August 17, 2023, 3:30 - The T037As, T065A5 Indy and T077C and a brief encounter with Zephyr the Humpback!

Today was another whale-filled day for us. We got extra lucky and were able to make today a Double Species day as we located orca and humpbacks on the same trip! This isn’t a super regular occurrence as our humpbacks and orca are rarely travelling in the same areas as each other.

Our orca were ID’d as the following 6 individuals:

T037A Volker ♀ (1994)
T037A2 Inky ♂ (2009)
T037A3 Spinnaker ♂ (2013)
T037A4 Crinkle ♀ (2015)

T065A5 Indy ♂ (2014)
T077C Neftali ♂ (2006)

Normally when we observe orca we see a matriline consisting of the matriarch (eldest female) and her children and potentially her grandchildren. This year we have had a big increase in “odd” encounters where we observe individual orca travelling alone or travelling with other lone whales. We have no idea why so many of our orca are starting to live the bachelor life like Indy and Neftali are doing but we hope they are happy and healthy nonetheless!

We also located one lone humpback today! Zephyr (BCZ0414) was travelling by herself near Stinky Rocks. She seemed a bit sleepy today as she was not fluking today. Thankfully we were able to ID her from her dorsal fin instead!

Besides our whales, we also saw some other wildlife. Our Harbour Seals (also known as Rock Sausages) were eyeing us up from their rocky thrones as usual. While not very active, our seals are a fan favourite to spot because they have adorable dog-like faces. Our grumbly Steller sea lions were also snoozing along on Stinky Rocks as they were gently caressed by the waves.

Today’s photos were taken by Marine Naturalists Val Watson, Aly Kohlman, and Des Poier.

T065A5 Indy is only 9 years old but typically travels away from his family. Photo by Aly Kohlman

Neftali usually travels with his sister Alycon, but she was with another family this day. Photo by Aly Kohlman

Can you see the rake marks on T065A5 Indy? Photo by Aly Kohlman

T065A5 Indy and T077C Neftali, 2 young males hanging out. Photo by Aly Kohlman

T037A Volker porpoising out of the water. Photo by Aly Kohlman

T037A2 Inky’s dorsal fin is starting to sprout. Photo by Aly Kohlman

Can you see the notch in T037A Volker’s dorsal fin? This is one of the ways we can identify her. Photo by Aly Kohlman

We can also use eyepatches and dorsal to identify orcas - this, for example, is T037A2 Inky. Photo by Aly Kohlman

T037A2 Inky and T037A Volker hunting a harbour seal. Photo by Aly Kohlman

T037A Volker and her youngest daughter T037A4 Crinkle. Photo by Aly Kohlman

T037A4 Crinkle, T037A2 Inky and T037A Volker swimming away after some dinner. Photo by Aly Kohlman

A tail slap. Photo by Val Watson

T037A Volker travelling next to her oldest son T037A2 Inky. Photo by Des Poirier

Hunting a harbour seal. Photo by Des Poirier

A beautiful spy hop after a hunt. Photo by Des Poirier

All those rake marks on T065A5 Indy’s body are from other orcas. Photo by Val Watson

T077C Neftali is older than Indy and his dorsal fin is beginning to sprout. Photo by Val Watson

BCZ0414 Zephyr’s dorsal fin. Photo by Aly Kohlman

Stellar sealion yawning. Photo by Aly Kohlman

Sea lion going to give itself a scracth. Photo by Val Watson

Stellar sea lion relaxing on the rocks. Photo by Val Watson

Stellar sealion male checking us out. Photo by Val Watson

Stellar sealions watching the orca swim away after a hunt. Photo by Aly Kohlman

Do you see the little tail on this sea lion? Photo by Val Watson

A harbour seal poking it’s head out of the water. Photo by Val Watson

Harbour seal watching us on the rocks. Photo by Val Watson

Harbour seals watching the orcas hunt from the safety of the rocks. Photo by Aly Kohlman

A harbour seal pup climbing up on the rocks behind it’s mother. Photo by Val Watson

A bald eagle with the wind blowing through it’s feathers. Photo by Aly Kohlman

Cormorants resting on the bluffs. Photo by Val Watson

Turkey vulture soaring. Photo by Aly Kohlman

Harlequin duck females going for swim. Photo by Val Watson

Shore birds relaxing on the sandstone. Photo by Val Watson

A gull snatching food out of the water. Photo by Val Watson

Our lovely semi-covered vessel Kula. Photo by Val Watson

Passengers on Keta looking at the smoke over that mountain. Photo by Aly Kohlman

A wind surfer enjoying a breezy day. Photo by Val Watson

Smoke from a new fire. Photo by Aly Kohlman