Dr. John Ford has been involved in field studies of whales and other marine mammals since the mid 1970s.  He received a PhD in Zoology at the University of British Columbia in 1985, for his discovery and documentation of acoustic dialects in killer whales off Canada’s west coast. 

He is a research scientist (emeritus) at the Pacific Biological Station, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Nanaimo, BC, where he headed up the Cetacean Research Program for 16 years. Prior to his move to the Pacific Biological Station in 2001, John was senior marine mammal scientist and Director of Research and Conservation at the Vancouver Aquarium.

His main areas of research include the life history, ecology, behaviour and acoustic communication of cetaceans, especially killer whales.  He has studied orcas both in BC and other global regions, including Patagonia, Antarctica, Alaska and Norway.  He has also done field research with humpback whales, gray whales, North Pacific right whales, bowheads, narwhals, and belugas.

In recent years, his research has focused on the conservation status of cetaceans listed under Canada’s Species-at-Risk Act and involves assessments of population abundance and distribution, critical habitats, and foraging ecology of whales in the Canada Pacific. He recently served as Co-Chair of the Marine Mammal Subcommittee of the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) and is a member of the IUCN’s Cetacean Specialist Group.   

As Bluewater continues to explore the myriad of inlets, islands, and estuaries of the British Columbia coast, the fact that whales are returning in greater numbers since they were hunted out not so long ago, is evident each season we head to the central coast

The Great Bear Sea is holds newly protected areas that are stewarded by local First Nations Watchmen, and it is an area that is incredibly remote and quiet – just the way whales like it.

We do not focus on bears as much as we do marine mammals, but we do keep an eye out on the shorelines. Instead we follow Dr. Ford’s lead and go to the places that whales are known to be.

With the weather on our side, we hope to head to the outer islands of the Great Bear Rainforest in search of orca, fin whales and humpbacks on this one-of-a-kind opportunity.

Being that we are a little early for the arrival of spawning salmon, we focus on marine mammals like humpback whales, and while navigating prime foraging areas, we keep an eye out for Dall’s porpoise, harbour porpoise, Steller sea lions and quite possibly, fin whales if luck is on our side. Sea otters are making a comeback and the coastal wolves, although elusive, may bee seen lurking along the shore line. Although we may see bears tempted by intertidal treats, we expect to spend more time with marine mammals of the Great Bear Sea.

You can expect to see just about everything at this time of year. It is drier than the fall months, but you should always prepare for rain on the BC coast. Temperatures will be mild, from 10 – 17 degrees C / 50 – 65 degrees F, and days are longer too.

This itinerary offers a lot of opportunities for shore excursions, whether it be to a bear viewing area, a rainforest walk, or even some paddling the shoreline. For any shore excursion we take, guests will need to be able to get in and out of the zodiac – both into/out of the zodiac from the boat as well as in/out of the zodiac onshore, which is usually from a pebbly or rocky shoreline. The walks we take onshore will vary both in length and terrain, though will usually be minimal in elevation gain or loss.