July 30, 2006

Reports of inbound orcas had the Orca Spirit vessels heading west to Becher Bay this morning to find a large group of L-Pod whales foraging. It was a great morning, as our passengers had an intimate visit with an unidentified mother and calf, and several large males. To conclude the spectacular morning we traveled to the Race Rocks Ecological Reserve where we saw two incredibly large Stellar sea lions relaxing on the northern rocks and many Harbour seals hauled out on the rocky islets.

The afternoon trip found us at Pile Point visiting the J's and K's. The whales were spread out and traveling north up the west coast of San Juan Island, foraging on their way. It was a splendid afternoon spent in the company of a large number of vocal and active orcas. On the way home, we stopped off at Chatham Island to view the many Harbour seals that were hauled out on the rocks.

For the evening trip, we traveled north of Kellet Bluff where we met up with an active and incredibly vocal group of J's and some K's. Our passengers were treated to a spectacular display of killer whale behaviour that included breaches, spyhops, cart wheeling, pec slapping and tail slapping. We had an amazing visit with Mike (J26) and another awe-inspiring breach from one of our favourite whales Cappucino (K21).

Our favourite photos taken by Captain John on July 28th

July 28, 2006 – 5pm

Another stellar trip was in store for the passengers aboard the Orca Spirit as we travelled west to meet up with K and L-Pod that had been seen travelling inbound earlier in the day. We encountered the whales near Beechey Head, in East Sooke Park and were thrilled to see a large number of active orcas. It was astounding to see how far the whales had swam in a very short time span as we had left the whales over 15 miles away only two hours earlier. It was an excellent evening and we were thrilled to see a large number of different killer whale behaviours including breaching, porpoising, tail slapping and pectoral slapping, complemented by some great vocalizations. We finished our evening trip by visiting with Faith (L57) and a small group of other unidentified orcas, followed by a visit to a customer favourite, the Race Rocks Ecological Reserve. It was another great trip!

July 28th Evening Tour

July 27, 2006

This morning we headed over towards San Juan Island in hopes to find one of our resident pods feeding along the shoreline. As soon as we got on scene we found a group of whales (J-Pod) traveling towards us! There was quite a bit of socializing and porpoising observed and we even watched as one whale breached 8 times in a row!

When we caught up with J-Pod on our afternoon tour they hadn’t moved much as they were feeding around Lime Kiln Lighthouse. Passengers were extremely excited to watch a young whale breach a couple of times as well as observe a couple of whales spyhop. On our way home we came through Chain Islands to see the young Harbour seal pups and Seagull chicks scurrying around the rocks.

On this evening’s tour we traveled to Turn Point. On arrival the whales appeared to be foraging, yet just moments later 6 whales began porpoising past the boat. After repositioning, we had Blackberry (J27), a 15 year old sprouting male, surface several times in great photo range. An enjoyable tour was finished by a calming sunset cruise back to Victoria.

This past week some of the Orca Spirit crew travelled to Barkley Sound for a fishing trip.
There were not a lot of fish to be caught however they did see a Black Bear and a few Bald Eagles (with a GIANT nest). Have a look at the photos below!

July 25, 2006

This morning we had to search for the Resident Orcas because there had been no word as to where they were last sighted. So off we headed towards San Juan Island and found J-Pod coming down Haro Strait at Turn Point on Stuart Island. The whales were offshore and grouping up. We watched as one of our zodiacs witnessed a whale breach just off the stern. Wonderful! We then watched the whales as they made their way past Henry Island. There were a few spy hops and tail slaps along the way.

On this afternoon’s tours we were lucky to see the calf spy hop a few times!

The evening tour was beautiful as we saw J-Pod travel past Pender Island in resting mode – a great photo opportunity!

July 24, 2006

Today we were out with the L12’s for the first couple of tours.

By later in the day we met up with the rest of L-Pod.

Throughout the day we had the hydrophone in the water listening to the whales echolocate and vocalize – it was fantastic!

July 21, 2006
More photos from Captain John onboard the Orca Spirit on this morning's tour.

Photos taken from Captain John onboard the evening Orca Spirit tour Thursday, July 20th.

