Rich and Powerful, Majestic and Beautiful

Blue sky and a bright sun welcomed us this morning and the sea was calm. We set out to travel down Johnstone Strait having just heard a report of Orca.  A large group of Orca were on their way through Blackney Passage with their noses aimed for the west. A number of mature males were in this group, their dorsal fins in perfect condition as they sliced through the water. It was like a choreographed water dance the way the whales synchronized their breath and how gracefully they surfaced.

An outstanding performance also came from a massive pod of Pacific White-sided dolphins.  They literally leaped, lunged, breached and porposied all at the same time creating a huge mass of ocean waves in the area they performed. Humpback blows could be seen amongst the smaller more subtle blows from the dolphins  Gulls and Humpbacks dined together as they foraged on the same bait ball of juvenile Herring which we could see popping up to the surface like bubbles from boiling water.  It was truly magnificent. 

The scenery took our breath away because every peak was visable against the backdrop of blue sky. The narrow passage ways we meandered through were littered by seals below and eagles above. 

We felt lucky to be on the water today sharing in the wonders of this region. On both tours we had fantastic encounters with our local 'animal' residents and for the entire day we were surrounded by breathtaking scenery.