August 21st - Sherwina and Honu in the SOG
Today we had tours both in the morning and the afternoon. During the morning tour, we made our way through Dodd Narrow and into Gabriola Pass and out into the Strait of Georgia.
We came across Sherwina (KEY0024)on the southeast side of Gabriola island slowly travelling south - southeast. She was milling around feeding and showing us her fluke on which you can see white round marking where acorn barnacles used to be attached. This species of barnacle, the Coronula diadema, is specific to humpback whales and has evolved to only live on humpback whales. Though they do not negatively affect the whales in small numbers, they can affect them when their numbers increases and humpback whales can have up to 1000 pounds of barnacles on them at a time. These barnacles can be up to 8.5 cm in diameter and can range between 30 and 59 cm tall.
After enjoying Sherwina we went to view Harbour seals at Saturnina Island where they all hauled out on the rocks to warm up and sleep on. We then moved on to the Gabriola bluffs where we viewed the various nesting birds including a nesting pair of Peregrine falcons.
Our afternoon tour we went out past Entrance Island and spotted a fluke and a blow in the distance. When we got close we saw we were with Honu (KEY0030), a humpback whale that spends its winters in Hawaii. So far the sex of Honu has not yet been determined.
Photos by Marine Naturalists Janine Van Der Linden and Vanessa Vereschahen
Sherwina (KEY0024). Photo by Janine Van Der Linden (10:30AM tour).
Sherwina (KEY0024). Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen (10:30AM tour).
Sherwina (KEY0024). Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen (10:30AM tour).
Sherwina (KEY0024). Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen (10:30AM tour).
Sherwina (KEY0024). Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen (10:30AM tour).
Sherwina (KEY0024). Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen (10:30AM tour).
Sherwina (KEY0024). Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen (10:30AM tour).
Sherwina (KEY0024). Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen (10:30AM tour).
Honu (KEY0030). Rain-blow. Photo by Janine Van Der Linden (3:30PM tour).
Honu (KEY0030). Photo by Janine Van Der Linden (3:30PM tour).
Honu (KEY0030). Photo by Janine Van Der Linden (3:30PM tour).
Honu (KEY0030). Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen (3:30PM tour).
Honu (KEY0030). Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen (3:30PM tour).
Honu (KEY0030). Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen (3:30PM tour).
Honu (KEY0030). Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen (3:30PM tour).
Honu (KEY0030). Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen (3:30PM tour).
Honu (KEY0030). Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen (3:30PM tour).
Honu (KEY0030). Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen (3:30PM tour).
Honu (KEY0030). Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen (3:30PM tour).
Honu (KEY0030). Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen (3:30PM tour).
Honu (KEY0030). Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen (3:30PM tour).
Honu (KEY0030). Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen (3:30PM tour).
Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen (10:30AM tour).
Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen (10:30AM tour).
Can you spot the Peregrine falcon? Photo by Janine Van Der Linden (10:30AM tour).
Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen (3:30PM tour).
Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen (3:30PM tour).
Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen (10:30AM tour).
Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen (10:30AM tour).
Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen (10:30AM tour).
Photo by Janine Van Der Linden (3:30PM tour).