgot about World Otter Day yesterday 👀🦦⁠
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Truthfully though… around here, every day is sea otter day.⁠
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Every time we’re out on the water observing these incredible animals, we’re reminded just how important they are to our coastal ecosystems. As a keystone species, sea otters help maintain healthy kelp forests by keeping sea urchin populations in check, creating habitat that supports countless other marine species along our coast.⁠
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Despite their playful personalities, sea otters still face very real threats, including habitat degradation, pollution, oil spills, entanglement, and the growing impacts of climate change on marine ecosystems.⁠
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We feel incredibly lucky to share these waters with them, and every encounter is a reminder of why protecting our coast matters so much. 🌊

05/27/2026

Great video from Matt Shannon who has joined a number of our trips over the years.

How To Create Sharp Photos Document FREE DOWNLOAD: https://www.matt...

05/22/2026

Really looking forward to this special trip and supporting the great work that Bay Cetology does.

Fin Whales, S***m Whales, Right Whale Dolphins?

While sightings are never guaranteed, this summer we’re offering a truly special opportunity to see these pelagic species and others. On July 11 and 12, we’re partnering with Coastal Raincoast Safaris for an unforgettable expedition to the outer coast of northwest Vancouver Island, BC, where shelf waters meet the wild Pacific. Our Executive Director, Jared Towers, will be joining the trip on Bay Cetology's research boat Merlin, sharing insights from decades of research in one of the most dynamic marine ecosystems on the coast.

This adventure offers a rare chance to deepen your understanding of whale behavior and ecology and encounter marine wildlife that is not often seen while directly supporting our research.

Sign up through the Coastal Raincoast Safaris website at the link below. Spots are limited.
https://coastalrainforestsafaris.com/2026/01/bay-cetology-fundraising-trip/

05/18/2026

What a way to start the season.

Our regular season does not fully begin until May 30, but we have the occasional trip running before then — and last week’s first official trip of the season delivered a true coastal safari.

Within the first 15 minutes, we came across two coastal wolves foraging along the tide line. Not long after, we found the first of three humpback whales seen that day, including one that breached and tail slapped repeatedly.

As the day continued, we visited Steller sea lions, watched rafts of sea otters — many with young pups — and saw seabirds, bald eagles, and harbour seals along the way.

And just when it felt like the day could not offer much more, we ended with a black bear feeding along the rocks at low tide.

Coastal wolves, humpback whales, sea otters, sea lions, eagles, seals, and a black bear — all on our first trip of the season.

Our next trip runs May 23, followed by the start of our regular season day trips on May 30.

Learn more or book online at https://coastalrainforestsafaris.com/

05/13/2026

Eagles are a common and quite memorable sight on our tours. Our skippers keep a close eye out for congregations of eagles, as they’re often drawn to schools of herring... and where there’s feeding activity, whales are frequently not far behind! 🐋⁠
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Watching it unfold is a truly lively and exciting spectacle: the eagles circling and diving, the water coming alive with bait fish, and the anticipation of what might appear next.⁠
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Summer is almost here, secure your spot today!⁠

www.coastalrainforestsafaris.com

04/30/2026

Join us on the BC coast during peak wildlife season, when the ocean is alive with movement and possibility. From humpback whales and orcas to sea otters and coastal wolves, every moment offers something extraordinary, and no two days are ever the same.

We’ll explore remote inlets, ancient rainforest shorelines, and the open Pacific, with long days on the water designed for those who want to truly immerse themselves in nature. And if conditions align, an offshore pelagic adventure could bring us face-to-face with some of the ocean’s rarest and most awe-inspiring species, such as fin whales, northern fur seals & more.

This is more than a trip, it’s a front-row seat to one of nature’s greatest spectacles.

📸 Limited to just 8 guests
🐋 Peak wildlife activity
🌲 Intimate, immersive, and wild

Ready to experience it for yourself? Click the link below to secure your spot!

www.coastalrainforestsafaris.com/september-wildlife-spectacular

04/29/2026

Sea otters have a pretty specialized (and impressive) way of eating sea urchins.

They’re one of the few animals that can consistently crack them open, and they do it using tools and technique:

🌊 They pick them up from the seafloor using their front paws and sensitive whiskers to locate them in kelp beds.
🦦 They bring them to the surface, often floating on their backs.
🪨 They use a rock as a “hammer” or anvil, either resting it on their chest or on their belly.
💔 Then they smash the urchin open against the rock until it breaks apart.
🍴 Finally, they eat the soft, nutrient-rich parts inside.

Their loose skin under the arms actually helps here, it acts like a built-in pocket so they can carry food and their favourite rock while floating.

It’s one of the reasons sea otters are considered a keystone species: by eating urchins, they help protect kelp forests from being overgrazed.

Join us on our Sea Otter Viewing and Whale Watching Tour for your chance to witness this incredible wildlife spectacle firsthand!

www.coastalrainforestsafaris.com/sea-otter-viewing-and-whale-watching-tour

04/27/2026

Ever wondered what a rock concert sounds like in the wild?

Meet the Steller sea lions, and yes, they are very vocal about their day. 🦭

Those open-mouthed “yells” aren’t yawns… they’re calls and roars carrying across the shoreline. It’s their way of checking in, staking out space, and keeping the whole colony in the loop (whether everyone asked for it or not).

Next time you see a haul-out like this, imagine a very salty, very opinionated neighbourhood group chat, just considerably louder and with better views.

Have you ever been to a Steller sea lion rock concert?

👀 Spotted on one of our Sea Otter Viewing and Whale Watching Tours.