Orca Dreams-in the Broughton Archipelago off Vancouver Island’s northeast coast – is the place where wildlife adventure meets upscale base camping. Our four-day tours in this breathtaking wilderness playground begin and end in our well-appointed camp in Blackney Pass. Your comfort is paramount as we introduce you to the whales, dolphins, sea lions and porpoises for whom the Broughton is home from spring through early fall.
From our raised safari-style tents to our artisan-designed dining area, you’ll find Orca Dreams’ meticulous attention to detail guarantees a uniquely crafted wilderness experience. And of course it’s not just about our beautiful camp! We see each day as a fluid response to what the wildlife is doing around us. Orcas sighted offshore? A good morning for a group paddle, perhaps, followed by a sumptuous midday meal. Then relax for the afternoon, exploring forest trails and white shell beaches, sketchbook or camera in hand. Then again, maybe it’s time to catch salmon for dinner from onboard Tenzing!
No two days at Orca Dreams are the same. What you can expect, though, is a daily encounter with the wildlife of the Broughton – on the water, in the forest, in the sky. As well as excellent ‘locavore’ dining, beautiful accommodations, and a one-of-a-kind adventure experience.
Our first tour of the season brings you springtime in the Broughton. The days are getting longer, the sun is feeling warmer. The Pacific Flyway is alive with migratory birds returning up the coast.
Watch for sandpipers, surfbirds and turnstones darting around the surf’s edge. Coastal black-tailed deer are common, and you may even see a black bear rolling boulders on a beach looking for food. Visit Orca Dreams, and align your senses with nature’s spring awakening.
From late May through mid July the humpbacks return, favouring the coastline that provides them a steady diet of krill and herring. At Orca Dreams our day’s activities are determined by the whales. Some-times we jump aboard our open double ender whaleboat the Tenzing and watch the gentle giants feed and breach all around the boat. Or we launch the kayaks and enjoy a morning paddle in Blackney Pass, sharing the water with whales and seals, otters and porpoises.
One of the most memorable ‘whales’ on the coast isn’t a whale at all. Orcas, or killer whales, are the largest members of the dolphin family. Easily identified by their dramatic markings and tell-tale dorsal fins, they travel and hunt in extended family groups. The Broughton is one of their prime destinations.
At Orca Dreams we share our fascination for the great mammals of the sea. Our encounters with them are as respectful as they are frequent – in their summer home we are the visiting guests!
By midsummer Blackney Pass is sea mammal central! These rich waters abound with orcas, humpbacks, sea lions, dolphins and seals – not to mention otters, porpoises, eagles, and birds of prey. A common attraction for many of these species (and that includes us) is the wild salmon that also navigates the Pass.
At Orca Dreams you have only to peek outside your tent for something to catch your eye – a soaring blue heron, a breaching whale, the fluke of a humpback. We specialize in total wilderness immersion!
While Steller sea lions aren’t migratory, they occupy a vast stretch of ocean from Alaska to California – and they like to be on the move. Which is wonderful for Orca Dreams, because local groups aggregate and pass by our camp as they travel to and from their northern rookeries. In the fall, as they return to local haul-outs with their new pups, these social sea mammals seem to own the waters of the Broughton. Their invitation: come and be part of the family!
Humpback whales the world over are known for their epic migrations, complex songs, and the acrobatic jumps that earn them their name. But no less fascinating is their feeding strategy. In the fall Pacific humpbacks are readying for their winter migration to Hawaii. From our camp you’ll see them lunge feeding – breaking to the surface with open mouths, the water sluicing out and hundreds of krill staying in. You can watch them feed all day, because it takes a lot of small fish to satisfy one big whale!
