Finding Orca's in the Fog

A damp, thick fog engulfed us this morning as we island hopped trying to keep land in our sights. Throughout our tour, instead of the fog burning off it became thicker and thicker. We literally had to search for whales using our hearing alone. 

We traveled to the areas where whales had been sighted on previous tours, typical feeding locations for our Humpbacks. Working together with another local whale watching vessel we were able to observe three individuals who were diving deep and for long periods of time. We moved to another area and the silence was deafening as we listened intently for blows. 

Reports of Orca had them half way to Campbell River, too far for the local vessels. We journeyed on slowly keeping our eyes on the grey and limited horizon. While crossing Blackfish Sound we suddenly saw a pod of Orca surfacing. Their tall, black dorsal fins and white eye patch was a quick give away. They traveled steadily east and taking long deep dives which made us believe they were Transient (Biggs) Killer whales. The black and white colours were emphasized by the grey misty surroundings. 

As the afternoon tour departed, the fog had dissipated and the sun came out. By this time a resident pod of Orcas had been seen traveling west right towards us. It felt as though they were right on cue. This family group consisted of about five individuals with one large male and a distinctive nick out of one of the smaller fins. These natural scars help us figure out which family we may have. 

Dall's porpoise were out in large numbers and it was grand to watch a Stellar Sea lion tenderize a salmon and tearing skin from the meat. By late afternoon hundreds of birds were sitting on the water, as though resting from a full day of foraging. 

It is a wonder to see all the wildlife sharing in the nutrient rich water within this Northern Inside Passage of Vancouver Island.