Shot of the Week: Seal at Brothers Islands (Victoria, British Columbia)

Shot of the Week: Kayak to the Seals of the Brothers Islands

On our kayaking excursion in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, a harbor seal sits atop a rock at the Brothers Islands on October 6, 2014.

The above photo was taken with the Sony a6000 and Sony E 20mm f/2.8

We’ve been seeing a ton of animals during our travels this past week, so it’s fitting that this week’s shot includes yet another one.

View Marmot Munch [VIDEO], last week’s shot of the week.

At the recommendation of a local Victoria friend, we rented some ocean kayaks at Victoria Waterfront Tours. When we arrived, Nici gave us several route suggestions, and we chose the path that would lead us to a possible seal sighting. It was a beautiful day for kayaking — sunny, high 60s (F), with calm waters — and it made for a fantastic first experience with legitimate ocean kayaks. Before departing, Nici gave us a helpful safety rundown, skirted us up, and helped us into the water. Steering with pedals was new to Ian and me, but we caught on fast and finished our 2-hour rental unscathed.

About 45 minutes paddling around the coast to the west, we were happy to find this seal majestically situated atop a rock at the Brothers Islands, posing perfectly for photos. I snapped several photos on my Sony a6000 before we began our foggy return run. That’s Ian and our Canadian friend Tiffany in the kayaks in the photo above.

If you’re looking to rent kayaks in Victoria, I highly recommend Victoria Waterfront Tours. Nici was extremely helpful, and we had an absolutely fantastic time. (She was also very responsive to email, which is super helpful if you’re not a native Canadian and don’t have an operable cell phone.) They do tours, too, if you’re not comfortable solo or prefer heading out with a guide.

Check back next week or subscribe on the right for more great videos and photos from our travels.

This post was handcrafted for you aboard the Chelan, a WSDOT ferry traveling from Sidney, British Columbia to Anacortes, Washington.

2 Replies to “Shot of the Week: Seal at Brothers Islands (Victoria, British Columbia)”

  1. Thanks for the mention in your blog Diana! You two took so many awesome photos that day. Thank you for posting on our FB page. I am looking forward to following some of your travels. Nici

    1. Nici – We’re glad you liked the photos, and we were happy to mention Victoria Waterfront Tours here on North to South. Sharing our best travel experiences with our readers is a really important part of our blog, and we certainly had a fantastic time renting kayaks from you. I’m sure we’ll be back to rent again next time we’re in Victoria!

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