June 20th - A beautiful day with the T137's in Howe Sound!

The youngest whale of the group, T137D "Wright", surfaces beside the boat and we were able to see the whale's eye and eye patch! Photo by Natalie Reichenbacher

Yesterday, our guests took a trip across the Georgia Strait and into Howe Sound to watch the T137 pod of Transient Killer Whales. Howe Sound is our southernmost fjord that stretches from Vancouver to Squamish, a long 42 kilometres of pure beauty. It's along these waters that you can enjoy the scenic drive on the Sea to Sky Highway.

We use markings in the saddle patch and dorsal fin to differentiate between individuals. "Wright" the orca has a noticeable nick in the fin which makes it an easy whale to match. Photo by Natalie Reichenbacher

Over the past decade, Howe Sound has seen an incredible turnaround in terms of biodiversity and productivity. Numerous species including crabs, herring, salmon, and porpoises have inhabited the waters and are thriving. This, in turn, has helped bring back the Orca populations visiting these waters to feed. 

An adult male's dorsal fin can get up to 6ft tall! Photo by Natalie Reichenbacher

We originally picked up the orcas heading North between Anvil Island and mainland B.C. As they travelled and hunted in the morning, they changed directions and started heading west across Anvil Island, a perfect turnaround for our afternoon boat to meet up with them as they travelled south down Howe Sound and passed Gambier Island, the biggest island in the fjord!

"Jack" the killer whale surfaces in the direction of our boat before swimming right underneath! Photo by Natalie Reichenbacher

On both our trips, the orcas were initially spread out when we first arrived on scene. After spending some time travelling, they came together to successfully complete a hunt. In celebration of the kill, they engaged in some tail slapping, always a fun experience for our guests to enjoy!  

The whole family (T137's) surfacing together. Photo by Natalie Reichenbacher

Don't worry if you missed out on this tour! We've got plenty more for your enjoyment throughout the summer, give us a call to book your upcoming tour!