August 3rd - A fun day with Raptor and her social calf!

On August 3rd our boats made their way out for a 10:30 am sailing. We found Raptor and her calf playing in the Strait. Recently a naturalist was able to get a good fluke shot of this calf, and was able to confirm that Raptors calf is a female. She was given the name “Harpy” after Harpy eagles. As moms name is Raptor and Harpy eagles are raptors it was a very fitting name. Harpy was extra excited this morning, cartwheeling, chin slapping and Pec slapping on the water. It was great to see the young one have so much energy.

In their first year humpbacks stay close to mom, and rely on her for milk. The milk mom produces is about 50% fat and pink because of the krill they eat. It’s essentially like drinking pink whipping cream! Calves can put on as much as 4 lbs per hour and an inch a day as they grow and learn with mom.

We had a second tour at 3:30 and were able to find Raptor and Harpy again. Though this time they were pre-occupied doing deep dives and feeding. Harpy and Raptor would dive for about 8 minutes. While these dives aren’t that exciting to watch, it’s cool knowing that these dives are for important reasons. These deep dives Harpy does with her mom are to help build up her lung capacity and prepare her for the long migration south and for all the deep feeding dives she will do when she no longer relies on moms milk for nutrients.

Check out some of the great photos our Naturalists got on both the morning and afternoon tour of the whales and other wildlife we encountered.

Harpy, Raptos calf. Photo by Val Watson (10.30)

Photo by Val Watson (10.30)

Raptor was lazy fluking, but just enough to see who we were watching. Photo by Val Watson (10.30)

Harpy’s fluke. Unlike moms black tail, Harpy is almost all white. Photo by Val Watson (10.30)

Barrel rolls and pec slaps! photos by Rebeka Pirker (10.30)

The top side of Raptors fluke as she performed an impressive tail slap. photo by Rebeka Pirker (10.30)

Raptors calf, Harpy, Doing Cartwheels. Photo by Rebeka Pirker (10.30)

Photo by Rebeka Pirker (10:30)

Raptors fluke. Still lazy, just like she was in the morning. photo by Rebeka Pirker (3:30)

Harbour seal cooling off in the water. Photo by Ryan Uslu (3:30)

Stellar Sea Lions hanging out on a buoy near Gabriola pass. Photo by Ryan Uslu (3:30)