Deckhand Boat Charter Waiting List

Deckhand Boat Charter Waiting List

If you are lDeckhand Boat Excursions Victoria BCocal to Victoria and would like to tag along on one of our private boat charters this is an opportunity for you to come out on the ocean with us as a volunteer deckhand.

It’s not anything close to "work" and especially not like working on a fishing boat or large commercial boats. Our expectations of you include:

  • helping passengers embark and disembark from the boat
  • helping passengers put on / take off life jackets and/or survival suits where needed
  • tying / untying the boat from the docks
  • Removing protective seat and helm covers and putting them back on after the excursion
  • Enjoy yourself and have fun


How to be Considered

Send a short email to us explaining why you wish to volunteer, what - if any - boating experience you have (this does not impact our consideration of your application, however, it gives us a baseline reference) and a bit about yourself. You must be physically and mentally agile and reliable.

If we accept you we will add you to our wait-list and contact you once its your turn. If you are not availalble for any particular upcoming date, the next person on the list will be offered the spot and you will go to the bottom of the list again. If you are a no-show, ask to bring a friend, or a pet you will be permanently removed from further consideration.

deckhand attributes

Humpys, Orcas, Stellars and California Sea Lions all in one afternoon

Every day is a unique adventure out on the Salish Sea but today’s trip stood out. We launched at Pedder Bay Marina in Metchosin to place us close to Race Rocks. As the California and Stellar Sea Lion bulls were entertaining us from their perches on the rock formations we suddenly found ourselves surrounded by a dozen or so of these mamoths swimming, diving and porpoising. Then the incredible happened. One of the stellars suddenly sprang out of the water not 40 feet from us with a huge salmon which it had just caught as it breached the surface. The salmon was squirming it the sea lion’s mouth. Just as quickly as the stellar had surfaced he dove again and repeated this motion 2 more times. All the while a dozen or so of his very excited mates were porpoising almost in unison as a group. In 12 years being out here on the ocean that was a first for me. This was just the begginning of our adventure. We had heard reports of 4 to 6 humpbacks in the general vicinity over the past week. As we networked with our colleagues we heard 6 transient orcas were nearby. We spent a bit of time enjoying the orcas before heading out in the direction of the shipping lanes where soon we spotted 4 humpbacks. They put on quite a show for us including some excellent tail flukes. The humpbacks were also very vocal. All this in the space of 4 hours on one of those special autumn days when the seas were calm and the sun was out.