Rip tide and whales!

 

August 23rd

Our sightings: Orca, Humpback whales, Dall's porpoise, Harbour seal, Bald Eagles, Common Murres, Rhinoceros and Cassins Auklets, Kingfishers, Black Oystercatchers, Black Turnstones and Gull species.

Our passengers eagerly boarded MV Seasmoke from the picturesque village of Alert Bay. They smiled with excitement, curious as to what they were going to experience on this three hour tour. After a thirty minute transit on flat calm seas, Orcas were sighted. The pod was identified as the loyal A30's. Like yesterday, the tide was racing through the narrow channel of Blackney Passage, and with it, unseen and below the surface, was salmon which the Orcas were on the hunt for. Once meal time was over the Orcas charmingly came together and began their journey to the East.

Our skipper navigated through a tight channel where with outstretched arms you could just about feel the shore on either side of the boat. The limbs of cedar trees generously hung low over the water and just above like coastal keepers, perched Bald Eagles. Nearby large, now vacant nests sat precariously on branches and the sounds of foraging Kingfishers resonated from the forest.

We continued north into more open water and watched at least six foraging Humpback whales. The water gracefully rushed like a waterfall from the tops of their flukes as they descended on a deep dive. Closer to home now, our tour nearly over, we came across three Humpbacks travelling together side by side. It was as though they were one unit as they surfaced, released their breath and sunk below the sea all in the same fluid motion.

It was a fabulous afternoon spent with curious and interested people from all over the world, wanting to experience the treasures of this precious archipelago.

Seasmoke Whale Watching photo's have been taken with a telephoto lens and have been cropped.