July 20, 2006

Today all three tours were with K-Pod between Eagle Point and Salmon Bank. The Orcas spent the day foraging between these two points with numerous direction changes.

On our 9am tour the whales were really spread out, with a lot of vocalizations.

For the afternoon tours we continued watching the whales feeding. To give our passengers a little excitement one whale stopped off the stern of the Orca Spirit and rolled onto its back. Taking a mouthful of water the whale lifted its head above the water and forceful spit it out!

By the evening tours the whales were heading south towards Salmon Bank. They continued foraging in a more grouped up pattern. Our passengers also got to watch a young whale breach repeated as it passed by!

July 19, 2006

Today we were able to catch up with J and K-Pods as they were passing through Boundary Pass. At the beginning of the tour a few breaches were seen in the distance. Everyone onboard got to have a really nice look at Ruffles (J1) as he brought up the trailing end of the pods.

Throughout the day we had amazing sightings of K-Pod as they continued southward along San Juan Island. J-Pod had turned north and were traveling back towards Active Pass. Throughout the day we were listening to the whales echolocate and vocalize as they made their way past our vessels. Quite a bit of feeding was observed as quick, precise movements were made by the whales. One of the whales even rolled over onto its back to give us a peek at its belly!

To add to our trip we were lucky enough to see a sea otter in the middle of Haro Strait. As a recent addition to the south island wildlife population this sea otter seemed as happy as could be as it appeared to be snacking on some mid-afternoon lunch.

July 18, 2006

Today we were watching K and J-Pod as they made their way up Swanson Channel and up towards Active Pass. We were able to watch very active groups of whales and even saw a few whales breaching close into the shoreline. As well, when the hydrophone was placed in the water we were able to dive into the world of the dolphins! Communicating amongst themselves the pods were extremely chatty with one another … music to our ears! We also saw a couple of groups of whales pass by porpoising in groups of 4 and 5 - creating quite a splash!

At the end of our afternoon tour we came through Discovery and Chatham Islands and we were lucky enough to spot many female Harbour seals with their pups. Adorable! As well, we saw a couple of immature Bald Eagles and California sea lions at Race Rocks.

For the evening tour we headed out west in search of L-Pod and Humpback whales. Unfortunately our search found us no whales however we did see Bald Eagles, Harbour and Elephant seals and California sea lions.

July 17, 2006

On this morning’s tours we traveled to see K-Pod as they were heading north towards Active Pass. It was great to watch the peaceful pass as some of the pod was in resting state.

On this afternoon’s tours we took a little longer than usual as the whales were much further away. However, the passengers were extremely pleased to see J-Pod as they passed by! These whales were really active, giving the people plenty of opportunity to get the perfect picture. We all watched with excitement as one whale did about 12 cartwheels! As well, many of the younger whales were very energetic and we were able to see repeated breaches and spy hops. It was well worth the extra time spent traveling to the whales!

July 16, 2006

This morning found us at the south end of Rosario Strait with J and K-Pods. It was a spectacular morning that was made even better with both Mount Baker and Mount Rainier clearly visible for our passengers. The whales were traveling quickly as they made their way west towards San Juan Island. A highlight of the trip was seeing the many mother-calf pairs of both J and K-Pods, as well as a nice visit with Mike, the young J-Pod sprouter.

For the afternoon trip, we traveled to False Bay to meet up with J and K-Pod again. The whales were spread out and foraging as they swam south towards Hein Bank. The whales put on an amazing acoustic show! Again we were treated to some great viewing of the young calves, and we were in awe as we watched the whales porpoising towards Hein Bank, a favourite feeding location. On the return trip to Victoria, we traveled along the northeast coast of Chatham Island to see many Harbour seals hauled out and enjoying the sunny weather. We were fortunate to see a very cute seal pup! In the same area, we found two Bald Eagles, one of which was found feeding on an unidentifiable carcass on a beach nearby. The feast also attracted a couple of turkey vultures.

Our evening trip today was once again spectacular. We encountered J and K-Pods at Hannah Heights on San Juan Island traveling northward up the west coast of the island. It seemed there were whales everywhere tonight, and the viewing was truly exciting. Our passengers were amazed at the sight of the old guy, Ruffles (J1), and at the playful behaviour of an unidentified calf. When the young calf spy hopped, it was unclear as to who was watching who! The whales were foraging tonight, and we were fortunate to see several pursuits, and even a few breaches. It was another exhilarating day aboard the Orca Spirit.

