An incredibly exciting day beginning with our crossing over to Alder Bay this morning when our passengers onboard smelt the breathe of a minke whale which we did not sight until we were nearing the dock in Alder Bay, it was foraging close along the shoreline of Cormorant Island and watching its movement it continued on out through Pearse Passage. Meanwhile on departing from Alder Bay we sighted the blow of a humpback whale and following along slowly behind, we observed as it also made its way into Pearse Passage realizing as we watched that there were two whales and not one, a mother and her calf! It was wonderful watching the pair as they made their way slowly along and into Cormorant Channel, the calf travelling close beside its mother, meanwhile the minke whale was sighted travelling west along the Cormorant Island shoreline nearing Sandyville. As we scanned the area we could see several more humpback whale blows and were soon up to a count of eight and counting! It was amazing to find so many whales in the confined area of Cormorant Channel and as the day progressed, we encountered three more, plus other humpback whales could be sighted off into the far distance of Bold Head. Throughout the tour we were never out of sight of a whale as just when we thought we were, another one or two would appear. We encountered whales lunge feeding, a stellar sea lion and humpback whale interacting together, at one point one of the whales breached, it was phenomenal viewing. Increasing numbers of common murres and large flocks of phalaropes were observed in the area, as well, there were numerous ‘ribbons’ of migrating birds sighted flying high in the sky on their way south. Nearing Alder Bay a minke whale was again sighted and when crossing back over to Alert Bay, the strong smelling breathe of a minke whale was again in the air. Of added interest, transient orcas, T11 and T11A were sighted passing by Alert Bay/Alder Bay at 3:30 p.m. this afternoon. Other sightings today included: stellar sea lions, harbour seals, rhinoceros auklets, common murre++, red-necked phalaropes++, california, mew and glaucous-winged gulls, bald eagles, fork-tailed storm-petrals and pigeon guillemots.