Mid July

Resident Killer Whale pods J & L have been spending much of their time near the Fraser River feeding on the abundant Chinook and Sockeye salmon that are near the river mouth. Minke, Grey and Humpback whale sightings have been great also. Loads of juvenile and adult bald eagles that inhabit the local islands have put on some amazing shows including some aggressive aerial battles. The Peregrine falcons are back at Monarch Head and we've watched them harassing bald eagles in the area. Seal pups are everywhere, and witnessing their wrinkly newborn bodies is quiet a sight. Harbour porpoise have shown up in large numbers in Haro and Boundary pass feeding on the bait fish rich waters.

Early July

July has been full of whales so far. We had the Southern Resident Killer whales pods (J, K & L) in our area daily feeding and traveling around the Fraser River and Haro Strait. A couple of Grey whales and some Minke whales have spiced up some trips. Finally some Dall's porpoise in Boundary Pass along with dozens of the Harbour species. Juvenile bald eagles are learning to fly on the tree tops and the mature's are still busy getting food for their young.

June 20

We got a head start on getting off the dock and were heading east just before 9am hoping to watch the resident orca heading back from the River, and there they were, porpoising west into a stiff current...breathtaking. We were the only boat around as 50+ members from J, K and L rounded the Point and headed west through the Pass. We spotted dozens of harbour porpoise and seal feeding in the rips off the Reef. On the way home we viewed the scenic Saturna shoreline which included three mature bald eagles and a herd of wild goat traversing the shoreline.

June 17

Members of all three pods (J, K & L), over 70 resident killer whales were less than 20 minutes from Sidney all day yesterday. L pod came in from the west and we found them in the morning fishing off in southern Haro while J's and some K's were steaming south from the Fraser river to meet and greet their friends whom they haven't seen for a while. We had a young deer swimming off Turn point in some heavy current that we herded back to shore. Lots of bald eagles spotted on both trips in the local islands just off Sidney. Low afternoon tide's have been great to view the inter-tidal zone and dozens of harbour seals including some newborn pups are hauled out to thermo-regulate on the rocks.

June 13

J & K pod came back from two days in northern Georgia Strait through the scenic Boundary Pass this afternoon. Plenty of sunshine, flat seas and active killer whales made for one of those epic trips. We spent most of our experience with an active 15 year old male J30-Riptide and a female J45-Samish and her calf J45-Se-Yi'-Chn. One the way back we stopped at Cooper Reef to visit some basking harbour seals and the beautiful kelp forests near the rocks. Two bald eagles were perched in their usual tree on Brethour Island and we could hear the eaglets from the nest to the east.

 

 

June 9 - 10

The Southern Resident Killer Whale pods are back and into their normal feeding routes centered around the Fraser River. We've had all three pods in the area (J, K & L)...over 85+ killer whales. The weather has finally cooperated with our trips also with flat seas and sunshine providing us great viewing of both Harbour and Dall's porpoise in Haro Strait and Boundary Pass. Dozens of bald eagles have been seen in our local islands including several juveniles and even a fledgling which we witnessed learning to fly near Fairfax point, Moresby Island. We encountered our first seal pup in Salas Rocks yesterday as we await the explosion of seal pups on the local islands and islets.

 

June 7

We departed the dock at 1pm in flat seas, grey skies and light rain. A report of several transient killer whales near Sidney warmed bodies and minds of the passengers and we blasted into Swanson Channel to witness 20+ transient killer whales sauntering south towards Sidney. Members included T87, T88, T90's and T100's. The tagged female T90 was there, with the tag that is no longer transmitting. This is a dart tag which I do not agree with anymore...we now have suction cup tags which seemed to have worked fine in the past.

 

June 1

Great start to the month! Was up early listening to J pod on the hydrophones and departed the dock at 10am. We caught up with them just about to enter the pass. Though the current was right on their noses, they pushed through towards the river at over 7mph. It seemed they could taste the fresh water after exiting the Pass and put on an amazing aerobatic display for our boat...the only one their to witness it.

May 30

We left the dock at 1pm with two different reports of killer whales. We headed for the larger group with less boat traffic and the extra mile was well worth it. Just outside Georgeson Passage were several transient killer whales (T87, T88, T90's, T124's) meandering up the Strait of Georgia in flat calm seas. On the way home Active Pass was bubbling with life as the strong flood currents created upwellings which over 10 bald eagles, gulls and seals were feeding on the unlucky baitfish.

 

May 27

Great day with some L pod members in southern Haro Strait. Ping-ponging off the south end of SJI, they were in their typical foraging for salmon behavior with the odd breach and cartwheel. We encountered some Dall's and harbour porpoise on the way home in the flat seas of the Strait. D'arcy rock had several harbour seals hauled out and two bald eagles were perched near their nest on D'arcy Island.

