April 21, 2025, 12:30 & 2:00 PM - The T019s off Valdes and Noah on his own

We had two boats head out on the afternoon of April 21st, one departing at 12:30 and the other shortly after at 2:00. Both vessels travelled south through Northumberland Channel and Dodd Narrows, with everyone on board excited to see what wildlife might be waiting for them. As it turned out, there were two different groups of Orcas in the area: the T019s travelling together in the Strait of Georgia, and Noah, journeying solo through the Southern Gulf Islands.

T019 Nootka ♀ (~1965)
T019B Galiano ♂ (1995)
T019C Spouter ♂ (2001)

T049A1 Noah ♂ (2001)

Let’s start with Noah! He’s an interesting whale, known for being a bit of a troublemaker. One of our favourite stories is the time he surfaced right in the middle of a group of kids learning to sail in Nanaimo Harbour! Although Noah typically travels away from his family, he’s occasionally seen trailing them at a distance, or sometimes fully integrated with the group.

He’s easy to identify thanks to his large dorsal fin, which features a distinct notch about a quarter of the way up from the base. He also has a slight hunch in his back, which you might miss if you didn’t know how smooth an orca’s back usually is. See if you can spot it in the photos below! The exact cause of this slight deformity isn’t known—it may be congenital, or perhaps it resulted from some rough play with his mother, Nan, who’s known to be a bit tough on her calves. Interestingly, a few of his siblings also have unique features. His younger brother Jude has a noticeably bent dorsal fin, while the youngest, Charlie II, has a very prominent underbite. Because multiple siblings have unusual traits, some believe the cause is likely genetic, but that’s just speculation.

Speaking of unique dorsal fins, let’s talk about the T019s! The two large males, Galiano and Spouter, both have distinctive features. Galiano, the older and more iconic of the two brothers, has a noticeable lean to his dorsal fin along with a prominent notch in the top third. He’s commonly seen in the area and easily recognized even from a distance. His brother Spouter doesn’t have a lean, but instead has a wavy trailing edge to his dorsal fin—a “wiggle” that’s easy to spot from behind. Their mother, Nootka, also has unique notches in her fin, but she’s primarily distinguishable by her smaller size.

This brings us to a fascinating trait of orcas: sexual dimorphism, meaning males and females are physically distinct. Male orcas are not only larger overall, but they also have proportionally bigger fins. Their dorsal fins are tall and prominent, while their pectoral fins and tail flukes are about twice the size of those on females. In fact, male tail flukes tend to curve inward. If you didn’t know better, you might assume the three whales travelling together were two parents and a calf, but that’s not the case! Nootka may be the smallest of the group, but she’s definitely in charge, and her sons will follow her lead for life.

Beyond the whales, we were also treated to some amazing birds and marine life. We spotted huge flocks of migratory Bonaparte’s Gulls on their journey north to the forests of central and northern Canada and Alaska, where they’ll nest during the summer months. While passing through, they take advantage of areas like Porlier Pass, where strong currents bring small fish to the surface, providing a perfect feeding ground.

We also saw sea lions basking in the sun and playing in the water as we cruised past on our way back to Nanaimo. All in all, it was another fantastic afternoon on the Salish Sea! Be sure to check out the stunning photos below, captured by our onboard Marine Naturalists, Aly Kohlman and Val Watson.

T049A1 Noah

T049A Noah surfacing. Photo by Aly Kohlman.

Can you spot T049A1 Noah’s slight hunch here? Photo by Aly Kohlman.

T049A1 Noah surfacing in front of some amazing sandstone erosion along the shore. Photo by Aly Kohlman.

T019s

T019B Galiano has a lot of scarring! Photo by Aly Kohlman.

T019 Nootka surfacing in the waves. Photo by Aly Kohlman.

Can you spot the notch in T019B Galiano’s dorsal fin? Photo by Aly Kohlman.

T019C Spouter surfacing in the waves. Photo by Aly Kohlman.

Brothers T019B Galiano (front) and T019C Spouter (back) surface together. Photo by Aly Kohlman.

T019C Spouter also has a fair amount of scarring. Photo by Aly Kohlman.

T019C Spouter surfacing. Photo by Val Watson.

Family Photo with the T019s! We have visible from left to right: T019B Galiano, T019 Nootka, and T019C Spouter. Photo by Val Watson.

T019B Galiano surfacing. You can notice the bend to his dorsal fin in this photo by Val Watson.

T019 Nootka surfacing in the sun. Photo by Val Watson.

T019C Spouter with a backlit blow. Photo by Val Watson.

Other Wildlife

Steller Sea Lions hauled out on the rocks. Photo by Aly Kohlman.

This large male may weigh up to 2,800 pounds! Photo by Aly Kohlman.

Some curious Harbour Seals watching us from the rocks. Photo by Aly Kohlman.

An Oyster Catcher on the nearby rocks. Photo by Aly Kohlman.

This California Sea Lion seems to be a good pillow for it’s pals. Photo by Aly Kohlman.

Fighting amongst the California Sea Lions is quite common. Photo by Aly Kohlman.

It’s the time of year to see Bonnie and Clyde brooding at their nest. Photo by Aly Kohlman.

One keeps a watchful eye on the water below, likely looking for yummy fish. Photo by Aly Kohlman.

A mix of Pelagic and Double Crested Cormorants. Photo by Aly Kohlman.

Some gulls using the sandstone caves along the cliff. Photo by Aly Kohlman.

This Bald Eagle is likely around 4 years old, based on the amount of brown still in their head feathers. Photo by Aly Kohlman.

Some Steller Sea Lions hauled out together. Photo by Val Watson.

Rhinoceros Auklets swimming in the currents of Porlier Pass. Photo by Val Watson.

Bonepartes Gulls on a small islet in Porlier Pass. Photo by Val Watson.

A Bonepartes Gull floating by. Photo by Val Watson.

Bonepartes gull taking flight! Photo by Val Watson.

A happy looking California Sea Lion in the sun. Photo by Val Watson.

A young Bald Eagle soars by overhead. Photo by Val Watson.

This California Sea Lion looks like it’s getting ready to scratch and itch! Photo by Val Watson.

The many faces of the sea lion. Photo by Val Watson.

Returning to Nanaimo we got to see the Cruise Ship: Europa 2! Photo by Val Watson.