It Was a Whale of a Party!

Our friendly neighbourhood I4 and I65 Northern Resident Orca were out in full force this afternoon, milling around Blackfish Sound, near Donegal Head off Malcolm Island. Guests told us that they saw these beautiful ‘black and whites’ spy hopping and said they were very active. Particularly a joy to watch were the calves that would jump right out of the water; it seemed, showing off what they could do.

The sun was out and the water, calm and blue. In the same area, Seasmoke passengers sighted two huge Humpbacks, one that actually swam very close to the Orca. Again in Blackfish Sound, the swift swimming Dall’s porpoise were seen flitting through the sea and waterfowl were virtually everywhere - the Red Necked Phalarope, Rhinoceros Auklet, Marbled Murrelet and Common Murre.

In the pretty Plumper Islands, near Blackfish Sound, Stellar sea lions, distinguished by their golden brown colouring were feeding and in the Stephanson group, gray spotted Harbour seals were both swimming and lounging, and unconcernedly watching the boat as it went by. The juvenile eagle we have come to know was gingerly moving around on the branches of the tree that harbours its nest.

Our evening whale watchers left the dock with a northeast breeze blowing on sun dappled waters. Dinner was served by our skipper Jon, then passengers cruised leisurely through the Pearse group of islands, enjoying dinner provided by Alert Bay’s Pass’yn Thyme restaurant.

The young people on the boat were especially delighted when Dall’s ‘porpoise, all over Weynton Passage, played in the wake of the boat. The ‘I’ pod of Orca (I4 and I55) were seen again this evening entering the border of Robson Bight, and another ‘I' group was coming back at Blinkhorn Light.

A huge bait ball, the largest our skipper has ever seen was by Weynton Island and out into Johnstone Strait, and it looks as if hundreds of birds were hovering over it, feasting on tiny fish. Our passengers and skipper enjoyed the gorgeous evening and came back on calm seas to a fantastic sunset.