It was a beautiful day for viewing orcas in Johnstone Strait. This morning we encountered them close to the Sophia Islands, the pod that we observed and enjoyed the most were the A34’s while the other groups, the A11’s with A73 and the A8’s were spread across Johnstone Strait and on the Vancouver Island Shore. It was a special treat to see A34 with her new calf, she was in the lead of her family, A55 was foraging alone well out from the shoreline yet parallel to his mother A34 and new sibling, while his sisters and their offspring followed behind and very near to the Cracroft Island shore. It was at Blakney Passage that we deployed the hydrophone and passengers listened to the beautiful A Clan calls. The orcas continued to the west on either side of Johnstone Strait and the viewing was superb. Nearing the top end of Hanson Island at the entrance to Weynton Passage a Humpback Whale, locally known as “Freckles” was sighted feeding intently in Weynton Passage. On the afternoon tour the orcas had turned back to the east in Johnstone Strait and were moving steadily along in their family groups, they were well spread out across the Strait. As they traveled past Cracroft Point we entered Blackney Passage to watch as A12 with the A36 brothers, A37 & A46 also entered Blakney Passage from Blackfish Sound making their way back into Johnstone Strait. They had spent most of the morning in the Queen Charlotte Strait. Other species also seen today: Stellar Sea Lions, Harbour Seals, Dall’s Porpoises, Rhinoceros Auklets++, Common Murres, Black Oyster Catchers, Black Turnstones, and Bald Eagles.