May 27th - T87 and the T90s in Cowichan Bay!

Another gorgeous day in paradise! Our boat left the dock and headed south towards Dodd Narrows, a hotspot for wildlife. After a quick stop with the local California sea lions, the journey continued south to Cowichan Bay where a pod of transient killer whales had been found. The T90s and T87 were travelling in flat calm, sunny conditions - what a beautiful day!

T87, estimated to be born in 1962, is a lone male with a very distinct, tall dorsal fin that has a small chunk missing from the top. His nickname is “Harrison” and he is often seen traveling with the T90s. The matriarch, T90 or “Eagle”, is always seen with her two offspring, T90B “Piglet” and T90C “Tigger”.

After visiting the whales, our stopped at a harbour seal haul out to watch a bunch of these cuties nap in the sun. And one more stop before home plate, the cormorants! It is a really exciting time to visit the Cormorant rookery on the Gabriola Island bluffs because they are busy building nests and their breeding plumage is colourful.

Here are some of the best photos taken on this adventure by marine naturalist Rodrigo Menezes.