A beautiful viewing of resting Orcas and also of magnificent Humpback Whales!

Today's Sightings: Northern Resident Orcas, Humpback Whales, Dall's Porpoises, a Harbour Porpoise, Steller Sea Lions, Harbour Seals, Rhinoceros and Cassin's Auklets, Red-necked Phalaropes, a Great Blue Heron, Belted Kingfishers, Bald Eagles, Common Murres and Gull species.

It was a beautiful day with fog clearing this morning and a glorious sun shinning afternoon! It was also a treat to find the A42s early in our tour, they were in a beautiful resting line in Blackfish Sound and were very slowly making their way west against a flooding current which enabled them to move very slowly while they rested! We enjoyed some wonderful Humpback Whale activity of four whales including Guardian who delighted everyone fortunate to observe her white fluke when she dived as it so easily identifies this whale. Seeing a juvenile Bald Eagle flying near to its nest was also a highlight this morning and it was really good to see that it was safe and sitting high up in a tree!

On the afternoon tour the A42s were in the Robson Bight (Michael Bigg) Ecological Reserve and this is where they stayed. We watched as they ventured to the edge of the eastern boundary at one point and then turned back to the west and went back onto the rubbing beaches!

It is always important to remember that the Reserve is for the Orcas and not for boats and people and we adhere to the boundary of the reserve and will never enter into it. The Reserve extends 1 km offshore from markers at either end of the Reserve and while it is not easy to observe the orcas from a distance of 1000 metres, it is important to understand why such guidelines have been established for the orcas and not for people! Access by boat or land is prohibited. The Robson Bight Warden Program is operated by Cetus Research and Conservation Society. This program educates visitors to the area about the Ecological Reserve and asks visitors to remain outside the Ecological Reserve boundaries.

After leaving the area of the Robson Bight Reserve our viewing of Humpback Whales this afternoon did not disappoint anyone. There were five of them including Stripe and Squiggly and what a grand viewing we all enjoyed of them!

Photo Credits: Muriel Halle. All photos are taken with telephoto lens and have been cropped.