 

May 24 & May 25

Transient Killer whales have been in the Sidney area for a few months now, playing havoc on the seal, sea lions and porpoise populations. T20, T2, T49, T56 and T100 pod's have been swimming around our Sidney whale watching area. Loads of large pregnant female harbour seals have been hauled onto the rocks during the mid-morning low tides and several Stellar sea lions can be seen feeding in the water or hauled out near the Georgia Strait islets. Pods of 100+ harbour porpoise have been spotted daily feeding along tide lines during the big exchanges. Bald eagles can be seen on nearly every island perched on trees looking for prey for their eaglets and themselves.

 

May 18

We left the dock at 1pm with reports of Killer whales just outside the Islands in the Georgia Strait. We zipped through Active Pass which was full of Gulls and Auklets along with Harbour seals feeding in the heavy tide rip's. We caught up with the Transient Killer whale pod T100's traveling quickly to the north in two groups. On the way back to stopped in the pass to watch five bald eagles perched on the south shoreline and Imrie island for some lingcod fishing.

 

May 1-14

The start of May has been fantastic. Great weather and some amazing experiences with both Transient and Resident Killer whales along with some Grey whales, Stellar seal lions, porpoise and hungry Bald eagles.

 

April 29, 2010

Reports of several Killer whales moving east in Juan De Fuca strait had us very excited for a 1pm departure. We haven't seen resident orca pod's for close to two months! We caught up with J pod in southern Haro strait with a stiff westerly breeze and lumpy seas. Our guests loved the ride and the spectacle of seeing over 20 killer whales added to the excitement. We mainly hung out with two adolescent males J30 and J34 who were trailing another group which included the two babies J46 and J47 traveling with their mothers J28 and J35.

On the way back there were three Stellar sea lions at Kelp reef and several Pacific Harbour seals at Salas Rocks.

April 27, 2010

We departed the dock at 2pm with a group from England and Texas onboard. Several rain squalls past overhead which made from some amazing rainbows and lighting for photography. Big Blue Luxford managed to spot some Transient Killer whales a few miles south of us so we bombed down quickly to avoid the heavy winds off the Victoria waterfront. It was the bull T87 and mother T88 slowly heading SW from the Flats. On the way back we stopped at Kelp Reef where a sleepy Stellar sea lion was hauled out on the beacon.

April 14, 2010

We departed the dock at 1pm in sunshine and super flat seas. Reports of Transient Killer whales on our minds we raced through the waters with scattered bait balls, passing several species of seabirds including Auklets, Cormorants, Guillemot's and Gulls and several Pacific Harbour seals. We arrived on scene in Southern Haro strait where several transient pods including the T30's, T87, T100's were meandering slowly north ....temporarily. Photo below taken by Jeanne Hyde from Peregrine-Maya's Westside Charters on San Juan Island.

After a long dive they must have honed in on a sea lion as the fireworks began and the orca put on an aerobatic display for us for over 90 minutes, and surprisingly leaving the Stellar sea lion alive and well at the end! Looked like a training session for the young.

March 31, 2010

Once again I was lucky enough to turn the hyrdrophone on the computer early today and hear the wonderful chatter of a large group of transient killer whales in Haro Strait. We departed the dock and headed for the Juan De Fuca where Mark Malleson had spotted them slowly moving SW. Several pods were present, we were able to identify T30's, T49's, T18's, T19. We stopped in the Race Rocks Ecological Preserve where some Stellar Sea lions, elephant seals and harbour seals were thermo regulating on the rocks at low tide. Several Double Crested cormorants were also perched on the rocks along with a couple of Oystercatchers. On the way home we stopped at D'arcy Island where a mature and juvenile bald eagle were on the trees and several Harlequin ducks were wading on the shoreline.

 

March 30, 2010

Transient calls at the Lime Kiln hydrophone at 0620 Tuesday, March 30.

 

March 26, 2010

We left the dock at 1pm and headed east into Haro Strait. Had several playful Dall's porpoise engage us and start playfully bowriding and dashing underneath the boat. A mating pair of mature bald eagles and a large Stellar sea lion were hanging out at the Kelp Reef beacon again today. Transient Orca pod T49 (6) and T103 were spotted in the Juan De Fuca Strait moving south-easterly very quickly. The 49's split up with the big male and we could not find him again.

Early March 2010

Early March whale watching from Sidney has been great, if the weather cooperates. Several Transient Orca pods have been spotted and heard through hydrophones over the past couple of weeks. T87 was quite a treat as the big male was meandering through the local island off Sidney and Haro Strait. The Stellar sea lions have showed up in big numbers already anticipating the herring spawn which is close by. Mature and juvenile bald eagles can be spotted on most islands and islets and we had a great encounter off Salas Rocks with a total of 8 eagles scanning the sea surface. Spieden island is full of life including several Bighorn sheep lambs.

 

 

February 3, 2010

Hear calls on the hydrophone in Haro Strait and departed the dock at 9am. A research boat spotted along the shoreline in West Haro just 8 miles from Sidney. Several transient pods (included members from T30, T86, T90, T100, T101, T02, and T124's) of mammal eating killer whales were headed south in a quickly with the strong ebb current along Vancouver Island's shoreline.

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