September 29th - Orca near Dodd narrows!

Keta and Cascadia left the dock at 12pm and headed south to search for either humpback or killer whales. It was a sunny, crisp autumn day and although windy in the Strait, conditions inside the Gulf Islands were gorgeous.

It didn’t take long for orca to be found! Just south of Dodd Narrows, about 5 minutes outside of Nanaimo’s harbour, the family pod T37As were found foraging. Dodd Narrows is a narrow waterway in-between two cliffs with a depth of about 70ft. Because of the large amounts of tidal water that flow through this pass, it often experiences fast currents up to 9 knots, making an interesting place for boaters and wildlife to explore!

The T37As are a family of 6 whales, lead by matriarch T037A “Volker” who was born in 1994. She is a pretty young mom to have so many offspring, especially so many surviving! The mortality rate for killer whale calves is about 50% because of the tough conditions here in the Pacific Northwest, but this amazing mom has all five of her surviving offspring still traveling with her.

The youngest of her pod (T037A5) was born just this year and is a male. He has older siblings born in 2007, 2009, 2013, and 2015. On average female killer whales will have a calf every 3-5 years, but Volker has had a couple that were born just two years apart.

We watched the whales spread out and forage, so the pictures don’t quite do the whales justice. It’s so amazing to see these families work together as apex predators! Here are some of the best photos taken on the tour by marine naturalist Rebeka Pirker.