Quadra Island Boat Tours

Chris is an educator and the savviest of boat captains. We learned so much about the water, the creatures that live within it, alongside it and above. Even more amazing, was Chris' knowledge of the precolonial history of the islands and water. So important to learn about the history of the land we visit while travelling. Chris' knowledge was a precious gift for myself and my family. The boat experience itself was catered to our family, one of whom had limited mobility. I will forever cherish being able to share the experience we had on the boat tour with Chris with my parents at the stage of life we are all at. And am also very grateful for all the fun facts about whales, fish and ocean industries to bring to social gatherings moving forward. :)

We had an amazing day out on the boat with Chris! He gave us a beautiful tour of the area, spotted humpback whales and pulled out fresh prawns from his prawn traps for us to try! Would highly recommend a day out with Quadra Island boat tours!

Just one word: MAGNIFICENT! Chris is your best bet. He is a local guide who loves and knows the water, the area, the history and tales. He is trustworthy if h says you will see wills whales, you can get your bet on it. But his tour is not about chasing these poor animals like zodiac tours, he takes the time to show you the nature wonder and breathtaking views. He is funny and laid back, if you are an adult or a kid you will live this experience. Don't hesitate to call him, he answers your call. Big thanks again!

A bit of a long review so a quick summary would be … the sort of experience you dream of having on a tour like this but don't actually believe is achievable. Thank you Chris!

I'm not normally someone who gives a gushing positive review but he's left me no choice!

From the moment I first contacted Chris I felt nothing but good vibes and sure enough he was great every step of the way.

First off he called us up the day before the tour offering to reschedule as wind was forecast (only a bit) and he thought maybe our kids (5yrs and 2yrs) wouldn't get maximal enjoyment.

He's also just an excellent host. Really made sure everyone was having a good time, gave the boys the chance to 'drive the boat', added some salmon fishing at the end, tailored the whole trip to what we wanted to do (even though we had booked onto the pre-planned sutil tour).

Thirdly the way he sets up his tours is so that even if you don't see any wildlife you will still have an excellent experience just from his knowledge of the area, the bonus fishing and the secret island spots he knows to take you to. This is in contrast to the standard whale watching experience we have had in the past which is basically just drive at high speed to see wildlife (or not!) Then drive at high speed back again.

Finally…. we saw so many whales! At least 3, maybe 4? One even breached for us 4 times in succession. Whilst the others were hanging around giving us some big blows and tail shots good enough for even my 3 year old to appreciate!

Overall, the kids had a blast and we did too and, whilst some of this was to do with our good fortune (with the whales and the weather), a lot of it was because of the way Chris goes about his work and the ethos behind his business.

This boat tour of the Islands in Desolation Sound was wonderful. We learned so much about the history of the area and about the First Nations people. Chris, our guide, took us out on his boat for four hours! We saw spectacular scenery in places that cannot be reached by car. We saw large sea lions at their colony, many harbor seals at the seal rock, bald eagles, humpback whales, and several different shore birds. He also took us to his Spot Prawn traps where he pulled and reset them. We would highly recommend this tour to anyone wanting an all-around experience which includes a variety of explorations and can be customizable to meet what you, personally, are looking for. AND, for people that want to go fishing for salmon, he also takes people out fishing daily.