The Early Bird.....
How blessed we were on the water today as a plethora of wildlife was observed on a calm and placid sea. It was as though the wind from yesterday was all but a dream; however the gentle rain still lingered.
We set out in ‘dolphin day’ conditions where the sky’s soft, grey tone melted into the same colouration of the sea. Thick mist hung low on the mountains and gently caressed the tree tops and branches. All was quiet and peaceful as we set out on the MV Seasmoke for a morning filled with adventures.
Right out of the gates we encountered Pacific white-sided dolphins. A small pod milled about, just out front of the Alder Bay breakwater. Their white and grey tones fitted perfectly with the colours of the day. We did not stay long as our skipper Hayley heard a report of a group of residents heading into Johnstone Strait. As we approached the area where they had last been sighted we keenly looked for blows.
I4 and I65 were the two pods that were out and about today. They traveled tightly together, taking long deep dives and bearing towards the east. At times it appeared as though they were literally touching as there was very little space between each black and white body as they glided through the water. Their breaths were perfectly timed as they surfaced in a synchronized fashion, their nose pointing towards Robson Bight. Perhaps they were heading in to rub.
After observing these beautiful mammals, we decided to take a narrow passage alongside Hanson Island and by doing so we had an incredible encounter with a black bear. This adult bear stood on a ledge above the shore and it seemed that he/she was observing us with just as much curiosity as we had for it. One thing we noticed, the bear was quite lean and did not look as prepared as bears should at this time of year. So many animals rely on salmon, which is the keystone specie of this region.
Later in the tour we enjoyed foraging Humpbacks, at times two surfaced side by side which our guests captured on camera. Thousands of birds sat in the same vicinity as the whales, but seemed to ignore the ball of fish the whale occasional lunged towards.
By the time our journey had ended only then did the heavy rain begin. How lucky we were to experience the best part of the day, all in this stunning and beautiful paradise.
