We departed from Nanaimo Harbour on an incredible day - the sun was shining and the temperature was perfect! We began our search north in the Strait of Georgia before one of our Naturalists spotted some splashing in the distance. We quickly turned and began to head East toward the mainland, fingers crossed it was a whale. Unfortunately, she was fooled by the waves - but we would much rather investigate a false alarm than miss out on a real whale sighting!
Shortly after that, we got a report on the radio that the T101’s had been spotted in the Squamish Harbour. Eager to show off the beauty of Howe Sound we speed up to get to our destination. After travelling through the many islands and network of fjords, we came upon the T101 matriline which consists of three members. This Matriarch and her two full-grown sons were a sight to see indeed, travelling along the shore with the gorgeous mountains setting the backdrop for the tour.

T101 Reef ♀ (≤1969)

T101A Rush♂ (1993)

T101B Lagoon♂ (1997)

Howe Sound is a spot we all hold close to our hearts as it is an environmental success story. It is Canada’s 19th UNESCO (United Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization) Biosphere Region. Biosphere regions are of great ecological significance, making an ongoing effort and commitment to the United Nations to uphold sustainability. They hold no legal jurisdiction and are not parks. The real beauty comes from the local people who inspire us to find ways to both work and live in harmony with nature. These Biospheres are models for sustainable development where not only nature but also humanity can thrive. Once deemed an industrialized wasteland, the Howe Sound area was heavily polluted after over 100 years of industrial work - this included sulfuric pulp mills, a leaky chemical plant which oozed mercury and a leaching copper mine that decimated the life in Howe Sound. However, with much effort and incredible determination in the past decades, Howe Sound has made a remarkable recovery. As the industries closed down and the government realized its need to clean up the region, Howe Sound's sparkle began to return. With a cost of over $140 million to clean up the Britannia mine and the chemical plant located on the Squamish waterfront, and thanks to local municipalities, the Squamish Nation (Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw), the provincial government and environmental groups life has returned to the area! Orcas, Humpback whales, Grey whales and Dolphins have come home to the Sound after an absence of almost 100 years. It was an amazing effort that the community came together to clean and protect the beautiful Howe Sound!

Another significance of Howe Sound is the discovery of 17 Glass Sponge Reefs that were thought to have gone extinct during the Jurassic period. These reefs were common in the Cretaceous period, more than 65 million years ago. Before this discovery in the late 1980s, there had only been fossilized remains of the reefs found. The reefs were discovered in Hecate Strait, a wide strait between Mainland British Columbia and Haida Gwaii. Some 200 meters below the surface Canadian scientists came across the Sea of Glass - a series of reefs covering hundreds of square kilometers of the sea floor and some reaching heights of eight stories tall! In 2001, more Glass Sponge reefs were discovered right in Howe Sound. Though these reefs are much smaller than the reefs of the Hecate Strait covering no more than a few square kilometers, they provide a unique habitat for many marine species depending on them for protection and food.
The reefs found in Howe Sound have something else very special about them. They are the only known reef-forming sponges located in waters shallower than 40 meters deep. This has allowed scientists to dive amongst them and study these reefs to provide understanding and protection of this rare ecosystem. It is believed without these efforts the reefs would not have the protection they do today. These Sponges are extremely fragile and have skeletons made up of silica. Fishing such as bottom trawling and shrimp or crab trapping can shatter them, and sediment from the sea floor stirred up by these fishing methods can also “choke” the Glass Sponge reefs.
Glass Sponges are one of the oldest animals on earth, and they appeared long before the first fish. Not only are they extremely rare, but these reefs also contribute to carbon storage as well as add vital habitat for the endangered Rockfish. It is so important to continue to protect these magnificent animals as some experts believe they are the longest-lived animals on earth - they are estimated to have a life cycle of up to 15,000 years. If these animals were to go extinct it would indeed be an incredible loss for this planet.

Please enjoy the photos taken by our Marine Naturalists Des Poier and Vanessa Vereschahen below.