Olivia | M/V Sea Lion | March 16th, 2022 | 12:30pm
If I would have known leaving the dock today what I know now, there is no way I would believe it. We headed out just like any other spring day; a cold breeze guiding us towards the flirting sun in search of any Salish Sea wildlife. On M/V Sea Lion, we often start our trips with a tutorial on how to spot wildlife with each season and tips on what to look for. I prefaced with the fact that these shoulder seasons are often the most exciting as every day can turn into a big surprise as the wildlife that overwinter here are still lingering around, and the summer species are starting to work their way back- leading to a broad biodiversity of the migratory animals. Oh man, was that true today!
We headed north towards some well known seal and sea lion haul out spots when we received a report of a Humpback Whale rumor near Sydney Island. Since we were already in the vicinity, we crossed the Haro Strait, and on the southern tip of Sydney, just around the corner, we found a GRAY Whale! Still a baleen, so they were close, right? This filter feeding whale was busy scooping benthic creatures from the seafloor and surfacing at our stern. At one point, it lifted its entire rostrum (head) out of the water! Being my personal first Gray Whale sighting of the season, it was hard not to openly gush.
Leaving scene and heading North, we unexpectedly spotted an actual Humpback Whale about 10 minutes away! We don’t commonly see these larger baleen whales for another month or so, but we spotted it right as it lifted that large tail fluke out of the water prepping for a long dive. Had we left that Gray Whale a minute later, we may never have known that whale was there at all. It was difficult for everyone to contain their excitement on not only seeing TWO whales now but also being the first to spot them. As we waited for it to surface, we finally spotted it a bit further away not by it’s spout, surprisingly, as it was quite faint, but by its small, pronounced dorsal fin. Of course, we wanted to linger in order to catch another view of that signature fluke, however, word spread of some Bigg’s Killer Whales not far from us a bit deeper into Canada. Off we went!
As we approached Moresby Island, we caught sight of the black dorsal fins of the T060’s [minus T060D and T060E] traveling with T002B. Both matriarchal females were born around 1979/1980 and had a band of kiddos in their wake. T060, Panthera, not only had her 21-year-old son by her side, but also her 10-year-old daughter and spunky three-year-old calf. After watching this family in complete awe, we ended our whale sightings deep in conversation about their intelligence and family connections while the engines were shut off. I personally value moments of genuine curiosity from passengers and conscious moments in silence listening and observing as they continue with their day completely at ease.
Making the long ride back to Friday Harbor, we spotted one Dall’s Porpoise, hauled out Steller’s Sea Lions, more Harbor Seals, Harbor Porpoise, and lots of birds! It was even fun to look at our Killer Whale ID catalog to compare all the differences in their dorsal fins. While we see whales year-round here in the Salish Sea, it is most abundant with sightings during the summer feeding months. During that season when many migratory whales are here putting on weight to make their travels back to the feeding grounds, it is still uncommon to see 3 different species in one trip together. Today, we were lucky enough to have a trifecta in MARCH! I think it’s safe to say we all needed this to reboot our winter blues and remind ourselves of how connected we are to the world and the animals that call its waters home.