About Us

Our mission is to Educate, Advocate, Inspire, Preserve, & Protect the incredible marine environment. Join one of our tours and discover why “We Like Our Whales Wild”!

Eric & Kathy, our original owners, began operating fishing charters in 1985, but soon realized the growing attraction of watching orcas (killer whales) & other whales in their natural environment. So began Five Star Whale Watching, now Victoria’s longest running family-owned and operated whale watching company. In 2017, Andrew, who had been part of the management team at Five Star since 2006, purchased the company when Eric & Kathy retired.

Founders of environmental movement to protect the SRKW’s with rules and guidelines surrounding west coast whale watching – founding partner of the PWWA and avid supporters of the Centre for Whale Research.

We incorporate the reduce, reuse, recycle motto in all we do. We live in one of the best places in the world to enjoy whale watching – let our expert staff and crew educate and inspire you with the wonders of the Salish Sea.

Join us for one of the most comprehensive educational and exciting trips you will ever experience! We are committed to environment stewardship and are part of the 1% To the Planet. Our everyday operations are conducted in the most environmentally-responsible manner possible.

1. We are proud to be Victoria’s first World Cetacean Alliance (WCA) Certified Responsible Whale Watching Operator.
2. We fly the Whale Warning Flag on all our vessels to warn other boaters that whales are in the area.
3. We are part of the whale reporting network that provides alerts to commercial vessels that whales are in the area and to slow down. The data also is used for research purposes.
4. Follow the mantra of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Replenish, Restore in our daily operations.
5. Follow and often exceed the best practice guidelines for whale & wildlife viewing.

While you can never guarantee a wild animal in their natural habitat, we at Five Star are confident that over 98% of the time in peak season months, we will be able to show you whales in the wild! Despite industry-leading success rates in whale sightings, there is the rare occasion that our whale friends decide to play hide and seek. If this happens between May 1st – October 31st, we invite you to join us again on a complimentary tour, weather and space-permitting.