We left a rainy Friday Harbor today with a crew of guests that were ready to take on the elements! Only the possibility of seeing Orcas could keep everyone's spirits high and as everyone put on their "lemon" suits (rain slickers), we were ready to sit out in the rain to watch these amazing mammals!
It was long haul to get to the whales today; we had about a 1.5 hour drive to get there! The Transient Killer Whales we were hoping to find were off of our chart and in Fulford Harbor on Saltspring Island, British Columbia. Welcome to Canada folks...
When we arrived on seen with the Transient Orcas, they appeared to be in a tight formation circling, possibly feeding on a small mammal such as a Harbor Seal or Harbor Porpoise. The whales fed and continued on their way, popping up here and there in their typical sporadic pattern. I've had the pleasure of watching this group of Transients, T-65 for the past couple weeks now, and it is always very interesting to see what they'll do next! They never cease to surprise me hunting, vocalizing after a kill, swimming in a tight "resting" formation, or traveling at speeds of 10 knots. Despite the rain, it was an amazing day on the water as usual.
Heather, Naturalist, M/V Sea Lion
San Juan Safaris