Thanks to Tide Rip Tours, Tourism Nanaimo was invited up to the small community of Telegraph Cove to experience a one-of-a-kind opportunity: Grizzy Bear Watching. Like Whale Watching, Grizzly Bear Watching is one of the most exciting tourist attractions on Vancouver Island. So, comfortably aboard a two of Tide Rip Tours‘ boats, we left Telegraph Cove at 7:00am and spent the next nine hours enjoying the beauty of Vancouver Island. Along the way, we ran into dolphins, deer, cormorants, orca whales and, of course, grizzly bears!

Wanting to share a glimpse of what we saw, we brought along a camera and took a whole bunch of photos!

Courtenay, Amy, Heather and Amanda were more than happy to drive up the island and take in the sights at Telegraph Cover.

Telegraph Cove. It was quiet in the morning, but when we arrived back in the afternoon, it was an absolutely bustling little village, full of locals and travellers, alike!

After a two hour boat ride, we arrived at a floating dock and transferred into two separate herring skiffs. They’re the perfect way to travel through the many estuaries of Knight Inlet.

Baby animals everywhere!

Our awesome guide, Lindsey, took us into water so shallow that he was able to pull the skiff himself! On the shoreline we found grizzly bear prints, left behind when one of the bears came down to the shore to look for salmon!

Mama Bear and her three cubs.

On the way home we were met by a pod of 40 or 50 dolphins. They trailed along beside us for about ten minutes, playing in our boats wake and jumping high out of the water!

Fed by glaciers, the water in Knight Inlet is an amazing turquoise colour.

Courtenay, our Manager of Visitor Services, gives Tide Rip Tours a big thumbs up!

Tide Rip Tours also has a great video about their service:

It was a wonderful adventure, and we’re very grateful that our hosts invited us to experience the grizzly bears and other animals of Telegraph Cove and Knight Inlet! For more information on Tide Rip Tours you can visit their website or find them on Facebook.

All photos © Aidan Moher, 2010.

Even if you don’t have glamorous travel plans on the radar for the year ahead, being a tourist in your own town offers you a chance to have some fun and see your town in a whole new way. Explore the affordable, eclectic and unsurpassed mix of dining, shopping, history, art and nature that is Nanaimo. All you need is the intention to do it and a sense of fun and adventure.

Being a tourist in your town is easy. Start with a call, e-mail, or visit Nanaimo’s Visitor Information Centre. Get the information you need from one of our friendly staff or friendly volunteers, and then make your plan. It can be a series of day trips or a true vacation where you get away without having to go away.

Include all the touristy basics in your plan:

• Nanaimo’s amazing Waterfront – No matter what time of year there is always movement on and around the waterfront.
• Tantalize Your Taste Buds – A key element in any successful vacation. Nanaimo restaurants offer a variety of dining experiences that will make your excursions memorable. With a mix of casual and fine dining, and wide range of menus to choose from, deciding which to choose will be a challenge.
• Shop Until You Drop – A guilty pleasure of being on vacation. Truly a unique experience, providing hours of browsing and buying pleasure for the whole family.
• Take a Step Back in Time – Enjoy learning about Nanaimo’s colourful history by following several heritage walking tours, check out the new Nanaimo Museum located in the Port of Nanaimo, or walk through the Bastion.
• Unforgettable Art – Whether it’s the theatre you crave or the hunt for that one perfect piece of art, there is no doubt you will find it. There are six art galleries located downtown and several fantastic theatres.
• Join Family Events – Year round, month to month, there is always a festival or event taking place. Check out our calendar of events for what’s going on in Nanaimo.
• Get some exercise – There are so many great things to do outside from biking and hiking, kayaking and scuba diving, to golfing and even bungie jumping, there is something for all ability levels.

Being a tourist in your own town gives you the flexibility to see it all. Try it! You’ll not only gain a greater appreciation for Nanaimo but you’ll enjoy yourself as well!

To start your plan contact us:
Phone: 250-756-0106 or toll free: 1-800-663-7337
Email info@tourismnanaimo.com
Address: 2290 Bowen Road (Beban House), Nanaimo

For a Google Maps driving directions to each place from Nanaimo, click HERE. When you click on one of the following YouTube videos, be sure to click the HD box at the bottom right side of the YouTube video timeline so you can watch it in Hi Def (slower to load, but worth it).

• Nanaimo Harbourfront Walkway
• Cathedral Grove in MacMillan Park
• Little Qualicum Falls Park
• Englishman River Falls Park
• Newcastle Island Park
• Neck Point Park (photo tour)
• Biggs Park (by Duke Point ferry terminal)
• Lady Rose return day cruise up the Alberni Canal to the West Coast
• Chemainus Murals
• Coombs
• Hike Mt. Arrowsmith
• Wild Pacific Trail in Ucluelet on the West Coast

This blog post was written an compiled by the lovely folks at Living Forest Oceanside Campground and RV.