DIVE Ventures Newfoundland Inc.

DIVE Ventures Newfoundland Inc.

DIVE Ventures Newfoundland Inc.
5
4WD, ATV & Off-Road ToursTaxis & ShuttlesBoat ToursSpeed Boats Tours
7:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
7:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
7:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
7:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
7:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
7:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
7:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
7:30 AM - 5:00 PM
About
We are an ecotourism business that specializes in wildlife viewing tours by zodiac, kayak and All Terrain Vehicle with restaurant, accommodations and a shuttle service.
Trinity, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Tours and Tickets by DIVE Ventures Newfoundland Inc.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.


5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles84 reviews
Excellent
77
Very good
2
Average
2
Poor
2
Terrible
1

Landedinalberta
69 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Once in a while you are reminded there are still good people out there. Our family cannot thank Skipper Bob enough for the memorable experience he afforded our family on a recent trip to the Trinity area.

I had connected with a couple of tour companies before hand. While the website of another company was quite luring, I ultimately chose to go with Eco Tours of the email communication we received after making an inquiry. Clear, concise and really felt it was about us having a good experience versus what they can and cannot do.

We absolutely made the right choice. From the orientation to the conversation in the boat, Skipper Bob’s story telling and information sharing makes the experience. You quickly see his passion for what he does and commitment to share what he has learned.

We saw whales a plenty, dolphins, eagles, puffins, gannets, capelin and some amazing landscape. Eco Tours provides everything you need to be safe and to have a wonderful tour!

When our near 3 hour tour was complete we had a scoff at Skipper Bob’s restaurant - downhome meals and service!!!
Written August 22, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Peter Z
5 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2019
We had a great experience with trinity eco tours. We were with a family of five from the Netherlands and captain Bob Bartlett gave us up close and personal contact with the whales. We followed a humpback mother and calf around the ocean and everytime they came up, they swam around the boat and seemed to like it. Well... we did! It was great.
The skipper knew what he was doing and was closer to the whales than the other boats that were floating in the ocean. We saw about 6 humpbacks and 4 finwhales, there also was a sunfish goin'by. Because we had little time on this part of the island, we hoped to see some Puffins. The captain litteraly went an extra mile here. Instead of going back to the harbour when the time was done, we went down south for about an half hour and up the ocean and, yes, we got to see some puffins. When we come back to NFL, we absolutely will book another tour with this company and captain. Thank you !!!
Written August 16, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

sarahxing
Salt Lake City, UT186 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2019
One HUGE difference between Trinity and those tours operating within an hour of St. John’s is the length of the tour. It is a full THREE hours, which means that once whale(s) are spotted, the captain can linger for a long time, patiently waiting for the whale to do something cool.
Other pluses include small boat operation (up to 12 passengers only), thermo overalls that are also water-resistant (not provided at all on the tours close to St. John’s, because they don’t ever drive that fast).
We did the tour on July 26, 2019. Within half an hour we encountered a humpback, and the captain followed it for a WHOLE HOUR! Even though we didn’t get to see the cooler stuff like breaching, we did see enough dorsal fin and fluke, at close enough range (hard to judge the distance in the open sea, but I dare say within 100 m), to feel really excited and grateful.
We did see other stuff like a whole island of bald eagles, countless puffins, cool sea caves, and a group of dolphins too. We saw the dolphins in the last 10 minutes of the tour on the way back, so the captain made several rounds but did not linger for too long, which is totally fine with us. Because we were here to see WHALES, and we did, at close range, for a LONG time! Yay!!!
Written August 7, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

