May 18th - Transient orca enjoying a seal lunch

Friday we were treated to some very busy and active killer whales, namely the T36As, T63 (Chainsaw) and T65. We caught up with these these impressive orcas hunting a seal north of Entrance Island and were rewarded with a ton of celebratory splashes and spyhops!

Killer whales (orcas) navigate and locate prey through echolocation. Toothed whales, including orcas, produce clicks that can travel long distances in a sound beam that bounces off objects in its path, returning to the whale. By “listening” to the ultrasonic clicks bouncing off of nearby objects, killer whales can distinguish landforms and even prey species, which allows them to track down their next meals.

Listening plays a huge role in the daily life of an orca, especially during hunts, so we always take care to reduce our speed/turn off our engines when viewing whales close by. We're also proud members of the Pacific Whale Watchers Association (PWWA), which is an organization that sets out guidelines to ensure that whales in southern BC and Puget sound are being watched sustainably. You can learn more about the PWWA guidelines here.

We feel so fortunate to be able to share these exceptional animals with our guests from all over the world! If you'd like to join in on a tour, feel free to book online or give us a call anytime!

Jilann LechnerMay 20, 2018Comment