
A
great sea kayaking adventure........
Janice Mucalov,
National Geographic Travel Guide
Why Sea Kayak in Johnstone Strait?
Johnstone Strait is unquestionably the best place on earth to sea
kayak with the Killer Whales in the wild. Most of British Columbia's
220 Northern Resident Killer Whales return to these waters to feed,
sleep, play, and rub their bodies on the pebble beaches of the world-famous
Robson Bight Ecological Reserve.
There
is no better way to encounter pods of these friendly Orca than up
close and personal, while sea kayaking Johnstone Strait. Sharing this
habitat are playful dolphins, sealions, harbour seals, minke whales,
eagles and black bears. Sea kayaking with the whales is one of life's
most amazing experiences.

Luxury camping and whales .....an incredible trip....
The Globe and Mail
40 years as Johnstone Strait's favourite camp
For over 40 years the
Spirit of the West Camp has been the premier
location to view killer whales dating back to a time when a
group of musicians camped here in the 60's. From the very bluffs where
our tents now stand,
the musicians would play their wind and string instruments as a way
of communicating with the killer whales. They chose this site
above all others for it's unmatched beauty and of course the close
proximity to the Killer Whales.

A resting pod of Killer Whales slowly passes
by.
In 1997 the Spirit of the West camp became the
first permanent sea kayaking camp in Johnstone Strait. We chose
this site as it provides our guests with the
best opportunity to see the killer
whales as they pass closer than
to any other camp in the strait, so close that they have been
observed feeding on the abundant salmon
just a few meters below our tents.
Our well known camp is referred to as "the
kayak camp" by local whale watching companies and
researchers and used as a reference point and a common place for locating
the Killer Whales.
Special features:
Because
of the popularity of this tour all our departures are guaranteed.
We
have the highest guide to client ratio on the coast. Spoiling
you is our priority.
Amazing
sunsets, Salmon fishing and night paddles to see the magical Phosphorescence.
(Bioluminescence)
Our
closest neighbour is the Killer Whale research station, the only other
camp sharing our incredible view into the orca reserve.
All
of our tours depart from Campbell River, which is less expensive to
get to than other departure points.
Sea Kayak Tour Overview
 |
A remarkable tour.......... The
Vancouver Sun |
Listen to the Killer Whales
Our base camp is equipped with a research quality underwater hydrophone.
We are able to listen to the beautiful sounds of the Orcas as they
pass by our kayak camp.
The Camp
The
Johnstone Straight tour could easily be described as luxury camping, with fine
dining.
Stacy
Wallace,
Sales Representative, Travel Wise
Whales
from camp
We
are one of the few camps where we are able to look and listen to
the whales 24 hrs a day.
It is a great experience to watch them while enjoying a morning
coffee or listening to them pass by at night from your tent.
Why our guests call it five star camping...
Gourmet
menu including wild Salmon barbecue on day one.
Submerged
hydrophone set off shore so we can listen to the Orcas as they pass by our camp.
A sit
down toilet that gets rave reviews for its ocean views.
A hot
shower, that gets rave reviews for its ocean views (yes we love our
views).
Our
guides are trained in wilderness first-aid, nature interpretation,
advanced kayaking and most importantly they are fun to be with!
A fleet
of both single and double kayaks at camp. First rate equipment used
on all tours.
Learn
more about our camp......
This is your home
One of the most outstanding features on this tour is our permanently
set up campsite. All tents are situated on red cedar platforms offering
you a level, comfortable and dry home. We use high quality 4 person
tents per couple. We also have tents designed for solo travelers.
This is your view
Each tent location was chosen for it's spectacular views. It is not
uncommon for the Killer Whales to pass within 50 feet of your door step!