It’s always a great day when we get to describe our humpback encounters as “humpback soup”. This is a term to describe when you are spending time with humpback whales and you can see a ton of other blows in the distance! We managed to ID 3 of these whales with confidence: KEZ0009 Kelpie and BCX1333’s (Ghost’s) 2021 calf, and KEY0046.

There were a lot of others who were more shy with their tail flukes, but we do have additional dorsal fin shots for these whales which we can hopefully use to figure out who they are. One of today’s whales is a yearling we have seen frequently in the past week that we have been unable to ID.

Humpback whales are one of the creatures that migrate to the coast of British Columbia every year. These impressive marine mammals travel from their breeding grounds in Hawaii and Mexico's Pacific coast to BC's nutrient-rich waters to feed on anchovies, krill, and small schooling fish such as herring and sand lance. Between March and November, these gentle giants can be seen swimming in the waters surrounding Nanaimo and other locations on the coast.

Today we were even lucky enough to see one of the whales lunge feeding! Lunge feeding is an incredible feeding behaviour commonly observed in humpback whales. This technique involves a humpback whale propelling its massive body forward through the water with amazing speed, mouth wide open, and taking in massive amounts of food and water in one swoop. Once the whale has its mouth full of prey and water, it uses its tongue to push the trapped water out through the baleen plates, leaving behind a mouthful of only food to swallow. You have to have quick reflexes to witness this behaviour as it typically happens very quickly, and even quicker to capture it with a camera!

Soon our time in “humpback-land” was soon finished, so we continued on to the other wildlife. We first stopped at Snake Island for the group of Harbour Seals that were sunning themselves on the rocks. Harbour seal pupping season is a critical time of year for these small, but mighty marine mammals. Spanning from late April through to early June, the Pacific Northwest is a breeding ground for harbour seals, with many mothers choosing to give birth on rocky shorelines or floating platforms. Watching these pups take their first wobbly steps into the world is a sight to behold, but it's important to remember that it's also a time to practice responsible wildlife viewing. While it may be tempting to approach or touch a seemingly abandoned pup, it's crucial to keep a safe distance from all wildlife to avoid any unintentional harm or stress. By following guidelines and respecting their natural habitat, we can all help ensure a successful harbour seal pupping season that supports the health and longevity of these iconic sea creatures.

Lucky for us viewing from the water we are able to keep proper distances while still getting to see them clearly along the water line.

After our seals, we headed to the Gabriola Bluffs to see the Cormorants and then continued to the log booms near Harmac where we got to see the sea lions. Sea lions are a common sight on log booms in coastal areas around Vancouver Island. These large and playful marine mammals are known for their impressive agility and acrobatic skills. Most of the time, they can be seen lounging lazily on the wooden structures of the log booms, basking in the sun and occasionally barking at one another. However, when they feel energetic or playful, they can be seen diving in and out of the water, surfacing and then disappearing back beneath the waves. The sheer size and strength of these majestic creatures is truly impressive, making them a highlight for visitors on board our whale-watching tours.

Soon the tours found themselves back in the Nanaimo Harbour, happy to have seen all the wildlife and scenery that they did.

Please enjoy all the photos from the day below, taken by the onboard naturalists Cheyenne Brewster and Carmen Murphy.