Sea Lions, Rainbows, and Remote Wilderness: Explore Prince Rupert
We recently sat down with Blair Mirau, founder of RIBTide, to talk about Prince Rupert and what makes this coastal gem so special. Here's what he had to say:
Prince Rupert is the rainiest and cloudiest City in Canada. But no rain means no rainbow! Known affectionately by locals as the City of Rainbows, Prince Rupert is the only municipality located within the Great Bear Rainforest, which is 25% of the world's remaining temperate coastal old-growth rainforest.
Looking ahead to the zodiac experience on our Prince Rupert Adventure one-day tours, Blair shared:
The Zodiac tour highlights will include the National Historic Site of Metlakatla Pass, rugged coastal islands, and then the busy inner harbour which is home to the third largest port complex in Canada. Depending on the day or season, you may also find local wildlife such as bald eagles, seals, otters or black bears, or perhaps even a humpback or orca. Wild creatures make their own mysterious decisions, so while we cannot guarantee a sighting, you never know what you might find on our exhilarating and immersive boat ride.
When asked about an unforgettable moment on tour, Blair told us:
One of our unforgettable moments on tour was when our zodiac was approached by a large herd of sea lions. After stopping the engine, we lost count at 20. The dominant alpha male clearly wanted to show off his strength, so he swam right directly beneath the bow of the boat, making eye contact with us. A few passengers were concerned he might try to jump into the boat before disappeared underneath the surface of the water.
If someone only had one day to explore Prince Rupert, Blair recommends:
For history buffs, check out the Museum of Northern BC in the historic longhouse structure overlooking the ocean. For those in search of some unique souvenirs, take a walk through the quirky shops in Cow Bay. And for nature lovers, try any local hike to get yourselves immersed in the rainforest.
We’ll have to head back to Prince Rupert (ok, twist our arm!) to see some of these fabulous sites. Having moved away from Prince Rupert only to come back to continue living in this beautiful part of the world, Blair shared why he and his wife started RIBTide?
As a husband-wife duo from multi-generational commercial fishing families, we started RIBTide to show off the best of our hometown Prince Rupert, share the rugged remote wilderness, and allow our two young sons to grow up on the water.
Experience the Prince Rupert Adventure Tour with Us
Wanting to escape the prairies for some time in rugged Prince Rupert?
In addition to the RIBtide zodiac tour, you’ll have some time to explore Cow Bay’s colourful shops, hop aboard the Ole Time Trolley to visit the historic North Pacific Cannery, and enjoy a Prince Rupert city tour.
From wild shores to rich history, Prince Rupert will leave you in awe — and it’s all packed into one unforgettable day!
