July 30th 10:30 - A morning tour with Split Fluke, her calf, and a friend!

All three of our boats departed beautiful Nanaimo at 10:30 to search for wildlife in the Salish Sea. After traveling around the Gulf Islands we encountered some humpback whales on the east side of Gabriola Pass. It was one of our regulars, “Split Fluke”, with her new calf and traveling with an unidentified friend!

They were busy feeding deep in the water column for krill and/or bait fish. We got to see their huge (they can get up to 15 feet wide!) being raised out of the water and then gracefully sinking once again into the deep.

We also witnessed an immature Bald Eagle, a mature Bald Eagle, and a colony of Turkey Vultures feasting along the rocks near the end of our tour. We have included a GORE WARNING tag near the end of this blog in case you do not want to see these photos.

Here are some of the best photos taken that morning by our marine naturalists.

Humpback nose! Photo by Cheyenne Brewster

Split Fluke has a distinct circular scar on her dorsal fin. Can you see it? Photo by Rebeka Pirker

The trio (left to right): Unidentified friend, Split Fluke’s calf, Split Fluke. Photo by Brad Farrow

Split Fluke - can you see how she earned her name? Photo by Brad Farrow

Split Fluke fluking. Photo by Rebeka Pirker

Sleepy Stellar Sealions. Photo by Rebeka Pirker

Rock Sausages happily sunbathing. Photo by Brad Farrow

GORE WARNING - The following photos contain Birds of Prey eating. *

Colony of Turkey Vultures. Photo by Rebeka Pirker

The stare off - who do you think would win between a Turkey Vulture and an Immature Bald Eagle? Photo by Brad Farrow

Jilann LechnerJuly 31, 2021Comment