Todays tour has to be one of the best of the season for viewing Humpback Whales! When we headed out this morning the orcas who had headed to the east very early in the morning on September 3 had still not returned and so we headed towards Bold Head where several Humpback Whales had been sighted. It turned out to be exceptional viewing of four Humpback Whales (including those locally called ‘Slash’ and ‘Freckles’) off Bold Head and two others who were sighted further west in Queen Charlotte Strait. With strong SE winds blowing it was perfect for sailing using our stay sail and made for a very comfortable cruise. Not long after arriving off Bold Head everyone was delighted to see some breaching activity with a total of 5 breaches close by, some breaches were also seen off into the distance. It was absolutely fantastic to see the full form of an adult Humpback Whale emerging spontaneously from the water, being airborne and suspended momentarily, twisting and then diving back down with a huge displacement of water and disappearing from sight all within seconds. It made for some very exciting and riveting viewing amid squeals of joy and wonder from those onboard. We toured home via scenic waterways enjoying gentler waters where kelp forests sparkled, Kingfishers trilled and the sunlight lingered. While on our way home this afternoon “the Cliff” reported sighting orcas mid Strait off the Boat Bay camp, heading west. Other species seen today were: Bald Eagles, Red-necked Phalaropes, Rhinoceros Auklets, Common Murres, Belted Kingfishers, Harlequin Ducks, California, Glaucous-winged & Herring Gulls.