A Sea Otter, River Otters, Orcas and Humpback Whales in the mix!

Today's Sightings: Northern Resident Orcas, Humpback Whales, one Sea Otter, three River Otters, a White-tailed Deer, Steller Sea Lions, Dall's Porpoises, Harbour Seals, Rhinoceros and Cassin's Auklets, Red-necked Phalaropes, Bald Eagles, Belted Kingfishers, Pigeon Guillemots, Black Turnstones and Gull species.

It was beautiful out on the water today. It all began this morning with the viewing of three River Otters lounging on the dock in Alder Bay in such a relaxed manner! This was followed by the sighting of a Sea Otter that we were all able to watch from a distance; it was feeding on a sea urchin as it lay floating on its back. There were numerous Humpback Whales observed this morning in Blackfish Sound, near Bold Head and in Weynton Passage and we had some incredible viewing of them.

On our afternoon tour we encountered the A30's and A42s at Izumi Rock. They were foraging and we were able to listen to their beautiful A-Clan calls via our hydrophone. They travelled a little further west and then turned back to the east in the direction of the Robson Bight (Michael Bigg) Ecological Reserve. They had travelled from the far east earlier this morning and as it turned out, the orcas spent most of the afternoon in the reserve, they were at the rubbing beaches, ventured a distance to the west inside the Reserve and went back to the rubbing beaches in the early evening.

Humpback Whales stole the show on the evening tour with lunge feeding, tail slapping and breeching activity which made for some fantastic viewing and photographic opportunities!

There is always so much to look at in all directions as the marine-life is incredible and ever-changing from one tour to the next. The photo's tell the story, better than any writing ever can!

Photo Credits: Muriel Halle and Andrew Jennings ~ photo's cropped and taken with a telephoto lens.