April 20th- T party at the White Islets!

Any sunny day on the West Coast is appreciated, especially in the springtime! A light drizzle at the dock quickly gave way to sunshine out in the Strait, and our spirits were high as we began our search. With no sightings reported, we decided to head toward the Sunshine Coast. When there are no reports to follow, the boats in our fleet spread out to maximize our chances of spotting whales. Today was no different, as various companies dispersed into the Salish Sea. Soon, we got a report from a nearby boat that they had spotted some dorsal fins. Success! Fortunately, we were only a few minutes away, so we set sail to see who awaited us.

And what a sight we came across! Whales were everywhere: tail slapping, spyhopping, and rolling around. It was a full-on T party!

After identifying the whales as Transient Orcas, our team got to work snapping photos to determine who was in the group. With so many whales around, our Naturalists definitely had their work cut out for them! After going through the photos from the day, we have identified the following whales in attendance:

T065 Whidbey II ♀ (<1968)
T063 Chainsaw ♂ (1978)

T036A Leland ♀ (1990)
T036A1 Tierna ♀ (2005)
T036A1A (2022)
T036A2 Kailas ♀ (2012)
T036A3 Mike ♂ (2015)
T036A5 (2021)

T099B Holly ♀ (2007)

T124C Cooper ♂ (1992)

T087 Harbeson ♂ (1962)

T049A2 Jude ♂ (2007)

T124D Field ♀ (1996)
T124D1 Salish II (2014)
T124D3 (2022)
T124D4 (2024)

124A2 Elkugu ♀ (2001)
124A2A Agafia ♂ (2013)
124A2B Litton ♀ (2016)

T101 Reef ♀ (<1969)
T101A Rush ♂ (1993)
T101B Lagoon ♂ (1997)

With a whopping 22 confirmed members, this was shaping up to be a fantastic day for both guests and Naturalists alike! There may have even been a few extra whales swimming in the mix, as we captured several photos of individuals we haven’t 100% confirmed yet.

To identify the whales, we look for a few key characteristics. First, we examine the dorsal fin; its shape, size, and any notches are great identifying features. Next, we look at the saddle patch located behind the dorsal fin for more clues. This large white marking can become scratched over time, and the unique patterns help us distinguish individuals. Lastly, we check out the eyepatch. Each one is unique in size and shape, corresponding to an individual whale. Using a combination of these features, we compare them against the Transient Orca catalogue to correctly ID each animal. While this method isn’t foolproof, it yields a high success rate!

This group was impressively diverse, with members from at least four complete pods, along with several dispersed individuals. Some of the whales were even related! T124 Cooper is the uncle of matriarch T124A2 Elkugu, who was present with her children. Cooper’s sister, T124D Field, was also in attendance with her young children. T099 Holly, a mature female who has currently dispersed from her maternal pod, was seen hanging out with her aunt T036A Leland and cousin T036A1 Tierna. Tierna, who has a three-year-old calf, is frequently spotted with Holly; it seems like she’s making the most of some family babysitting!

Large Transient gatherings -or "T parties"- like this are a fantastic opportunity for different pods to socialize. Young whales get to play and learn from one another, which is crucial for their development. These interactions can also strengthen social bonds and spark cooperative hunting efforts. Mothers may spend time interacting while calves play nearby. And, in true springtime fashion, established males can often be seen cozying up to females, sometimes rolling around and attempting to mate. As a result, we often see a lot of excited behaviour from the whales, prompted by these interactions. Tail slaps, quick porpoising, spyhops, and breaches are all common behaviours, especially by younger animals. It’s an incredible experience for the whales, and for our lucky guests!

We even had a celebrity in attendance: none other than Mr. Chainsaw himself! T063 Chainsaw is easily identified by his signature jagged dorsal fin. At 47 years old, he’s a well-established male and a familiar visitor to our region this time of year. His appearance is a sure sign of spring, as he typically only stays for a few weeks before heading up to Alaska for the summer. Chainsaw wasn’t the only Gen X orca at the party, Mom Whidbey and matriarch Reef, both around 57 years old, were also present. One of our oldest lone males, “Old Man” Harbeson, made an appearance too! At a whopping 63 years old, he is currently the oldest male in the Transient population. While Transient Orcas can live into their 70s, Harbeson may still have a few more parties in him yet! Interestingly, Southern Resident Orcas can live even longer. The oldest currently known is L25 “Ocean Sun,” a female estimated to be around 97 years old! Though her exact age is unknown, she could be even older than we think. An impressive feat by both whale and human standards alike!

While whales are always the highlight of our tours, we also make an effort to view as much wildlife as possible. We stopped to check out some Steller Sea Lions at both the Halibut Bank Buoy and the haulouts on the White Islets. We ended our day with a visit to the Gabriola Bluffs and the California Sea Lion haulout at Harmac. All in all, guests were treated to sightings of Sea Lions, Harbour Seals, Cormorants, Bald Eagles, and of course—Orcas!

Check out the photos from the day, captured by our onboard Naturalists Desarae Poier and Vanessa Vereschahen!

T124D Field and one of her little ones! Photo by Desarae Poier.

T063 Chainsaw with T101 Reef behind him. Photo by Desarae Poier

T099B Holly snuggles up beside cousin T036A2 Kailas, while they follow Reef. Photo by Desarae Poier.

Whale hello there! Photo by Desarae Poier.

T036A Leland and daughter T036A1 Tierna travel close with cousin Holly. Photo by Desarae Poier.

Tierna’s 2022 calf brings up the rear! Photo by Desarae Poier.

Popping in to say hi! Tierna and calf. Photo by Desarae Poier

Holly with someone hot on her tail. Photo by Desarae Poier.

T036A3 Mike pops up behind Tierna and Field.Photo by Desarae Poier.

Holly spyhops while playing with the youngsters. Photo by Desarae Poier.

Jude decides to photobomb! Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.

Field and calf. Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.

T101B Lagoon follows Leland. Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.

Silly Kiddos! Whidbey in front. Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.

Big hop from Kailas! Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.

Rush and Lagoon make an appearance. Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.

A close cluster of whales. Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.

Youngsters romping around. Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.

I wonder who this tiny tail belongs to? Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.

This dorsal is around 6 feet tall! Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.

Field romps with the children. Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.

That’s a long whale! Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.

Cooper joins in the fun. Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.

Holly, Kailas, and Lagoon. Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.

Tierna pokes her head up. Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.

Tierna and friend. Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.

Our zodiac Keta. Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.

A haul out of Steller Sea Lions. Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.

A bald Eagle keeps watch over the White Islets. Photo by Desarae Poier.

Some snoozy Stellers at the Halibut Bank buoy. Photo by Desarae Poier.

Side eye from the Stellers. Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.

Two Happy Harbour Seals. Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.

Almost nesting season for the cormorants! Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.

Gabriola Bluffs. Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.

Mamma Bald Eagle Sits low on her clutch. Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.

Showing off those wings! Photo by Desarae Poier.

California Sea Lions. Photo by Desarae Poier.

Author: Desarae PoierApril 20, 2025WhalesComment