Jamie's Whaling Station & Adventure Centres

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Jamie's Whaling Station & Adventure Centres

Authentic, family-friendly eco-adventures since 1982. Ask us about our guaranteed sightings policy!
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Operating in the pristine coastal environments of both Tofino and Ucluelet, Jamie’s Whaling Station has been captivating adventure seekers from around the world since 1982! Our waters boast grey and humpback whales, transient orcas, sea otters at play, seals, porpoise, sea lions and every tour offers engaging commentary by our experienced and knowledgeable crew. We also offer bear watching, tours to Hot Springs Cove, kayaking, scenic flights, hiking, sunset cruises and beach drop-offs. We have the largest fleet in the area, including comfortable large cabin cruisers and high-speed, state-of-the-art 29’ zodiacs. We have gift shops at both locations, lots of free parking, including Motorhome/RV parking, and complimentary dog kennels too!

08/11/2026

This trend was too good to pass! Last slide might be a hot take… but we think it’s accurate 🫢
What’s your kinda chic moment from one of our tours? ✨

Share with us in the comments! ✍️

* All pictures taken while respecting Canadian viewing regulations with 400mm telephoto lens & cropped *

07/30/2026

This last week we got treated to a few nice days of mature and younger grey whales playing in really shallow water, doing a behaviour known as « sharking ». 🦈

When a grey whale is in only 10-15 ft (3-5 m) of water and it rolls to its side to feed, we can observe the some of the pectoral and tail fins breaking the surface of the water. The whales dig their head in the sand or mud, move their body moving forward in an « S » motion while sucking substrate in their mouth and thus giving us the impression, from above, that it could be a shark! This is a common feeding technique for PCFG (our local whales, the Pacific Coastal Feeding Group), but most of the time it happens much deeper, out of sight. In shallow waters, it all comes to light!

💡 You’ll notice some marking on the tails: rows of dots, even some scraping… Any clue what creature would do this ? To give you more context : these pictures are from a female known as Maloha who currently has a calf of probably 6-7 months (see slide 2 & 3). Mom has been in full on defensive mode for the last half of the year! Little one will soon be on his own.

Our whale watches are popular this summer, don’t wait until you are in Tofino or Ucluelet to book! Give us a call and our adventure assistants will be happy to help 🐋

06/30/2026

Whose fin is this?

You never know what you’re gonna get when you leave the harbor for your tour… Sometimes, you run into wildlife that you never thought you could spot here!

A few hints:
- This animal has the biggest mass gain from the early stages of life to their mature size, their mass increasing about 60 MILLION times! That is the equivalent of a newborn weighing as much as 6 Titanic boats by adult age.
- They measure about 1.8 m (5.5 ft) from front to back.
- They feed mainly on soft-bodied organisms like jellyfish and gelatinous zooplankton, diving to depths of over 200m (650+ ft) to reach their food.

Write your guesses in the comment ! 🔎

This animal was spotted off Vargas Island on our large covered cruiser trip last weekend, along with some grey whales, sea otters, sea lions and seals! If that sounds like something you’d like to see, don’t wait to book a tour! Places are limited in the summer months.
🌞🫍🛳️🦦

06/16/2026

A little sneak peak of what June has been like so far on the West Coast! Sunny days with a (big) sprinkle of wildlife. A nice visit of hunting Bigg’s killer whales, some loved feeding grey whales, otter nurseries in full action & black bear cubs that are coming down to the beaches! 🫍🦦🧸

Early summer usually means we get some pup / calf / cub action in Clayoquot & Barkley Sound. Don’t wait to book a tour, call our office or easily book it yourself on our website 🙌🏻

05/11/2026

Mothers are a different breed, that is no debate. Whether it’s a mama bear (sow) sharing her meagre spring catch with her cubs, a female grey whale (cow) fighting back against pods of orcas to protect her calf on their 6,000 km migration to Alaska, or that same orca matriarch working alongside her daughters and grandkids to teach them how to take down a prey 2 or 3 times their size… There’s no limit to what a mom would do for their little ones, and the natural world is full of examples!

To all the moms out there, human or not : you’re doing an amazing job, and we love to see it. Send these to a special women in your life to remind them, or if you’re a mom reading this… Happy Mother’s Day ! 🌷💋🦾🫶

P.S. See the last slide for some cub-cuteness ! 🐻

05/06/2026

What a month April has been ! Spring is here and we are not the only ones to feel that extra energy buzzing in the air. Tons of species are in the midst of their migration along the West Coast of Vancouver Island, above and below the surface! From fin whales to coastal wolves to brown pelicans, April brought its share of rare sightings. There’s absolutely no reason to believe this won’t keep going for May…

If you’re thinking of joining us sometimes this week, do it! Tours are going out from Tofino and Ucluelet every day, 7 days a week. 🌊

Here’s a few favorites from last month’s trips for your viewing pleasure. 🌞🐺🐋🌼
slide 1-3-4 by
slide 2 by
All pictures taken with a telephoto lens and further cropped.

