Pelagic Birding Tour
This is a special exploratory tour to the water surrounding the undersea canyons off Quatsino Sound off the west coast of Vancouver Island. We search for a myriad of pelagic bird species and have the opportunity for unique marine mammals, like Northern fur seals and Fin whales, as we explore these offshore waters.
Some pelagic bird species we may possibly view include:
- Pink-footed, Sooty, and Short-tailed shearwaters
- Fork-tailed and Leach’s storm petrels
- Parasitic, Pomarine, and Long-tailed Jaegers
- Northern Fulmars
- Black-footed albatross and if we are real lucky Laysan and Short-tailed albatross
- Occasional alcids
Tour Details
- Minimum age of 15 years old. Passengers 18 and under must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
- We meet at Coastal Rainforest Safari’s office at 7185 Market Street in Port Hardy, BC on Northern Vancouver Island.
- Please arrive 30 minutes before the tour’s departure time to be outfitted in floater suits and sign a waiver. At the office, your guide will provide a safety briefing plus an overview of the tour and area we will be exploring.
- For this tour only, our boat is docked in Coal Harbour a 15 minute drive from our office. From here we will travel by boat for about an hour through Holberg Inlet, Quatsino Narrows, and Quatsino Sound before reaching the open ocean.
- Our open RHIB vessels have comfortable seats on shock mitigating platforms and an on-board toilet.
- RHIBs are not suitable for people with a history of back or neck injuries, recent surgery, or are pregnant.
- Please dress warmly. You will be provided with two-piece flotation suits, warm hats, goggles, and binoculars.
- Plenty of wildlife photography opportunities are available but please do not bring tripods on board.
- A morning snack, lunch, soft drinks, and hot drinks are provided on the Pelagic Birding tours.
Departs at 7:30 am
10 Hour Tour
Scheduled public tours
September 13 and 27, 2025
*** a minimum of six passengers are required to run this trip ***
Adult (15 and older): $525
Private Charter: $4725
Enjoy peace of mind with our all-inclusive tour prices! No additional fees or surprise surcharges at checkout—just a mandatory 5% Goods and Services Tax (GST).
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Port Hardy Whale Watching and Sea Otter Viewing Tours
We are located in Port Hardy at the north end of Vancouver Island.
