Creatures great and small
Today aboard the MV Seasmoke, dreams were coming true for our passengers as they viewed the vast variety of wildlife that the Pacific Northwest has to offer. From harbour seals, to bald eagles, to humpback and the elusive orca, we were continually astounded by today’s sightings.
On the rocky outcroppings of the Stephenson Islands the sun sparkled on wet seals as they lay in the warmth. Bald eagles sat in trees and soared through the air. The ocean shimmered beneath us.
Along the way, we spotted the distinctive blow of the humpback whale. We watched as they surfaced, fluked, and then dove out of sight. Later, we even observed one slapping its giant pectoral flipper.
Today we also saw (and heard!) several resident orcas. This species of orca appears annually to feed on the salmon that make their way through our waters to their spawning grounds. We saw several orca mulling around Bold Head in the morning and Stubbs Island this afternoon. We watched them as they started travelling, in a beautiful tight formation, diving all at the same time, as though choreographed. The hauntingly beautiful vocalizations that we were privileged to hear will continue to echo in our minds.
Aside from humans, orcas are actually the most widely distributed mammal on earth. Despite this fact, over most of the globe, they are few and far between except for some areas of concentration. We are thankful that one of those areas happens to be our coastal waters here in British Columbia!
We couldn’t keep the smiles off our faces as we headed back to shore. What a memorable day!
