Humpback Whales in British Columbia
March 26th, 2025
Written by Josh Silberg In the channel off in the distance, a heart-shaped blow spouts three meters into the air. The spray lingers for a few fleeting moments before poooosh. There it goes again! What you’re seeing is one of nature’s most charismatic creatures taking a breath. BC’S REBOUNDING HUMPBACK WHALE POPULATION Humpback whales are a treat to meet…
Our Two Basecamps in Comparison
May 22nd, 2024
Both the Johnstone Strait Ultimate and Whales & Wilderness Glamping tours are excellent choices for sea kayakers of all ability levels. These are our basecamp-style trips, so we carry minimal gear in the kayaks and return to the same comfortable, established camp each night. If you’re new to camping, this is a great way to get a relaxed introduction to…
Where the Garbage Meets the Sea
December 20th, 2021
I slide my body over the bow of the boat, careful not to catch my coat tails on any hooks or cleats. With my feet dangling, I lower myself onto the slippery shoreline below, trying to judge where the water is shallow enough not to flood my boots. Safely on dry land, I remove my mask and put on my…
Winners of the 2021 Photo Contest
December 14th, 2021
The end of an awesome season… Once the gear has been stacked, the documents filed and the boats have been put to bed, the last task for the Spirit of the West team to complete after a long summer season, is to review the annual submissions to our photo & video contest. This year, even though life felt strange and…
All about Wilderness Camping
February 11th, 2021
Smart living in the coastal wild Spirit of the West diligently follows some basic principles that have been established as best practices for wilderness travel. There is a multitude of ways that these principles are put into practice, but we have summarized many of them below to give you an idea of what to expect when you join us on…