InFocus Magazine

Within the first few minutes of speaking with Ric Rennison and Jackie West of Adventure Marine Tours, their pride in the Comox Valley is apparent.

Rennison talks about “his” beautiful Vancouver Island and the waters of the Georgia Strait with as much pride and reverence as a preacher at a pulpit. And no wonder! He’s a fourth generation Islander and his memories and family history here go back almost 200 years. His ancestors moved here from England in the early 1800s and Rennison Road in Courtenay is named after his grandfather.

Compared to Rennison, West is a newbie. She moved here from Alberta in 1984. Although she is well traveled, she is proud to call the Comox Valley home. Upon returning from a round-the-world trip in 2002, she says she felt a wave of pride as the airplane touched down at the Comox Airport. “It felt good to be ‘home’… to the most beautiful place in the world!” she recalls with a hint of nostalgia.

Rennison had been employed in the logging industry for most of his adult life. In 2007, he made a career change when he purchased a 34-foot Double Eagle fishing boat and started a business called Adventure Marine Tours. He and his wife, Donna, redesigned the boat as a pleasure craft that could accommodate 10 passengers and a crew of two. They re-named the boat After Ours—a play on words to signify that they had raised their family and were looking forward to the next stage of their lives.

After Ours is larger than many charter boats, boasting a fully enclosed cabin with seating, a washroom, a small kitchen, a covered deck and an open deck area. Its overall length and width, combined with the depth of its hull, make it more stable in open seas than similar, but smaller watercraft.

“We spent the first year getting our feet wet—so to speak,” explains Rennison. “We began by offering whale and bear watching tours and fishing charters out of Kelsey Bay, which is about a 45 minute drive north of Campbell River. Then the economy tanked. We were struggling, as there was an oversupply of this type of charter in the Campbell River area.

“Our location in Kelsey Bay was also proving to be a bit of a challenge,” adds Rennison. “The weather in the bay was often poor and this restricted our ability to take people out. In addition to that, Kelsey Bay is not a destination stop. Already on tighter budgets than before, tourists were gravitating to charters being offered directly out of Campbell River, rather than travel north. That further restricted our ability to book customers and maintain our business.”

During the summer of 2008, the Rennisons realized that in order to succeed and make the business profitable, they needed a change of location and a change of focus. While Ric had many years of experience navigating the water, he recognized they were in unchartered waters when it came to other aspects of running the business. They knew they would benefit from adding someone with a financial background to the mix. So Rennison asked former business associate and chartered accountant, Jackie West, owner of Valley View Accounting in Courtenay, to come on board.

Aside from their long-standing friendship, Rennison approached West because she is well versed in tourism from her previous world travels. This was a valuable asset to bring to the table.

A new partnership was formed between the Rennisons and West. The company was incorporated and they sought out a new focus for its future. They spent most of the last eight months redefining the services that Adventure Marine Tours would offer for summer 2009 and beyond.

They chose to relocate to the Comox Valley, not only because this is where their families live (so they could go home each night) but as importantly, because no similar service was currently operating out of the Comox Marina.

In the spring 2009, they invited Reg Webber to join the team as a management consultant. Webber had been a client of West’s for the past 18 years and has known Ric Rennison even longer. The two men have worked together countless times over the past few decades. With many years of business management experience to his credit, Webber brought another valuable asset to company.

With a new focus on eco-tourism and oceanic education, Adventure Marine Tours is now open for business. Rennison mans the boat; West makes the bookings and manages the finances; and Webber acts as tour guide and general manager.
While you can still convince Rennison and Webber to take you out a fishing charter, Adventure Marine offers three new flagship excursions: A Taste of Hornby, Ocean Exploration—A Hands-on Experience and Tree Island Romance. There is a set cost for each excursion for guests age 15 and older; children between the ages of 7 to 14 are half price and kids under age six are free.

“These tours give us an opportunity to share some of Vancouver Island’s history with people,” says Rennison. “It is something we all really enjoy and that we take great pride in. I love being on the water several times a week… and the fact that I am not stuck sitting behind a desk in an office.”

In addition to the above-mentioned tours, Adventure Marine will also consider a ‘Create Your Own Adventure’ tour, whereby you dream up your own adventure and, if your dream is “doable”, you can charter the boat for $215 per hour, for a four-hour minimum for up to 10 people.

A Taste of Hornby tour is an all-day event for $289.50 per person. Guests board the boat in the morning at the Comox Marina. After Ours is usually moored at the Gas & Go marine station at the south end of the marina, near the boat launch. The boat then travels down the coastline, then around Denman and Hornby Islands. During the 90-minute trip, Webber and Rennison tell stories about local landmarks, flora, fauna and sea life.

“We dock at Ford’s Cove on Hornby Island, where the guests disembark for their choice of a five-hour guided or unguided bicycle tour to enjoy the Island’s wineries, artisans, beaches and Helliwell Park,” says West. “We supply mountain bikes as part of the tour package or electronic bikes at a small additional charge. For those choosing not to bike, we will take them around the corner to Tribune Bay, where they can enjoy the beach or hike to Helliwell Park. Guests are also provided with a picnic lunch and we will accommodate special dietary restrictions and requests.”

The Ocean Exploration Tour ($198) is designed for people of all ages, but will be especially fun for kids enamored with nature. This six-hour tour leaves the Comox Marina and travels south to Baynes Sound to get a hands-on look at how oysters and scallops are farmed, as well as watch as prawn and crab traps are hauled up from the ocean floor.

“I will never tire of watching people’s faces when the traps first break the surface of the water and then when we spread the catch out for them to see,” says Rennison. “People are always amazed and in awe of the various sea creatures that may be in the traps… and they are thrilled when they get to take home some fresh-caught seafood!”

In addition to learning about what lies beneath the waters of the Georgia Strait, guests will also learn about the commercial fishing and logging industries and how they play an important role in the region’s past, present and future.

Recognizing that there was also a niche to fill for a more romantic and relaxed ocean excursion, Adventure Marine Tours even planned something special for lovers… and others.

The Tree Island Romance Tour ($235 per couple) takes guests from the Comox Marina to a special place the locals call “Tree Island,” but its official name is Sandy Island Provincial Marine Park.

Guests looking for a romance rather than recreation are picked up at the Comox Marina and transported to Tree Island. They are supplied with a gourmet picnic supper and then dropped off on the beach for a few hours to enjoy some quiet time while they watch the spectacular sunset. For couples looking for something totally out-of-the-ordinary and hopelessly romantic, you can’t beat a rendezvous on an island oasis, complete with a sunset.

Families looking to explore Tree Island get more enjoyment from arranging a morning drop-off, picnic lunch and early afternoon pick-up, rather than scheduling the sunset cruise.

Recognizing the importance of doing only three or four tours, but doing them well, Adventure Marine Tours will spend this summer perfecting these three tours. But that isn’t stopping them from dreaming about what possibilities the future will hold.

“My ultimate plan is to host five and seven-day cruises up the coast, from Comox to such places as Telegraph Cove,” says Rennison. “These tours would be the ‘full meal deal’, offering overnight lodging at various resorts and hotels, meal packages and more. They would include everything from charter fishing to bear and whale watching and so much more. We are surrounded by so much beauty here in the Comox Valley that there is no limit to our dreams for the future of this company.”

FMI call 250. 871.7655 or visit adventuremarinetours.com