July 14, 2006

Our 9 am trip found us heading east in search of the Southern Resident Orcas. As we were crossing Haro Strait, we unexpectedly found 2 orcas foraging near Beaumont Shoals. Our customers were amazed at the grace and beauty of these large mammals. We spent several minutes with these whales, and then continued our journey east to San Juan Island when we received news that there were whales at Pile Point. We arrived at Pile Point and were able to identify the whales as belonging to L-Pod. We were thrilled to see one of our favorite whales, Mega (L-41)! The whales were spread out and foraging against the shore of the island. On the return trip to Victoria, we encountered whales once again. One of the L-subpods had separated from the rest of the pod and was traveling west off the Victoria waterfront. A small group that included a large male Saanich (L-74), as well as Ino (L-54) with her new calf L-108, allowed our customers an intimate viewing experience. It was another great morning aboard the Orca Spirit!

As we left the dock for our 1 pm trip, we received news that the whales we had finished our morning trip with were right at the mouth of the Victoria Harbour! There were literally killer whales 7 minutes from our dock. We arrived on scene to find a whale foraging in a small bay near the mouth of the harbor and saw a whale pass within 10 feet of the end of the breakwater! Our passengers also had some great viewing of some elusive but rather fascinating Harbour porpoises that were themselves feeding only a few hundred yards from the whales. We traveled with the whales for several minutes and took the opportunity to drop the hydrophone down to eavesdrop on the whales. The whales were very vocal and there was a lot of echolocation. A highlight of the trip was a visit to Race Rocks where we watched several Harbour seals and a California sea lion spending a lazy afternoon hauled out on the rocks, and some male elephant seals sparring in the shallows near the boat ramp. These large pinnipeds were no doubt practicing for the battles that occur at their breeding colonies.

For the evening trip, we headed west in search of the whales that had captivated our afternoon guests and found the L-subpod south of Whirl Bay spread out foraging. It was another spectacular evening for whale watching. Our passengers had some excellent photographic opportunities of L-54 and her new calf L-108, and we got to observe the intimate relationship between mother and calf. We also spent some time with L-100, Ino's 5 year old calf that was never too far away from his mom. There were some tail slaps, but the echolocation through the hydrophone and the surface behaviour of these Southern Residents indicated that their main concern this evening was food! Once again, we were able to delight our passengers with a visit to Race Rocks. This Ecological Reserve is always a favorite of our passengers, and it is always a great way to end a trip.

July 13, 2006

Although the day started off overcast we headed out on the search for killer whales to brighten it up. Since the west shore of San Juan Island is known for its killer whale feeding grounds we headed straight there. On arrival we were delight to met up with K-Pod. With a very active pod we were please with a great start to the day.

By the afternoon trip we began our tour again off the west shore of San Juan Island at Eagle Point. On arrival we quickly realized we were surrounded by whales. All our local southern residence had come together! We stopped the boat and enjoyed the view of K and L Pods coming in from the north while J-pod was coming in from the south. In a matter of minutes we had dozens of whale within our sight. The whales were as happy to see each other as we were to see them. The whales displayed their pleasure with many breaches, spy hops and even a log roll or two. On the return trip our guest did not believe it could get better until we were joined by swimming Harbour Seals just off the shore of the Great Chain Islands while more basked in the sun on the seaweed covered rocks.

With a full day of entertainment, our crew was energized for an amazing evening trip. We met up with a very active J-Pod just north-east of Turn Point. We enjoyed Ruffles (J1), a fully mature 55 year old male, as he swam circles around our boat allowing even the youngest guest to get great look. We then began to head south-west past Turn Point to encounter L and K-Pods. We were pleased to see 4 breaches, 2 of which were calves, and a mating pair of Orcas. Scooter (K25), just 15 years old was out in all his glory as he mated with a young L-Pod female. The suns rays piercing down through the parting clouds enhanced the energy of the beautiful moment, possibly the best tour of the season thus far.

