Monday, July 16

This morning, we headed into the waters of the Strait of Juan De Fuca in search of our humpback whales and orcas. We received word of a humpback whale off Sheringham Point and headed west to view the large cetacean. We found the humpback heading west, and watched as it fluked several times showing us its distinctive markings. The tail flukes of humpback whales are unique to each individual animal, and it was apparent that this whale was different from the other whales we have seen over the past few weeks. On the way back towards Victoria, we stopped at Race Rocks Ecological Reserve where we saw several harbour seals and a few elephant seals. A couple of harbour seals were found near the boat ramp, including one massive male on the ramp itself. Seeing these large pinnipeds is always a pleasure, and it was a great way to end another wonderful trip.

This afternoon we headed to Hannah Heights on San Juan Island, where we found a group of J-pod whales foraging in the salmon-rich waters. It was a wonderful trip as we got to spend time with 2 of our favourite whales, Mike (J26) and Blackberry (J27), among others. These adolescent whales are always a joy to watch as we never really know what to expect from these rambunctious teenagers. A highlight of the trip was an absolutely fantastic spyhop!

For the evening trip, we again travelled to San Juan Island to find J-pod. Along the way, we noticed many Dall's porpoises foraging near Beaumont Shoals. We caught up with J-pod offshore of Lime Kiln Lighthouse, and journeyed with J-pod as they made their way south. The whales were travelling in several different groups, and we were able to spend time with many different whales. A favourite moment was a magnificent pass from a large group of whales that included Polaris (J28) and Speiden (J8). We could hear the distinctive blow of Speiden long before we could identify this incredible whale visually. Near the end of the trip, we made our way towards Kelp Reef, where we found a few whales foraging, including Mike (J26). Hunting killer whales, both residents and transients, are amazing to watch. We saw a spectacular chase astern of our boat, which was exciting for both guests and crew. Our time with the whales concluded with a nice visit with J1 (Ruffles), a wonderful end to another day of whale watching in beautiful Haro Strait.