It was a perfect day for a whale-watching adventure as we embarked on our journey from Nanaimo, full of excitement for what lay ahead. Our two open boats set off, the salt air filling our lungs, as we navigated past the northern tip of Gabriola Island into the Strait of Georgia. The waters shimmered under the clear sky, and the anticipation among the passengers was palpable—today was going to be special.

It didn’t take long before we spotted what we were looking for—a series of spouts in the distance! As we approached, the massive forms of two humpback whales came into view. These particular whales were familiar to us: Zig Zag (BCX1193) and Manta (BCZ0155). They’ve been travelling together for the past few days, their synchronized behavior indicating a strong bond. It was mesmerizing to watch as they surfaced together to breathe, their blowholes shooting out mist before they dove back beneath the water in sync with each others movements.

Despite their closeness, Manta and Zig Zag are quite distinct in appearance. Zig Zag, an X-type humpback, and Manta, a Z-type, have visibly different markings and tail shapes. When they raised their massive flukes to dive deep into the waters, these differences were on full display. Their tails, silhouetted against the backdrop of the sea, disappeared below to feed on fish and krill.

While we were enthralled by the humpbacks, we received exciting news—a pod of orca had been spotted near Gabriola Pass. We quickly made our way there, hoping to catch a glimpse of these majestic predators. Sure enough, it wasn’t long before we saw the familiar dorsal fins cutting through the water. It was the T037As travelling through the Southern Gulf Islands. Recently, a member of the pod, Spinnaker, had been spotted moving independently from the rest, but today he had rejoined his family. That means the following whales were present:

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

We followed the orca as they made their way through Gabriola Pass, occasionally slowing down to play in the strong currents, before emerging into the Strait of Georgia. They continued their journey northward along the shoreline of Gabriola Island, their sleek black-and-white bodies slicing through the water in graceful unison.

But the orca sightings didn’t stop there. Not far from the T037As, another well-known pair of orcas, T063 ♂ Chainsaw (1978) and T065 Whidbey ♀ (<1968), were spotted. To our excitement, the two pods seemed to interact with each other, though some members kept a noticeable distance. A standout moment came when the two adult males, Inky from the T037As and Chainsaw, spent time travelling closely together—an interesting display of orca social dynamics that we were lucky to witness.

As if the encounters with humpbacks and orcas weren’t enough, the waters and shores of the Strait of Georgia offered even more wildlife sightings. Along the way, we saw several Steller sea lions lounging on the rocks, their massive bodies basking in the sun. Harbour seals popped their heads out of the water, their curious eyes watching us as we cruised by. Above us, a variety of sea birds soared, their calls mixing with the sound of the waves.

After a day filled with marine life and incredible whale interactions, we returned to Nanaimo, thrilled with all of the amazing wildlife encounters that we had today. Photos throughout the tour were taken by the onboard Marine Naturalists Cheyenne Brewster and Vanessa Verechahen, and can be enjoyed below!

October 23, 2024 - Humpbacks in the Strait and a mini T-Party!

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