Along the coast of Alert Bay, where tourism helps sustain local livelihoods, a small whale watching company is rethinking what it means to experience the ocean responsibly.
When Nate and Jeannine took over Seasmoke Whale Watching, they shaped their business around a philosophy built on respect: the best encounters are the ones where wildlife remains undisturbed.
“One of the biggest impacts boaters have is their behavior on the water,” explains Nate. “We believe you can still have an amazing whale-watching experience without being right on top of the whales.”
Transport Canada sets the rules for operating around whales. Seasmoke chooses to go further. They keep their distance, shut off the engine whenever possible, and plan routes to stay out of whales’ paths.
That means making choices many operators might not. Seasmoke runs one vessel and limits its schedule to two tours a day. If someone books an evening charter, Nate and Jeannine cancel the afternoon tour rather than add more time on the water.
Now, they are asking whether the boat itself can do less harm.
With support from a Vancity Planet-Wise loan, Nate and Jeannine were able to build the boat they had been imagining for years: a custom whale-watching vessel with electric propulsion and solar panels.
“The thought of sitting quietly near whales, powered by solar panels and an electric engine, is incredible,” says Jeannine.
The technology may not be perfect yet, and they’re aware of that. But Seasmoke isn’t waiting for perfection, they’re focused on what they can do today: reduce engine noise and lower fuel use.
“I never really expected a bank to feel aligned with our environmental goals,” adds Nate. “And being able to talk to a person is something that’s becoming rare. That human connection we had with Vancity has been fantastic.”
When Seasmoke’s new boat enters the water, its impact may be measured in sound.
Beneath the surface, hydrophones around Alert Bay are already recording the sounds of the marine environment — including the calls of killer whales, and the noise made by boats passing through.
For Seasmoke, that creates a rare opportunity. They hope the recordings will show how the electric engine sounds beneath the surface compared with the gas engines they used before.
“There is still little global research on underwater noise from electric marine engines,” says Nate. “While electric engines are expected to produce significantly less noise, and possibly noise at a different frequency, there is more to learn about how that change is experienced below the surface.”
If the findings are useful, Nate and Jeannine want to share them with other operators.
“We want to show what’s possible,” says Jeannine. “We’re just two people with one boat. If we can do this, larger companies can too.”
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