Wednesday, May 14

What can I say.....I love my job! We spent our morning dividing our attention between transient orcas, bald eagles and harbour seals. At times the passengers and crew didn't know which way to look.

We started out of the harbour with a positive attitude despite the grey cloud filled skies overhead. And right we were, just 35 minutes east of Oak Bay we came across a small group of orcas. I, Sheenah (marine naturalist), was able to identify them as a large male T87, traveling with females T88 & T90 and T90's calf. After about 20 minutes of traveling north bound along a tide line, the transient changed direction. We noticed quickly that this was to join up with another group of transient orcas, the T124's (another 4 individuals, ID by another vessel in the area).

Now the group of 8 individuals were heading strait for Victoria's water front. We were able to enjoy the whales, all the while, checking the shore line of Chatham and Chain Island. We were fortunate enough to see 4 bald eagles, one of which was still immature without the distinctive white head and 3 different areas where harbour seals were hauled out on the rocks. And don't forget, the orcas were with us the entire time. We said good-bye to the orcas as we passed the 100 year old Trail Island light house and finished with a little tour of Victoria's outer harbour.