Orcas, Humpback Whales and two Minke Whales ~ an amazing day!

It was another beautiful sunny day on the water and there was much cetacean activity in our local waters to enjoy. Two minke whales were seen en route to Donegal Head this morning prior to our meeting up with the I15's who were travelling in quickly with the flooding current along the north shoreline of Malcolm Island, two humpback whales were also seen in Blackfish Sound. The orcas (I15's) took the Weynton Passage route into Johnstone Strait and we waited, observing them as they entered the Strait and then travelled back towards Alder Bay while viewing the A23's, A25's and A36's who had travelled west in Johnstone Strait!  On our afternoon tour passengers enjoyed viewing some of the I15's along with the A25's and A23's, all of them were seen making their way east in Johnstone Strait. It was a busy day for the orcas who were spending a lot of their time and energy travelling++ up and down the Strait in the midst of a commercial fishery. Also seen today: harlequin ducks, cassins and rhinoceros auklets, storm petrels, common murres, dall's porpoises, stellar sea lions, harbour seals, gull species, bald eagles++ and two eaglets on branches above the nest, moving about while a parent was also observed bringing a fish and landing with it in the nest. Today's penned comments: " Far exceeded our expectations and hopes! What an exciting trip, could recommend it to anybody. Thanks!" ~ M. van der Kam, Netherlands

"Thanks for a lovely afternoon. We enjoyed seeing the whales and other wildlife." ~ Nicole and Rob. Victoria, BC

"Had a great afternoon and saw a whole bunch of orcas. Mama and baby orca! Amazing scenery, a beautiful place. Thanks for tea/coffee and snacks. We especially liked to go out on a sailboat compared to the typical 'zodiac' whale watching boats. Would recommend it to everybody" ~ Anna-Maria & Bernadette, Germany