May 16, 2023 - BCX1275 lunge feeding by Valdes Island

As we cruised around in search of whales, we made our first stop to see some other wildlife. Today we got to see a bob (group) of Harbour seals sun bathing on the rocks.

After leaving our seals, we began searching again, our eyes scanning the horizon. It didn’t take us long to locate our whale of the day - a solo Humpback travelling near Valdez Island!

This humpback was ID’d as BCX1275. This individual has a distinct hole near the middle of their right fluke, as well as a speckling of barnacle scars across their otherwise black flukes. This is a new-to-us-whale - meaning we had never seen this whale before this season!

Today we witnessed an impressive feeding style known as Lunge feeding. Lunge feeding is a breathtaking feeding technique employed by humpback whales to engulf vast amounts of prey in a single, explosive maneuver. BCX1275, a master of this feeding strategy, showcased an impressive demonstration of power and precision off the coast of Valdes Island.

With each lunge, BCX1275 propelled itself from the depths, mouth agape, engulfing massive volumes of water teeming with krill, small fish, and/or plankton. The sight of the whale's enormous jaws expanded to their fullest extent was a sight to behold. As the water cascaded off its baleen plates, BCX1275 efficiently filtered out its prey, ensuring only nourishment passed through and into its stomach.

Lunge feeding is only one of the amazing feeding styles that humpbacks can use. Bubble net feeding, flick feeding, and trap feeding are all known techniques that have been observed off the BC coastline. It’s always interesting to see what whales will use what techniques, leading to exciting new encounters ever day!

The waters surrounding Valdes Island are a haven for marine life, boasting abundant reserves of nutrient-rich waters. These favourable conditions attract a diverse range of prey species, which, in turn, entice many different predators to feed here. This includes Humpbacks, Orca, Sea lions, Harbour seals, Sharks, and many other animals!

After leaving our humpback we stopped to see some very sleepy sea lions at Entrance Island. They were all cuddled up on a rock just above the waterline.

Photos today were taken by Marine Naturalist Des Poier.