A Dynamic Performance by our Local Acrobats

As we move slowly towards the end of August a slight feeling of fall is in the air. For the last two evenings we have had rain which has then cleared by dawn. Hopefully this rain will help extinguish the fires. 

We departed in fog and smoke this morning and by mid afternoon our skies were blue and the air was clean. How lucky we are to have a constant ocean breeze which has minimized the effects of the smoke in and around the township of Alert Bay. 

A Breaching Humpback stole the show this morning, followed by an acrobatic display performed by our local Pacific white-sided dolphins. With ease they leaped up and through the air as though their weight was feather-light. 

Our skipper received a report of incoming Orca's and therefore decided to wait at the mouth of Knight Inlet for their arrival. Right on cue a family, traveling side by side came in to view. Their breath as they surfaced intertwined with the heavy mist that dominated the scene and due to the fogs silencing effect, their blows sounded amplified and powerful. 

The resident Orca we viewed were the A23s and A30s and by the afternoon they had made their way into Johnstone Strait. By this time they were hungry and stopped to forage area. We lowered the hydrophone to hear their vocalizations and echolocation underwater. It was an amazing experience, to be surrounded by their sounds giving us a feeling that we were part of their conservation. 

For the second time today we were once again surrounded by Pacific white-sided dolphins. This time there was a group of around 300 they were stretched out as far as the eye could see, splashing, travelling and foraging. We used our hydrophone again to hear the vocalizations from the dolphins. We were awed to hear the many different sounds coming from everywhere underwater and we couldn’t stop wondering what was happening underneath us.

Bald Eagles both juveniles and adults where flying around a group of islands. They passed by nests that have been vacated after a summer of incubating, raising and fledgling. It is wonderful to see so many recently fledged young eagles being successful at their new life. 

It was another successful day with so many species sighted and how delightful it is to share and discover with our visitors from all over the globe.