The Wonders of our Backyard

There were plenty of surprises during our tours today which kept our skipper on his toes and our guests mesmerized.

A lone Transient (Biggs) Orca was the first impressive encounter of the day, particularly since this individual was such a big boy. His tall dorsal fin sliced through the water as he traveled West, passing Alert Bay which gave the village locals a chance to see the animal that gave the town its catch phrase: ‘Alert Bay – Home of the Killer Whale’.

The birds have started to multiply in numbers particularly the Common Murre and Rhinoceros Auklet. On the mirrored sea they floated patiently, waiting for small schooling fish to show up, a food they have to share with the Humpback Whales.

Ripple and her calf were two of the six Humpbacks that were sighted today and again a breach was witnessed. Stellar Sea lions were actively feeding, and porpoises swam by also on the lookout for a bait ball.

A couple of family groups of resident Orca were in the Robson Bight Ecological Reserve but once they ventured out of the ecological boundary they traveled East giving us a chance to observe their magnificence.

We have been observing the two Bald Eagles chicks (eaglets) since a week or so after they hatched, but now they stand on the edge of the nest looking larger than their parents. They have been constantly fed by two providers and soon will be heading out in the big world to fend for themselves. This fledging could happen any day now.

How lovely it was to spend the day with our guests and share in the wonders of our backyard.