Long Beach Lodge Resort is celebrating the spring migration of 20,000 whales to Canada’s wild West Coast Pacific Rim Whale Festival starts on March 12, 2016
Feb. 12, 2016, Tofino, BC – Long Beach Lodge Resort, in anticipation of the return of the whales, is preparing marine adventures and culinary events as Canada’s most famous wild west coast town, Tofino, BC, celebrates the Pacific Rim Whale Festival, starting March 12, 2016.
Tofino is a whale watcher’s mecca. During the months from March to May more than 20,000 grey whales migrate an incredible 15,000 Km (9,500 miles) north from their Baja, California breeding grounds. Staying close to shore, these whales feed in the food rich waters and protected bays of Clayoquot Sound on their way to the Bering Sea.
The Pacific Rim Whale Festival officially kicks off March 12 and runs through until March 27, 2016. An annual sign of spring, the 30th rendition of the Festival celebrates the breaching and blowhole activities with activities for nature lovers of all ages to enjoy. This year’s festival is expected to including more than 90 events designed to inspire, educate and celebrate the extraordinary marine and forest ecosystems. Events are spread out along the Pacific Rim National Park, Tofino and Ucluelet with a variety of cultural, culinary, musical and educational activities.
Guests of Long Beach Lodge Resort can step from bedroom to beach or head out on a 2.5-hour Marine Adventure excursion with Captain Josh Lewis, to view the world’s largest mammals. A professional photographer, Lewis has years of experience as a mariner, naturalist and guide.
The 12-passenger vessel, with enclosed cabin space and washroom facilities, enables guests to stand up and move about in comfort, as they explore the coastal waters for wildlife. The Marine Adventures, exclusive for guests of the resort, are $89 Cdn per person and departing at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. daily. After the tour, guests can enjoy Chef Ian Riddick’s menu in the ocean side Great Room, as he teams up with OceanWise for special dishes during the 15-day festival. Riddick will also be adding his culinary muscle to the dining events around town created especially for the festival – including the popular Chowder Chowdown competition, March 20, 2016.
Also as a sponsor of the festival, the Lodge will be hosting two special events:
- March 16: Cedar Weaving, learn the traditional art of weaving with local First Nations artisan Rose Wilson from 4 to 5 p.m.
- March 23: Discovering the Ocean Through Real-Time Data. Natasha Ewing with Ocean Networks Canada- Discover a new world beneath the waves with real-time date, hydrophone clips, amazing technology and stunning images from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Grey whale migrations are an annual occurrence along the North American seaboard and east coast of Asia. While the Western North Pacific Grey Whales numbers are small, the Eastern North Pacific Grey Whale population that migrate through the coastal waters of Tofino have significantly recovered from the time of commercially hunting where they were on the brink of extinction. In 1947, the International Whaling Commission ensured their protection and today, not only do the whales feed in the local Clayoquot Sound region, but thousands of shorebirds visit during their migration, providing an ideal opportunity to witness nature’s beauty at its best.
Long Beach Lodge Resort is an ideal and luxurious base for whale watching. Set on Cox Bay Beach, the resort provides guests with an excellent vantage point for whale and bird viewing, with floor to ceiling windows in the Great Room overlooking the beach, beachfront access, and plenty of binoculars available for scoping the shoreline.
For more information visit www.longbeachlodgeresort.com or call 1-877-844-7873. For more information on the festival, visit www.pacificrimwhalefestival.com
About Long Beach Lodge Resort
Long Beach Lodge Resort is the visionary dream of owner Tim Hackett. Famous for its iconic Great Room, with spectacular ocean views and cozy fireside dining and relaxing, the resort looks out upon the crashing surf of one of the best surfing experiences in the area, Cox Bay. Its beautifully appointed accommodations are enveloped in a private, wild Pacific West Coast setting, featuring 41 lodge rooms, 20 two-bedroom cottages and a full service dining room, as well as meeting space and instant beach access. Dogs are welcome! The Resort also offers the Surf Club Adventure Centre, providing guests with a fully equipped centre complete with changing rooms, rentals, retail shop, hot tub and coffee bar. Long Beach Lodge Resort has been featured in Architectural Digest, and in 2014 became the first resort on Vancouver Island to receive more than 1,000 excellent Trip Advisor reviews.
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Media contacts:
Brian Cant, Tartan Group: 250-592-3838, 250-888-8729 (cell) or brian@tartangroup.ca
Kate Rogers, Tartan Group: 604-880-1494 (cell) or kate@tartangroup.ca
