June 16th - T124C, T124'S, T46, and T65a's along the Sunshine Coast!

Today was our first day of Morning and Afternoon tours! We started the morning with Cooper (T124C) and the T124A’s off of Keates Island, and ended the day with the T46’s and T65A’s off of Bowen Island!

This was Naturalist Rebeka’s first solo guiding. She got lots of awesome photos! The morning pod was actively hunting a Harbour Seal as we approached. We believe they tried to hunt a second one later on, but it managed to escape (and swam beside our boat away from the whales).

T46 is a special group. Orcas are matriarchal (mothers are the leaders), and the leader of this pod (Wake/T46) is actually a great-grandmother!

Breaching action! Photos by Rebeka Pirker.

Diving time. Photos by Rebeka Pirker.

Photos by Rebeka Pirker.

Spyhopping. By Cheyenne Brewster.

At the end of our morning tour we cruised along the Gabriola Bluffs, where a pair of Turkey Vultures were scouting the Cormorant nesting areas in search of stray eggs or chicks.

Turkey Vulture, Gabriola Bluffs. Photo by Rodrigo Menezes.

Cormorant nesting area. Photo by Rodrigo Menezes.

Unfortunately we had some camera difficulties during our afternoon tour. During this tour we visited the T46’s and the T65A’s off of Bowen Island. They were hunting during most of our visit, and we believe they made multiple successful hunts. After hunting the pods got excited and we were lucky enough to see two of the larger whales fully breach! There were lots of jellyfish spotted on the return journey including three moon jellyfish and what Naturalist Cheyenne believes to be a Lion’s Mane Jellyfish. We also watched two very large male Steller Sea Lions asserting their dominance via a yelling contest across Entrance Island.

Want to join us on a future tour? Call (250) 667-5177 to book by phone or continue on the website to book online! We hope to see you out on the waters!