Superpod! That was what we found when we arrived on scene with orcas off Beechey Head this morning. The fog lifted providing a truly memorable experience for both passengers and crew. With our hydrophone providing an outstanding experience as we eavesdropped on the amazing vocalizations of several whales, we were treated to cartwheels, breaches, spyhops, tailslaps, and a fabulous array of other whale behaviours. Today was one of the few times that I (naturalist Corey) have ever witnessed what we call baby pusihing. In this astounding behaviour, the mother carries her calf on her rostrum. It is astounding to witness this, one can see just how tight the bond is between mother and calf. We took a brief break from the whales mid-trip to journey to Race Rocks, showing our guests harbour seals, elephant seals, and both Steller and California sea lions. To cap off our trip, we had a spectacular pass from Raggedy. It was a trip that ranked up with my all-time best!
On the afternoon trip aboard the Orca Spirit, we were able to start our trip with a tour of the Race Rocks Ecological Reserve. Our guests were entertained by the antics of some
As we arrived on scene for the evening trip, the pods had started to separate. J-pod was already north of Kellet Bluff, so we decided to head towards False Bay where we found a large group of L-pod whales, including L73 (Flash) and L74 (Saanich) two very large males. We watched as they made their way north at high speed and some even began porpoising. Just as we were ready to leave the scene, we were surprised by an amazing pass from Saanich! It was an exhilarating experience for both guests and crew. On our return trip to
