Maxx K. | M/V Sea Lion | 04/14/2022 | 12:30pm
The last few days have been insane. I love the Salish Sea for its spontaneity. Some days I’m out here on the water I feel like David Attenborough should be by my side, narrating the scene unfolding in front of me. Today was one of these days.
When we started the tour we had no clear heading. Captain Brian and I figured we should start our search around Spieden and Stuart Islands. There tend to be several haul out sites for Harbor Seals and Sea Lions between those islands and we figured, if we were looking for Killer Whales, we may as well start where the food is.
It wasn’t long before our journey was interrupted by a call over the radio. A group of Killer Whales had been picked up northward, up and over the northern side of North Pender Island and along the coast of Mayne Island. It took us a good bit of time to arrive there but we made it and, holy moly, it was wild.
The first thing I noticed was the hind end of a bull steller sea lion awkwardly positioned sticking out of the water. Within seconds it became clear why. WOOSH.
T065B1 (“Birdsall”) launched himself out of the water, ramming the side of the 2000lb sea lion. His mother, T065B (“Chunk”), followed soon after from the other side. Young T065B2 (“Nettle”), having only been born in 2019, emerged along the periphery frequently. The Sea Lion positioned itself face down to allow itself to see where its attackers were coming from, striking at their faces as they flanked from either side. Eventually the exhausted sea lion would have to raise his face to the surface to take a breath of air. Just a moment of distraction was all the Orcas needed as they took each opportunity to flank again, narrowly avoiding the striking canines of the massive bull steller.
We watched this insane predation event for 45 minutes before the fatigued and debilitated steller took its final breath before then disappearing beneath the water’s surface. Before too long the birds moved in. The attack was over.
Almost instantaneously T065B1 launched himself out of the water with a full breach. Then another. Then another. His mother and sister gathered around him, blowing bubbles just below the surface. Were we witnessing a celebration?!
It’s hard to assume what these whales were thinking but it sure did look like a “Hurrah” to me.
There was not a single moment during this experience that did not blow me away. Watching this family work so hard, with such intense coordination and dedication was out of this world. I’ll never forget today, I’m still processing it all. It was WILD.