July 12 - 5 pm Tour

For the evening trip, the Orca Spirit traveled east of Discovery Island to find the L-Pod whales we visited with in the afternoon continuing to make their way to San Juan Island. Among the whales we visited with was Skana (L79), a large mature male and a truly spectacular animal. As K-Pod was on the south end of San Juan Island, we looked forward to the possibility of the two pods meeting and we traveled across the strait to await the arrival of L-Pod. We met up with some K-Pod whales near Pile Point, including the 96 year old matriarch of K-pod, Lummi. As the two pods met, we were treated to a spectacular array of killer whale behaviour including breaches, spy hops, tail slaps, as well as a young sprouter male getting a little frisky with some females. It was another amazing trip aboard the Orca Spirit!

July 12, 2006

Today we were able to watch both K and L-Pod!

This morning presented amazing photo opportunities. As we approached K-Pod they were porpoising towards San Juan Island and then quickly got into rest formation after a few slaps of the tail! Resting is when the whales group up together to take a little nap.

This afternoon we headed out west to find L-Pod, who were coming back into these waters after a week away. Our passengers witnessed a whale foraging and watched in amazement as the whale flew through the water with a salmon clenched between its teeth! Moments later two whales spy hopped together simultaneously! As we continued on with the whales we ventured in to Whirl Bay to find a Bald Eagle and two Harbour seal pups splashing around in the rocks. As the whales went by we noticed a mature Harbour seal haul itself onto the rocks as quickly as it could! Better to be safe than sorry! We then made our way over towards Race Rocks and found three Elephant seals lounging about in the shallow waters letting the water currents sway their massive bodies to and fro! We had one last look at the whales on our whale home and many of the passengers finally got the photos they came to take!

July 10, 2006

Today we were with K-Pod all day traveling along the shoreline of San Juan Island. We had some wonderful sightings of the new calf trying to keep up and stay close with its mom! The young calves are easy to identify due to the orange tinge in the white markings on the whales.

This evening the whales were being extremely vocal as they continued their way south down the shoreline. All the passengers were excited to listen to the whales as they passed by! As we made our way home we stopped in at Chain Islands and watch a Harbour seal jumping about and playing in the kelp bed.

July 9, 2006

The morning tour aboard the Orca Spirit found us in southern Rosario Strait at the bottom of Lopez Island visiting with members of K and J-Pod. The whales were spread out offshore. Passengers were treated to some breaches as the whales made their way along the shore as they traveled towards San Juan Island. It was an excellent trip!

The afternoon tour was nothing short of spectacular! We arrived on scene offshore of Lime Kiln State Park on San Juan Island to find the whales in a playful mood. The killer whales put on a tremendous social display that included breaches, spy hops, tail slaps, pectoral slaps, logging, and rolling. We had a great visit with a sprouter male, Mike (J26), who put on a tremendous acrobatic show of breaching that thrilled our passengers and crew. It is a true pleasure to spend time with these magnificent animals.

On our return journey to Victoria we traveled through the Chain Islets to view the Harbour seals, Cormorants and other sea birds. At our last stop near Great Chain Island, we witnessed an attack by a bald eagle on the double-crested cormorant colony. It was another great trip aboard the Orca Spirit!

July 8, 2006

Our energetic Captain Brad (aka Whale Bait) went on a search this morning, first finding two Minke whales at Hein Bank and then J and K-Pods off Albert Head. The orcas were traveling in a tight, synchronized group which allows for amazing photographic opportunities!

For the afternoon and evening we watched K-Pod off San Juan Island. The whales were very active and showed our passengers a lot of breaching and pectoral slaps!

July 7, 2006

K-Pod was in our area all day today!

During our morning tour we joined up with a traveling K-Pod off of San Juan Island. It appeared as though the whales were as eager to see us as we were to see them. As our viewing began the whales went from casual play to highly energetic breaching. We were also able to hear a lot of vocalizations through the hydrophone.

It seems the calm waters have returned and put an end to this past week’s rough seas, which made for excellent viewing this evening.

July 6, 2006

For our afternoon and evening tours we were within the company of K-Pod. After an afternoon of traveling and foraging, K-Pod was eager to entertain. The evening tour ended with one of the youngest members of K-Pod showing us a spy hop. Calves are often the most playful and mischievous of the pod!