The sea was calm this morning and the sunlight shining in Johnstone Strait and through Weynton Passage was breathtaking. Two small groups of orcas had been reported traveling east from Lizard Point and as we made our way in their direction it was in Weynton Passage that the blow of a humpback whale was sighted near to Stubbs Island and suddenly one was sighted nearby diving close to the boat. On viewing the fluke, we were able to identify it as KC, a humpback whale that is seen frequently in the area. Passing Donegal Head we encountered the first group of orcas and close behind them a second group was seen. Observing the long dive sequence and the small pointed fins we began to think that they might be transient orcas and this is who they turned out to be: the T34’s (two orcas) and the T37’s (eight orcas), two groups who are often seen traveling together. In Weynton Passage they seemed to stop briefly, a few looked to be resting and when they surfaced next,we observed that they had split into three small groups and were spread across the passage. On entering Johnstone Strait one of the groups made their way across to the Vancouver Island shore heading east, the other two groups favoured the Hanson Island side of the strait and continued to the east as well. As we headed for home, passengers were delighted to have a small group of Dall’s Porpoises riding briefly at the bow of the boat. Other sightings included: stellar sea lions, harbour seals, rhinoceros auklets, herring, glaucous-winged and california gulls, common murres and their young, red-necked phalaropes, black turnstones, belted kingfishers, pelagic cormorants and bald eagles.