One of the great joys of my life is being out on the water to see marine mammals in their natural surroundings. Being a local gives me the advantage… read more of going out with Mackay Whale Watching with every trip a magical mystery tour. A few weeks ago a relative visiting from Ontario and I were awed by the incredible sightings of orcas/humpbacks/seals/eagles/porpoises. So much happening it was hard to know where to look. The Naiad is a comfortable and spacious vessel. There is room for everyone to be seated indoors or to stand or sit on 2 decks. A great price for a 4-5 hour tour including a hot bowl of soup/bun & sweet treats. Add Captain Bill’s vast knowledge and humour and it all adds up to the perfect whale watching experience.

  All around excellent! We were out for five hours total since we had to head way east to find the orcas, after spending more than an hour with the… read more humpbacks.
All the commercial boats share whale locations, so I think you’d see whales no matter what, but I chose Mackay because
– longest outing (plus soup for lunch)
– small family business
– price was actually cheapest, too (we got 10% off the posted price as a family group over 4 people)

Word to the wise: you will get more out of it if you are on top where the you can hear what the captain / guide are saying

  The absolute best whale watching tours you can get are with Bill and his amazing Crew out of Port McNeill! The stories and knowledge they share with us while we’re… read more surrounded by stunning wildlife activities are fascinating. Bill is a legend and makes sure to approach the animals with caution and gives them enough space, which is important to me. One of the best places in the world for seeing Orcas and Humpback whales. Also sea lions, bald eagles and sea otters! You have to accept you’re spoiled after being on these tours 😛 🙂