The History of |
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hen Vancouver Whale Watch was established in 1998, it was originally an eco-tourism company called Captain Zodiac. Cedric Towers, the owner and founder, was not sure if whale watching would be
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| ©Vancouver Whale Watch |
Vancouver Whale Watch started with one custom built 12 passenger zodiac, built by Titan boats, and Cedric quickly realized that he needed greater passenger capacity to make the business profitable. In 2000 he brought in the Explorathor from RTM boat builders in Quebec. It was specially designed for marine mammal viewing, and after rearranging the seats to face forward, it was ready to go. The Explorathor Express was purchased in 2002, which upped their passenger capacity to 184 people a day, over two trips, using all three vessels.
"Vancouver Whale Watch is now entering its 8th season of operation, with a 90% sighting success rate in each of their previous seasons. Their guarantee is that if you do not see a whale, you may come again for a FREE trip until you do—for life, no expiry!"
Since then they have replaced the engines and jets in both of the Explorathors, and in 2004, raised the wheelhouses on the vessels as well.
Vancouver Whale Watch has been a member of the Whale Watch Operators Association North West since 1999. This is a trans-boundary organization of whale watching companies that acts as voice for the industry. VWW has a grant fund that goes to fund scientific research on the Southern Resident Orcas, and we have developed the strictest guidelines in the world for watching Orcas. The Canadian and American governments, in consultation with the WWOANW, and the scientific community, are slowly adopting the guidelines that we have developed. The WWOANW also funds an organization called Soundwatch, which is out on the water monitoring boater behavior around the whales. Soundwatch reports weekly any guideline infractions that they may have observed to each company, so that they can avoid any infractions in the future. Cedric was Vice President of the Canadian chapter of the WWOANW in 2004.
Vancouver Whale Watch Vessels
All of their vessels are expedition-style zodiacs designed for marine mammal viewing. They travel over the top of the water instead of pounding through it. This increases passenger comfort and safety, as well as reducing the chance of passenger seasickness. Water jets are used on their semi-enclosed vessels, which are extremely safe for marine mammals. All ocean going vessels have regular flushing washrooms.
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| ©Sea Breeze Media—Vancouver Whale Watch zodiac in Steveston Harbour. |
The Lightship 1
- Built in 1999 by Titan Boats and joined their fleet the same year
- Carries 12 passengers at a cruising speed of 30 knots
- Twin Yamaha 150 Outboard engines
- Equipped for whale watching & private charters
The Explorathor
- Joined their fleet in 2000
- Carries up to 48 passengers at cruising speed of 25 knots
- Twin 375 horsepower Caterpillar diesel engines with ultra jets
- Equipped for whale watching, sea lion tours & private charters
The Explorathor Express
- A new addition to their fleet in 2002
- Carries up to 48 passengers at a cruising speed of 25 knots
- Twin 375 horsepower Caterpillar diesel engines with ultra jets
- Equipped for whale watching, sea lion tours & private charters
The River Queen
- Built in the 1950's and originally designated as a lifeboat
- The first boat to launch with Vancouver Whale Watch
- 30 feet long and powered by a diesel engine
- Adapted for leisurely Nature and Historical Tours along the Steveston Harbour
Vancouver Whale Watch is now entering its 8th season of operation, with a 90% sighting success rate in each of their previous seasons. Their guarantee is that if you do not see a whale, you may come again for a FREE trip until you do—for life, no expiry!
Vancouver Whale Watch strives to provide their passengers with the adventure of a lifetime through excellent customer service, first-class vessels, the highest possible safety standards, and added value from on-the-water education of the west coast ecosystem they are traveling through. We emphasize science and conservation in everything we do, while creating a fun and professional atmosphere both in the office and on the water.
Vancouver Whale Watch is located at #210 - 12240 Second Avenue, Steveston Village (Richmond), BC V7E 3L8, Tel: 604-274-9565. Office wheelchair accessible, boats, not too sure. Talk to the staff.
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