e were assured that to be showered with whale spoutings was a sign of good luck but we can attest that whale breath is an olfactory experience you only want to encounter once in a lifetime.

Normally my partner and I wouldn't consider a whale watching expedition in anything larger than a tandem kayak; however, on a strong recommendation we decided to join ten others on a whale-watching expedition with Ucluelet-based Aquamarine Adventures.

Our expedition leader was Lance, a veritable well of historic and environmental knowledge, ocean awareness, and witty one-liners. It was like going out to sea with David Suzuki, Jacque Cousteau and Jerry Seinfeld all in the same boat.

Prior to our trip we were unaware that this region was home to 14 separate native tribes consisting of over 10,000 natives, which constituted the largest population of hunters and gatherers north of the Aztecs. Recently excavated middens discovered to be six meters deep suggest that native tribes had inhabited this region for the past 3,500 years.

Nor were we aware that in 1862 a European ship carrying "the white man's disease" (smallpox) wiped out ninety-percent of the population to less than 1000 survivors.

We also learned that years ago entire bays were covered with gold kelp. This "forest of the sea" was almost decimated due to the demise of the west coast sea otter. Valued for its pelt the sea otter was driven to extinction 100 years ago by overzealous traders.

Clearly fur traders hadn't considered the long-term implications of their short-term needs. Sea otters eat the sea urchins that eat the kelp beds that house the sea shrimp that feed the gray whale. In the absence of the sea otter the sea urchin population exploded, which in turn decimated the region's kelp beds and impacted the food source for the resident gray whales.

As our journey continued we discovered the difference between the stellar sea lion and the California sea lion, how the Sitka spruce that clings to the rocky shoreline survives and the purpose the trees serve. We learned about the abundance of life in this area and the long-term effects of our current environmental practices.

This wasn't simply a whale-watching expedition, it was a coastal eco safari and history lesson rolled up into one entertaining package.

The insights gained from this high seas seminar alone was worth the price of admission; however, our primary purpose was to seek out and gaze at some Grays.

He We were not disappointed. Armed with satellite navigation equipment, two-way radios, 24 eager spout-seeking eyes and an underwater echolocation monitor as backup, we had no trouble locating these gentle giants and observing them from a respectful distance.

With our engines shut down, it was one zodiac, a pod of gray whales and 12 captivated humans alone in nature with no sound except venting whale breath and submerging tail flukes. The impact these magnificent barnacle encrusted creatures had on this group was remarkable. People from all corners of the world feeling totally connected with nature for perhaps the very first time. This was an experience they will embrace for the rest of their lives.

Our guide Lance promoted the environment with the same fervent passion that a stock promoter promotes a new issue. It was a pleasure to witness the impact he had on this group of ardent listeners. Twelve people at a time, three times a day one man is shifting human awareness about Canada's heritage and our environment.