"Whale of a time!"

It was a gorgeous day to travel into Tofino. We had a picnic lunch in the sunshine in Tofino. Played at the local park, searched out the Whale festival activities and played on Chestermans beach. After that we hiked the 2km Wild Pacific Trail to the lighthouse in Ucluelet. Perfect distance for our children to experience a glimpse of our West Coast. Guess what was even more exciting then anything!? We saw several whales blowing water as they were migrating towards Alaska! It was a great feeling to know even so far away, we were close enough to be a witness to such an amazing mammal! The sounds of the ocean smashing across the rugged rocks, the warm sunshine and our nature friends made our day memorable. It was a day experiencing our First Nation's culture and learning about our Coastal wildlife. Did you know that the Grey Whale swims at 4.8 -9.6 km per hour and they take 2-3 breaths over 15-30 seconds? Did you know that whales and elephants are the only animals with physical brains larger than a humans? See I'm still learning with our children and I'm finding it's fascinating! From what I understand, the Whale totem represents communication, music, maternal instinct and emotional sensitivity. Whales are excellent Mothers and also have a distinct sound resembling music. We are believed to be as one. Today while listening to our children scream because they witnessed the whales splash from their blow holes was enough for me to know they appreciate these magnificent animals too and it was a trip worth driving for! Now that our spring break is coming to a close, we were able to accomplish many ideas off our list..........now it's back to a more strict routine!

"We owe it to our children to be better stewards of the environment. The alternative? - a world without whales. It's too terrible to imagine." - Pierce Brosnan.