October 8th - An afternoon with humpback whales Divot and calf, Split Fluke and calf, BCZ0312, Valiant, and Trooper/Slice

Each of our tours saw about 8 humpback whales and they were being super social and energetic. We saw amazing behaviours such as pec slaps, high flukes, tail slaps, rolling, and even mugging! What a treat to have this many whales so close to home, near Gabriola Island!

Using dorsal fins and fluke patterns we were able to ID all of the whales that were seen. The individuals were Divot and calf, Split Fluke and calf, BCZ0312, Valiant, and Trooper/Slice. Want to try to match up some flukes on your own? Head on over to Keta Coastal Conservation’s webpage and to their free Humpback ID catalogue. This is a great resource for locals and for people who spend a lot of time boating in the Salish Sea. More and more humpback whales are returning to the Salish Sea each year and it’s always exciting to match a fluke or discover that we have a new whale with us!

Here are some of the best photos taken that day by marine naturalists Rebecca Stirling and Val Watson.

Jilann LechnerOctober 11, 2021Comment