A humpback whale and some 17 Biggs (Transient) orcas ~ A fantastic sighting!

It was a moody day on the water as the air was still, lingering fog clung to the ocean surface and wispy clouds drifted amongst the trees. Rain threatened for most of the morning and finally down-poured towards the end of the tour. The rain did not bother our hardy guests because we were too distracted by our wildlife extravaganza! Only minutes out of Alder Bay we saw a 3 meter whale blow lift high and upwards to the sky. A humpback whale was cruising at quite a speed westbound towards Cormorant Island. We stayed with it for some time as it was heading in the direction we wanted to go. A number of times it dove deep so we could see the unique markings on the underside of the fluke.

Shortly after, we received a call over the radio announcing a group of 17 or so Orca travelling mid strait towards the west. At first the whale watching community thought they were a resident pod but after photo's were taken and a closer look was had, they were identified as Bigg's (Transient) Orca's.

They travelled at a great speed, staying close together in a tight group, all surfacing to take a breath at the same time. A new calf was visible as it porpoised out of the water, while doing its best to keep up with the adults. It was a grand sight to see, these magnificent creatures rising to the surface to take a breath, their black and white colouration stunning looking against a grey back drop.

Once back alongside the dock, our guests disembarked the boat, wearing grins as wide as the pacific. What a fabulous morning on the water for all of us!