Springtide Charters Ltd

Amazing trip, a little rough but just because of the weather. We managing to see one humpback which was pretty amazing, I advise to dress really really warm! The trip is a little long but the captain of the 10 seater we went in was fantastic and knowledgable about the marine life and the area (even though he was british) awesome day out was incredible rough on the way back, my advise sit at the back not the front unless you want to get very wet and a sore back. Recommend to anyone

What an incredibly great experience! My boyfriend surprised me with a whale watching excursion and as I stood in the lobby trying not to cry with excitement the woman behind the desk with the beautiful Irish accent seemed just as excited as I was. She was incredibly friendly and nice and helped other guests that were unsure about the boat.
Our Captain (the British man) was very knowledgeable. We got to see two transient Killer Whales (the twins) and followed them for a while through the beautiful coast line. Loved seeing the harbor seals and sea lions at Race Rocks. I couldn’t believe how loud they are. Saw 8 – 10 humpback rolling around and diving for food. Drove through a swarm of feasting seagulls (surprisingly fun!). Saw beautiful mountains and Mount Baker. Our captain was happy to stay out on the water longer since it was such a beautiful day for late October. I loved the speed of the boat and catching some air on the waves… so much fun!!! Seeing the whales in nature is mind-​boggling and beautiful and I was so emotional. A must do life experience.
Tips: It is way colder out there than you think it is going to be. Dress so warm to the point that you are hot while on the docks. Also, use the restroom 5 times before you leave, no joke.
P. S. Dear Irish woman at the front desk– you were right, the boyfriend did have more surprises in store that day… he proposed later that night! Of course I said yes. =)

We were able to book an hour before the tour and were the final 4 seats on the boats for the day. We had Mark as our tour guide and everything was great! Mark was very knowledgeable and was able to find us orcas and humpback whales. Was a big check off the life list. Would definitely recommend for out of town guest if they want to see some whales.

Great Company!!! Great Staff!!! Fiona was wonderful!!! They took our family of 11 last minute when another company screwed up our reservation. Plus Fiona was even willing to go above and beyond to drop us off at the wharf, so we wouldn’t miss our kayak tour. (If the harbor master would allow). Since the times were now so close due to the first company’s fault. Our guide John was very knowledgeable and had a great personality. He answered every question we had. Non stop laughing at his jokes!!! The zodiac boat was perfect for my family. The boys 13 & 15 loved it!!! Along with myself and my brothers family! Can’t wait to go back!!! Will book with Springtime Tours again!!!

Great tour — definitely take the zodiac. It was a fun ride, the whale watching was awesome and the staff was super helpful.

Very professional, everything happened on time and in an organized manner. Very up front about preparation (what to bring, what to wear), very helpful with storing bags at the office while you go on your boat ride. Zodiac captain was excellent, with a good knowledge of local wildlife that he was happy to share.
There’s no such thing as a bad day on the water, and it’s even better when you score both a humpback whale and a pod of orcas!

We had a great trip aboard one of their zodiac boats, with our skipper Jeff. Jeff was very knowledgable about whales and did a very good job of identifying were there was a group of whales. He took us to an area where there were very few boats and we were able to see a family of whales in the water. Riding on the Zodiac was a lot of fun; if you’re looking for an adventurous whale watching trip this is the one! And for those of you interested in timeliness we departed on time and arrived right on time.

Great boat, great staff, we have used them twice and have loved it. We took the Marauder IV.

Great tour. The booking agents were very pleasant. The boat was clean. On our tour was a large group of school kids. The tour operator put the adults on the upper level away from the kids which made all the difference. The captain and first mate were very nice. They maintained radio contact with other boats and planes and within an hour they had us within site of the K pod. The next 45 minutes were filled with jumping whales. The captain explained the whale’s habits and feeding patterns. After we returned I discovered after a bit of reading that the captain was spot on. Would go again.

I live in Victoria, and if I have to recommend a whalewatching company to guests, this is where I’ll send them, no doubt about it. It was comfortable and excellent and fun. We took the Marauder IV, and now that I know and trust the company, I look forward to trying one of the zodiac tours, too.
I just wanted to extend thanks on behalf of my husband and myself to Dan K. of SpringTide. My dad (Eric C.) stepmum, husband and myself spent a few hours aboard the Marauder IV today. My stepmum is an oxygen user. The crew let us go down to the boat ahead of other guests to get her situated easily and comfortably. The boarding pass procedure was easy. Once aboard, the crew were among the most friendly and knowledgeable people I’ve encountered. We spent a lot of time below with a woman named Calli, who was so friendly and fantastic, and the bearded gentleman who gave the mammal talk — I think his name was Frank? — was just fantastic. Everyone, really, made it a great and comfortable and fun experience.
And as an added bonus — we saw several members of J-​pod several times, including a mum and calf. Not an experience I’ll forget soon. I’d recommend to anyone. Thanks to Dan and the whole company for having us aboard!