05/01/2026

Visiting Tofino or Ucluelet this week? You might be in for a treat - if you know where to look… Around here, shorebirds are kind of a big deal! 🔎

Every year, in late April / early May, the Pacific Rim National Park and its surroundings see a surge in shorebird numbers as many species use the mudflats or beaches as stopover sites on their annual migration. Flying between South America where they winter, to the Arctic or sub-Arctic to reach their summer feeding grounds, these little birds don’t shy away from big distances! Some species, like the Western Sandpiper, travel well over 5,000 km each way (almost as much as a grey whales’ migration!). From dunlins to terns, not forgetting whimbrels and sandpipers, over 40 species of shorebird visit the area just in this time window. Offshore, pelagic and coastal birds are just as exciting to observe.

If you also love birds, let your skippers / deckhands know! Most of our crew is very well-versed in bird identification and will happily help you check species of your list. Our bears tour, that go out at low tide, offer some very good sighting opportunities. Plus, we might even be working on something special for the birders out there… Stay tuned! 🦢

04/22/2026

Today, the world is celebrating our home: Planet Earth 🌎✨

Frankly, every day should be Earth Day. This place is one of the very few things all 8 billion of us have in common, and it is the only home we have. Showing it appreciation, respect, and care is the very least we can do.

We put together this little carousel, showcasing a collection of the best views nature has gifted us over the last few years. It is a reminder that beauty is everywhere, and that even as our world changes quickly, it is up to us to protect it if we want future generations to experience this awe-inspiring nature.

When you come on a tour, whether it is your first or your hundredth time on the water, we always strive to spark that desire to protect the land and waters we call home. With every ticket sold, a portion is given back to a local non-profit that works directly on the conservation of Clayoquot and/or Barkley Sound. We believe it is through education and exposure that a deep sense of gratitude and responsibility for this ecosystem truly takes root.

If you are visiting the West Coast this week, head on to the and websites to see what activities have been organized to celebrate this important cause. From beach clean ups to shore bird spotting and creative marine debris workshops, there’s something for everyone!

Happy Earth Day🦋🌼🦦🌊🌲

04/18/2026

Earlier this week, Clayoquot Sound was gifted by two large pods of Biggs, the T030s and T050s, who showed up on the West side of Vargas Island. Just prior to that, a sighting of Rainy (T011A), the largest recorded Biggs male, had already been confirmed in Browning Passage, just around the corner from the Tofino harbor. What a day!

Biggs killer whales, also known as Transients, are the most common ecotype of orcas to visit our area. While we do see them somewhat regularly, having so many individuals all at once is quite rare. Not only that, but their very active behavior made for a truly unforgettable encounter that our skipper beautifully captured from his zodiac. « Breaching » is the name of that jumping behavior, characterised by a whale lifting at least ⅔ of its body out of the water and landing on its back, side or belly in a big splash.

While we do not know the exact reason why killer whales breach, we know for a fact that play and celebration are valued social interactions amongst the pods. Playing will often be used to refine hunting techniques, stay fit and overall strengthen the bonds between the individuals. In any case, we really love to see it!

All images courtesy of , taken with a telephoto lens and further cropped. This individual was identified as T030A, Sequoia, a bull (male) born in 1986 according to .

04/08/2026

You love them, ask about them all the time… Sea otters! But how well do you actually know them? Head to our stories to test your knowledge with a few quick facts 🥸 🦦

Our furry friends have one of the best success stories on the coast. After being completely wiped out from the area in 1930 due to the maritime fur trade that started in the late 1700s, their numbers have bounced back up. With the densest fur of all animals, it’s easy to understand how highly prized they were. Unfortunately, their absence marked some important changes in the ecosystem, that slowly reversed once they came back. Just 89 of them were successfully reintroduced in the 1969, along the Brooks Peninsula, and they now are quite abundant on most of the West Coast of Vancouver Island, with over 8,000 counted during the 2017 DFO survey!

You want to hear more? Our otters & inlets tours are just what you’re looking for! Family-friendly and in protected waters, don’t wait any longer to book your spot. The second slide could be your view very soon… 🦦 🦀 🌊

Address

606 Campbell Street
Tofino, BC
V0R2Z0

Website

https://www.jamies.com/

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