Swimming with Salmon

The incredible life cycle of salmon is one of nature’s great phenomenons. Born in rivers, they journey all the way to the ocean, then return to their natal streams to spawn and die. Paradise Found Adventure Tours invites you to take a deeper look at a salmon’s passage—literally.

This wilderness outfitter specializes in snorkelling safaris on Vancouver Island’s Campbell River. Brad and Jennifer Brock, owners and operators of Paradise Found, have been taking people Salmon swim upstream in waves (Courtesy Paradise Found)swimming with salmon for nearly a decade. They offer two tours a day from early July to late October and all equipment, transportation and expert instruction is included. With one guide for every three guests, your comfort and safety are a priority.

Your trip begins by donning wetsuits, masks, snorkels and fins in preparation for floating downstream in small groups as the salmon swim upstream on their epic voyage. Scientists estimate that around a half a million Pacific salmon return to the Campbell River from the ocean each year. How the fish accomplish this incredible feat of navigation or make such a rapid transition between salt water and freshwater is still a mystery.

You enter the water in a slow moving pool. Here you receive a lesson on safety procedures and a primer on what you should expect to see in the river. Snorkelling downstream on a cold, swift-moving, shallow river may sound extreme to the uninitiated but it doesn’t take long to get the hang of it. With arms thrust forward in a Superman pose, the trick is to move with the current not against it—simply go with the flow and enjoy the show.

The fish come in waves: the humpbacked Pinks, the silver-sided Coho, the creepy-looking Chum and, by far the most impressive, the monstrous Chinook who generally weigh at least 13 kilograms. While they may seem intimidating, they are harmless. The trip ends in a tidal pool often visited by harbour seals, hungrily scouting for salmon themselves. The tour includes two trips down the river. More adventurous types have the option of shooting some small rapids on the second run.

Swimming with salmon can be an invigorating experience. As a family outing, group adventure or individual experience, get eye-to-eye with one of the West Coast’s most vital fish species.