What a way to spend the day ~ in the presence of Northern Resident Orcas!

The morning started out with some great looking clouds that gave contrast and depth as we looked in the direction of Johnstone Strait, we even had some patches of blue sky.

It was very exciting news to receive a report of Orca coming into the area and they were NORTHERN RESIDENTS identified as the C10's, A34's and A46!  We were all very excited! The orcas were spread out and made their way east down Johnstone Strait and entered into the Robson Bight (Michael Biggs) Ecological Reserve, some were at the rubbing beaches while others continued moving east. There were  Pacific White-Sided Dolphins amongst them that added to the excitement of our viewing.

In the whirling current near Blackney Passage we encountered a humpback whale feeding. We were there for a few minutes and next thing we saw another blow in the distance! It was extraordinary to see the beautiful 'heart' shaped blow from the breath of this other humpback whale. The lighting was superb and conditions allowed for the blow to linger, suspended in mid air seemingly longer than normal. Of special interest to our guests, a well camouflaged stellar sea lion was seen, its nose suddenly appearing in amongst a flock of Rhinoceros Auklets!

We ended our tour listening to the shrill calls of  bald eagles, it was an appropriate ending to our tour which was a jubilant one after our exciting encounter with Northern Resident Orcas!

Sightings today include: Northern Resident Orca's, Humpback Whales, Dall's Porpoises, Marbled Murrelets, Rhinoceros Auklets, Red-Necked Phalaropes, Stellar Sea Lion and Bald Eagles.