izzypepper
Toronto, Canada1 contribution
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2018 • Couples
We took this tour about 2 weeks ago. I've watched all their videos online and could see how amazing it can be. This is in no way a bad review of the captain or the company but rather some information for potential participants. The day we took the tour it was beautiful and leaving the bay in the zodiac was fine but when we hit open water the water became quite rough and a little scary. The boat just hit wave after wave. Even though we were in survival suits we were drenched. We would hit one wave catch a breath then hit another. My glasses were knocked off my face twice from the water hitting us. We did not see any whales, even if there were whales around I don't think we would have been able to see them because of the waves. We did see some birds when we went into the little inlets where the water was calm. I have done several whale tours before this one, on zodiacs and on bigger boats. I just think that day with the waves was not an enjoyable experience as we were stressed most of the time because of the conditions. If you're weary of being on the water then you may do better in a bigger boat. This tour is 3 hours long and if there are whales I'm sure the time flies. But with the water being as choppy as it was the day we went and no whales in sight it made for a long 3 hours. I know none of this is predictable and our captain was making sure we were safe at all times but if you're not used to boats then this can be a little too much for you if it's your first time.
Written August 23, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ash
Tampa, FL14 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2019
Admittedly, I didn't realize that the tour was on a zodiak boat, so dress warmly! Luckily I did! Skipper Bob was super knowledgeable and kind. He cares for the environment and the animals, and that matters to me. We saw whales breach several times and got our share of photos and videos. We also saw puffin and eagles. And he took us to a sea-cave through the dense fog. The lady at the desk was also wonderful. Choose this tour!
Written August 5, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Corinne14
Moncton, New Brunswick14 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2018 • Friends
Before our tour on August 18, we had breakfast at the lodge. The food is incredible and the ladies who work there are great! Our tour was scheduled for 9:00 am, and before we left on the Zodiac, Captain Bob gave us a brief rundown of the whales and marine life that come to the area and helped us identify the whales with photos. Before we boarded the Zodiac, Captain Bob gave us all “survival suits” which were really warm and comfy. I had forgotten to bring gloves, but he had some for us to use (freshly-washed). These came in handy as the weather was overcast, cool but no rain. I was a little disappointed at first that it wasn’t sunny, but then came to realize that without the sun’s glare, it was much easier to spot the blow of whales and then spot them at a distance. The Zodiac had shock-mitigating seats which were really comfortable and made it relatively easy to get up if you wanted to take photos. There was a bit of a swell that day but not too bad ... this made the trip out even more exciting! There were three seats in front and two behind them. The three people in the front got splashed a few times, but I was sitting behind my husband and stayed nice and dry! Our group consisted of only four of us plus one lady (and of course the Captain). We headed out and were lucky enough to see seven humpbacks and, I believe, two fin whales. I was just using my IPad. A lot of times there was glare on the IPad screen so when I saw whales I just pointed and clicked. At one point there were two humpback whales beside our Zodiac, not too far from us, so I just clicked away and was lucky enough to catch them both PLUS the two tails, side by side!!! I never expected to see something like that in my lifetime, with my own eyes! That was so exciting! This tour more than lived up to my expectations. I can’t say enough about it and I’ll have those memories for a lifetime. I knew I would like a Zodiac much better than a bigger boat as they tend to be too crowded and everyone is pushing to get a better view. Memories for life!!!! I definitely want to go back in the near future and would love to go earlier to see the icebergs. Captain Bob was great. He is very knowledgeable and worked hard to ensure we got the best tour possible. We were also able to see the beautiful coastline, caves, eagles, etc and of course we saw lots of whales up close and personal. By the way, we were actually on the boat that Harrison Ford was on in a movie (too bad I can’t remember the name of the movie as I’d love to see it ... Skipper Bob, can you remind me?). A tour not to miss!
Written September 4, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Cathy H
PORT ELGIN, Canada13 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2018 • Couples
This was more than I ever expected. Skipper Bob was amazing. He found whales and took us very close to feel the experience. I would highly recommend this tour. I never been so close to a whale before. Skipper Bob was not rushed by a clock he made our experience his highest priority that morning.
Written June 29, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Abby0112
Waterloo, Canada20 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2019
We purchased tickets from the Trinity Eco-Tours house the day before the tour. We were (incorrectly) advised it would be 3 hours of whale watching leaving from Trinity (wharf behind the house): orientation 8:30-9am, followed by whale watching, 9am-noon.

We were surprised when we showed up the next day to be told that the whale watching boat would actually depart from a location a 30-40 minute drive up the coast. We would not have chosen this tour if this information had been provided (but would have instead chosen a tour up the coast for more time on the water). A mini-bus was available to transport half of the participants. The other half were given the option of driving in their own vehicle, or delaying the start of the tour by one hour (all chose to drive).

In the end, we did not get on the water until 10:30am (1.5 hours later than expected, due to the drive and lots of waiting around), and the tour lasted a bit less than 2 hours.

