Haleigh | M/V Sea Lion | May 29, 2022 | 12:30 pm
The island has been filling up with visitors as Memorial Day rings in the start of the summer season! Our classic whale watch was no disappointment for those coming to view some of the stand-out species found in our waters.
Early reports had us off the dock headed straight towards the outer islands (Patos, Sucia, Matia, Clark and Barne). With gusts of winds up to 12 knots, our vessel trudged through wavy waters spraying the port side with salty water. By the time we made it up to Patos, we caught sight of the dorsal fin of one of the large Bigg’s Killer Whales! All around him more and more fins popped up, totalling to 8 whales. The two families identified were the T123’s and the T75B’s. The matriarchs of these two families, Sidney (T123) and Pebbles (T75B) seemed to be leading the charge as these whales porpoised quickly northbound to the reef just North of Patos. After a long dive, the whales changed directions, now cutting west towards Saturna. They were highly active as they fought the strong-looking current traveling south. One thing stayed certain, these whales were going to travel in a tight pack and we watched as they trended North further into the Strait of Georgia.
Just south of where we left the Bigg’s Killer Whales was a Humpback Whale. As we scanned the area, we realized there were actually three Humpback Whales! The first was an unidentified solo whale regularly surfacing and feeding. The second group was Big Mama and her calf, a fan favorite! We admired the way Big Mama traveled close by her kin while the baby used all their might to lift their body up above the surface, eventually showing us their fluke!
It warms my heart to see not one, not two, but three healthy families! Moms are so important in passing on information and teaching their children about living in this ecosystem. And today we witnessed three extremely successful mothers with their offspring, giving us the opportunity to educate guests and connect with these sentient, loving creatures.