Wildlife

The Sayward area offers numerous islands and inlets that present some of the best scenery on Vancouver Island. Frequent sightings of Bald Eagles scooping fish, Bears wandering on the beach at low tide searching for food, or Porpoises and Sea Lions playing can be expected.

The Orca Whales often travel within meters of your vessel as you are fishing offering magnificent opportunities for photos. The summer brings over 200 Northern Resident Orcas to Johnstone Strait travelling from Port Hardy in the north to Campbell River in the south, with Sayward smack bang in the middle.

These Resident Orcas are more gentle sociable fish eaters unlike their transient cousins made infamous by wildlife documentaries. Our residents travel in large family pods forming as they travel into super pods of up to a 100. These sociable stately mammals can be observed fishing, travelling or socialising. They also have favorite 'rubbing' areas including one close to Sayward.

Other marine life seen include the occasional Minke Whale or Humpback travelling on the east side of the island and the spectacle of dozens of Pacific White Sided Dolphins stretched out across the strait. Small groups of Transient Orcas do travel through but are given a wide birth by the Resident Orcas.

The nature reserve in the Salmon River estuary brings the rare trumpeter swans as well as herons and a wide range of wading birds. Otters can sometimes be seen playing and fishing at low tide