TOFINO WILDLIFE BLOG
Open Boat vs Covered Boat for Whale Watching & Bear Tours: Which Should You Choose?
If you’re planning a wildlife tour in Tofino, one of the biggest decisions you’ll make is which type of boat to book.
Both open boats and covered boats visit the same areas, travel at similar speeds, and see the same incredible wildlife—whales, bears, sea lions, and more. The difference comes down to your experience on the water.
TOFINO BEAR WATCHING TOURS
Our Bear Watching Tours for 2019 will start up mid-April from Tofino. The Black Bears will be waking up from winter hibernation hungry and looking to forage on the coastline. Vancouver Island has the highest density of black bears in North America, and a total estimated population of 12,000.
Unlike whale watching, which ventures out on the open ocean's waves, bear watching is done from covered vessel with a viewing deck, or open Boston Whaler boat on the calm inside waters in and around Tofino Inlet. This is where black bears can be witnessed at low tide, as they approach the shore on their quest for nutritious shore crabs by turning over beach boulders and rocks.
