Fabulous Feasting
Fabulous feasting was the theme of today as all the animals, both big and small took part in feeding frenzies of numerous kinds.
Bait balls enticed both bird and whale as juvenile herring gathered in large swarms and in this solid mass, moved in unison trying to escape the small beaks and large gaping mouths of the Humpback whale. The 30 ton giants fed by lunging so we had the opportunity to observe the elongated head where tubercles are spread, each with a single hair growing from beneath. These are the lumps situated on a Humpbacks head and pectoral fins.
In the afternoon a Stellar sea lion became the victim of a hunt, executed by a group of Biggs Killer whales. When hunting marine mammals such as seals, dolphins, sea lions and porpoise, Biggs have to travel in a stealth like manner to avoid alerting their prey. However during and after a hunt these whales put on a display that is mesmerizing. Full breaches, tail slaps and other acrobatic maneuvers were witnessed as they toyed with the vulnerable sea lion. Nature at its wildest and we were there to witness.
The windless day created smooth silky seas for us to travel on and the calmness out on the water seemed to spread over to land and through the Village of Alert Bay. It felt like a weekend day as the hustle and bustle of the week days slipped into this quiet day of rest.
