What a beautiful Saturday in the capital region!! Perfect whale watching conditions as our captains left the dock.
It wasn't long before reports came in of Biggs Orca (mammal eaters) heading into range! Our fleet headed northeast of Victoria near Vancouver in the morning. By the afternoon that pod was out of range but by then other pods moved into the area!
~Stay tuned!!
The day began with the sun shining but the wind picked up and the clouds moved in by the early afternoon.
In the morning our fleet caught up with the Southern Residents (salmon eaters) as they headed west through the Juan de Fuca Strait. They have now headed back out the the open ocean, we hope that they find enough food offshore and that we see them again soon!
BC TIKA went for an afternoon tour because she handles the best on rough waters. Captain Russ headed north east of Victoria to catch up with some Bigg's orca (mammal eaters)! They were identified as the T65A's, our guests were excited to see the brand new calf in the pod!!
~ Stay Tuned for whats next!!
It has been a hot week in the Victoria area, with the winds picking up into the next few days! There are so many whales in the area that its basically whale soup!
The Southern Resident Orca (salmon eaters) have stuck around and we have had the chance to interact with J and L pod as they forage along the San Juan Islands! They have been very active and social, often breaching and slapping the surface wit their fins. The winds picked up into our afternoon tours so our passengers were in for a roller-coaster ride! Luckily our boats handle rough seas well and everyone had a great time!
~ Stay Tuned!
It was a chilly overcast day with flat calm waters as we sent out BC TIKA and LUNA for morning tours! It wasn't long before reports of both Biggs (mammal eaters) and Southern Resident orca's (salmon eaters) were picked up! Our captains could not wait to get off the dock and see what the Residents were up to, and if they were finding the food they need!
Our fleet got the privilege to encounter members of L pod of the Southern Resident killer whale (salmon eaters) population! They were foraging through the Juan de Fuca Strait as they headed west, back out to the open ocean. We hope to see them again soon!! Biggs Orca (mammal eaters) were encountered off Otter Point in the afternoon, as they scanned for potential prey. Once successful they often celebrate by breaching, tail slapping and vocalizing!
~ Stay Tuned!!
Photo Credit: Jim Carpenter
The weather conditions were perfect, with clear sunny skies and calm seas we sent our fleet out to see who was in the area for the day! It didnt take long before reports of animals came in!
The Resident Orca's (fish eaters) are FINALLY back!!! They have not been seen in the area since April, so we are very excited!! This ecotype of orca specialize in eating Chinook Salmon, and with fish stocks so low the Southern Resident orca population is dwindling!
Not only did the Residents make an appearance, but the Biggs Orca (mammal eaters) were also present! They have been frequenting local waters all seasons and we are always pleased to encounter them!
~ Stay tuned!!
Happy Sunday! With sunny skies and calm seas BC ORCA and BC LUNA left the dock to see who was in the area for the day!
It wasn't long before several groups of Biggs Orca (mammal eaters) were picked up in the Salish Sea! Our coastal waters are so productive that they are able to support a variety of life, including many species of marine mammals. Seals and porpoise's make a large part of the Biggs Orca diet, so the pods often come in to hunt for their favourite prey!
By the afternoon the whales were very close to Victoria so our passengers got to spend more time on scene!! The whales were still in hunting mode as they foraged throughout the area. Pods are often seen celebrating their success after a meal!
~ Stay tuned for whats next!!
A beautiful calm Saturday in the capital city! We sent BC ORCA and BC LUNA to discover who was in the Salish Sea for the day!!
It wasn't long before before a group of Biggs Orca (mammal eaters) were spotted east of Victoria! Our fleet encountered them throughout the day as they scanned the area and successfully foraged!
In the afternoon, BC ORCA, BC LUNA, and BC TIKA all headed out towards Orcas Island and had a great experience watching a pod of transient orcas hunting for porpoises - everyone has to eat!
~Stay Tuned!!
Photo Credit: Thomas Mitchell
We had an exciting and rare sighting yesterday in the heart of Victoria! A pod of Biggs Orca came into the inner harbour of downtown Victoria!!! Not only do dock here, but many other businesses and private boats!! It is a busy and noisy place but they seemed comfortable as they came in to check things out!
That said, our fleet got to encounter Biggs Orca all day! We love peak whale watching season because that means more interactions with these powerful predators. It is World Oceans Day today and we are excited to celebrate our oceans, and see who we encounter!!
~Stay tuned!
