One of the most exciting activities I did while I visited Vancouver was to swim and kayak with baby seals! In my opinion, this is one of the best things to do in Vancouver but I love the ocean and wildlife so no surprise there. There wasn’t a lot of information or videos about it so I was a bit uncertain about whether I would actually see any seals. I booked online with a company called Sea Dragon Charters after seeing a few short videos and searching for reviews on Google. You can book directly on their website but I decided to book via Trip Advisor because they had a coupon for 10% off. Tours run during the summer months and we chose the afternoon tour leaving at 2 pm which meant enough time to stop at Horseshoe Bay for Lunch and not having to wake up early during my vacation!

Horseshoe Bay is easily accessible by public transit and busses run regularly from downtown Vancouver. You can check the schedule on Google Maps and if you are not sure, ask the driver when getting on if the bus goes to Horseshoe Bay. Once you arrive, Sea Dragon Charters are located not far, about a 5 minute walk from the bus station.

We arrived early at 1 pm for equipment fitting which included a mask, snorkel, fins and most importantly a 5mm wetsuit to keep you warm as the water around Vancouver is freezing cold, even in the middle of the summer! I brought my own wetsuit but unless you’ve used yours in cold water I'd recommend using the one they provide (more on that later). Once geared up, we had a bit of time to kill so we walked to Olive and Anchor located by the water to grab lunch. I had a chicken sandwich from their takeout counter and we sat and watched the boats dock.

As we walked off the docks to the boat, I got a big surprise I wasn’t expecting. We actually saw seals before we left! This is possibly due to local fisherman throwing scraps of fish in the water off the docks but either way it was amazing to see and as you can imagine, it really added to the excitement and anticipation.

The crew asked everyone to introduce themselves so we can get to know each other. Perhaps it was because of Covid but everyone on the boat was Canadian! It took us about an hour to reach the area known as Pam Rocks. Once we arrived, we could already see many seals resting on the rocks. They are so well camouflaged and most of them looked like they were sleeping.

First up, we all (wet)suited up and jumped in the water and followed the guide around the rocks. The seals are adorable but extremely sheepish and they dove into the water as soon as we approached. After the first tour, we all got back on the boat for some hot chocolate and soup. I was shivering from the cold so the hot snacks were a welcome delight! One thing to keep in mind is while it was 35 C in Montreal that week, it’s only about 20-23 C in Vancouver and often cloudy so even back on the boat, it did not feel particularly warm. I noticed I was the only one shivering and I as I am usually not cold in the water, I attributed it to my wetsuit not being warm or thick enough.

After a break on the boat, we were offered the choice to keep snorkeling or kayak but I decided to hop onto the kayak because I was too cold even though I wanted to stay in the water. Paddleboards were also available. As you go around the rocks, take a look inside the crevices where you can spot some baby seals sleeping. I also occasionally saw them breaking the surface to breathe. If you listen closely, you'll be able to anticipate where to look for them.

Remember to pack your swimsuit, sunscreen, a hat and a waterproof or underwater camera! I used my Akaso EK7000 for the photos above but I’ve since upgraded to the DJI Osmo Action.

This was a unique and special experience and I felt like we did not intrude on the wildlife. I will definitely be back in the water the next time I visit Vancouver!