There were enough participants to fill 2 boats. Boat 1, the lead boat, included "Skipper Bob" who seemed knowledgeable. We were in Boat 2, which followed behind Boat 1. There was no/non/zero commentary in Boat 2 (the skipper did not seem to have much/any knowledge about whales, or how to manoeuvre the boat around the whales), and our boat largely watched enviously from afar as Boat 1 got up close to the whales.

We found 2 whales early on in the outing (yay), and then followed them for the full 2 hours. We were surprised there was no attempt to find other animals. After the initial excitement, the boat was subdued and silent for the majority of the trip. My 12-year old animal-loving daughter napped for at least 30 minutes.

Given the erroneous information provided upon purchase (about timing and point of departure), and our experience in Boat 2 (no commentary, less close to whales, less comfortable), we were disappointed with this experience.
Written August 20, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Firstly I apologize for the late response. In peak of the season I have difficulty in responding in a timely fashion and I did want to address all of your concerns. Firstly the initial delay was my fault as I forgot the boat keys. A rarity though it happened that day. Please accept my apologies. We shuttled everyone to where we knew there were whales. Whales move with the bait so they can be some distance from our regular launch point. We usually don't have an issue seeing whales from our home launch point but the whales are best to bring you to them rather than the other way around, lol. We go the distance to make sure you see what is available in the area which is why we launch remotely from other areas sometimes so you get the best of the whales, icebergs and wildlife. We shuttle you so the group stays together which seems to provide a better experience. Some guides are more enthusiastic than others and your guide was new for the season. I endeavor to take every person on my boat because I love the ocean whales and everything on and in it so I talk as much as I can about what I know for those who want to share. The second boat is for larger groups or families once we reach capacity in our first boat. We have a new boat operator coming on in 2020 who is as knowledgeable and enthusiastic as I am. I am looking forward to whale season 2020 already! I will extend an offer to take you on another tour free of charge should you be back this way again. I appreciate the cost of tours as a family outing and it is of paramount importance to us to provide you with the best possible experience for the conditions. It is who we are. Thank you for taking the time to bring your concerns to my attention. They brought to light some issues we have addressed and will endeavor to be mindful of in the future. We will make every effort to give you the best tour possible at Trinity Eco-Tours. Your satisfaction is our main concern.
Written November 14, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

outwest713
Annapolis, MD50 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2018 • Solo
Went on a multi-hour tow and go kayak tour with Trinity Eco-lodge last summer. Experience was exceptional for several reasons. Of course there is the hope and opportunity to see whales . .. and we did get to follow a couple of humpbacks moving up the coast close enough that we could hear their blows if we listened closely. Just knowing you are sitting close to the water line, essentially in their element, and knowing a whale could be anywhere at anytime is thrilling.

There are no guarantees with whales...but you ARE guaranteed to see beautiful multi-colored cliffs, see stacks and headlands up close; eagles and multiple species of sea birds, the Trinity Lighthouse as you return to the dock. Regardless of where you put in, the paddling will be a real treat.

Captain Bob's gear is very good. The kayaks are the type with rudder so steering is easier. The guide will show you how to work the rudder if this is new to you. You'll be provided with a wetsuit and paddling jacket. I wore hiking shoes and was fine as the guide will push your kayak into the water so you do not have to do a "wet entry". Suggest some long johns instead of pants or sweats for under the wetsuit as that will make it a good bit easier to pull it on. I wore a long sleeve shirt under the paddling jacket and was comfortable on a calm, sunny July day with temps in the high 60s....but remember you are sitting close to very cold water and any bit of breeze can make things much chillier. Suggest a small dry-bag for stuffing extra layer in case. Alternatively, plastic bag should suffice as you'll have a "skirt" which will keep water from getting in the kayak to your stored gear.

If I make it back to Newfoundland, I will definitely make time for more paddling with Trinity Eco-lodge!
Written March 29, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank You for your suggestions . Hope to see you again . It was great kayaking with you .
Written June 17, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

roclanguage1
Minneapolis, MN2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2018 • Family
Zodiac whale watching with Captain Bob was the highlight of our trip to Newfoundland! Saw many whales up close. Won't soon forget the experience!
Written September 17, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank You . Glad you enjoyed your experience with us .
Written June 17, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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