August 16th- Best of both Worlds, orcas AND a humpback!

Today we had two very different trips in the morning and afternoon, not only visiting different locations, but two different species as well! In the morning we crossed the Georgia strait to visit Zig-Zag the humpback, who was milling around near the South of Bowen Island. Zig-Zag was changing direction quite rapidly, and giving us amazing views of her flukes and small dorsal fin. She was going so many different ways  at such high speed that we thought there were two whales! It was only when we looked at photos of the flukes that we could see, we realized that they were the same, and it was only one whale, our friend Zig-Zag!

The blow-hole and dorsal fin of Zig-Zag the humpback as she surfaced for air. Photo by Jenna Keen. 

The dorsal side of Zig-Zag's flukes as she goes down for a deep dive. Photo by Jenna Keen. 

In the afternoon we headed down to the east of Saltspring Island, near Hawkins Island and Bear Rock. Here we found 5-8 orcas, identified as the T46s and T137s, who were traveling when we first found them. Soon after we joined them on their exploits, their behaviour changed, they were they were on a hunt! After spreading far apart from each other, they started closing in on their prey. After catching what appeared to be a seal, they feasted, and then came the celebrations! Tail slaps, dives, breaches, rolls, and even a spy hop!

The arching back of the whale as she prepared to take a deep dive. Photo by Rodrigo Menezes. 

A male orca surfacing just as another orca made a splash beside him. Photo by Jenna Keen. 

A breaching orca in front of the beach! Photo by Jenna Keen. 

An orca making a splash as she takes a dive! Photo by Jenna Keen. 

A female orca diving out of the water. Photo by Jenna Keen. 

We were afraid to look away for even a moment, we never knew what the whales were going to do the next time they surfaced!

The three dots on the left side of the fluke help us to identify "Trinity/Zig-Zag" as this individual. Photo by Jenna Keen.