SpringTide is a family affair. We – Dan and Joanne – have been the proud operators of this business for twenty years. Our daughters Jackie and Carleen are integral parts of SpringTide’s operation, especially during the summer months, when they take a breather from their post-secondary studies.
You might be wondering how we ended up in the world of whale watching. Well, just a few short years ago (or so it seems), we both were working in Vancouver, in demanding careers in multinational corporations. With his CA designation, Dan was helping large companies put together deals and Joanne was steering sales at a large computer company. By the time baby number two came along, however, it hit us: this isn’t the pace we want for our lives!
Because we had always loved the island and had both grown up on and around the water, we decided Victoria was the right place to raise a family. When we made the move over, we brought our 36’ boat, SpringTide, with us.
After we’d been here for a while, we realized there was a niche for sport fishing that wasn’t being filled in Victoria. An avid fisherman himself, Dan launched a sport fishing business, taking sportsmen and corporate types out on SpringTide and bringing them back with jaw-dropping catches. As whale watching gained in popularity during the early 90s (thanks, Free Willy!), we shifted over to offering our guests outstanding wildlife viewing experiences. We haven’t gone far from our roots, though; we still run charters for sport fishing. Captain Dan is widely known for his fishing acumen. (We think it must be all those years growing up in Campbell River.)
The thing we love the most about this business is that we get to help people’s dreams come true. Every single thing we do as an organization is geared toward the pleasure and enjoyment people derive from our tours. Folks travel from far and wide to come to Vancouver Island in the hopes of seeing the whales, and we consider it a privilege to be able to take them to the places where they can do just that. We hope you’ll join us, too.