A few radio transmissions later and we were flying across the ocean, straight for a nearby quad of humpbacks. A pod of transient orcas weren’t far behind, hungrily eyeing up a lone seal as it bobbed by our vessel, looking decidedly sorry for itself. Thankfully we didn't witness a bloodbath, but the memory of a humpback breaching right next to us, with the mighty Mount Baker as its backdrop, will stick with me forever. I don’t know what Vancouver Island is like, but I’m certain we made the right choice.
Where to stay: Location-wise, you can’t go wrong with the hotels that surround Canada Place – try the Pan Pacific or Fairmont Waterfront.