It’s the best time of day—almost noon—and finally time to “saddle up”! As we push off from the dock and begin our usual slow and steady journey toward open water, there's a shared sense of excitement in the air. What wonders will nature reveal to us today? But just a minute or two into the trip, an unusual whale sighting is reported. “In the harbour, you say? Pardon me?” At first, we thought it might be a late April Fool’s joke—but it was anything but! To our amazement, today’s orca sightings couldn’t be any closer to home. They were right in Nanaimo Harbour!

“JUDE! NOAH!”

To our utter disbelief, two orcas had indeed been spotted inside the harbour! And not just any orcas—these two were the infamous brothers, well-known for their mischievous antics.

T0491 Noah ♂ (2001)
T049A2 Jude ♂ (2007)

Jude, for example, known to travel separately from his T049A matriline, was found back in October 2023 trapped in Barnes Lake on Prince of Wales Island in Alaska… for six weeks! Fortunately for him (and for us!), he escaped that risky ordeal and continued his gallant expeditions, which seem to have led him here today. And today, he looks as good as ever—travelling and surfacing slowly, giving us plenty of time to snap some great pictures for the scrapbooks!

With such a fantastic start to the day, we were all hoping the good luck would continue and that we’d spot even more amazing marine life.

With those hopes in mind, we left the harbour and headed into the Strait of Georgia, north of Nanaimo. This beautiful waterway is a picturesque seascape, framed by the peaks of the Sunshine Coast mountain range. They say anywhere the sea meets the summit is a voyager’s delight—and today, I think we all agreed!

In contrast to our morning sighting, we had to travel a few more kilometres this time before finding our next whales—but it was whale worth the wait! We were lucky enough to encounter three incredible humpback whales, including:

Moraine (BCY1465), Iota (BCX1416 calf 2022), and one unidentified individual.

These whales treated us to a fascinating and beautiful behaviour known as pec slapping! This involves the whale raising its pectoral fin, often while swimming on its side or back, and slapping it against the water to create a loud splash. This remarkable non-verbal form of communication is thought to play a role in social interaction, courtship behaviour, and even thermoregulation. Thermoregulation—the ability to maintain body temperature within optimal limits—is essential for survival. Like dogs panting or humans sweating, species across the animal kingdom have developed unique adaptations to manage this, and whales are no exception!

We were also lucky to spot some Steller sea lions—the largest members of the sea lion family. Seeing them up close today made it easy to appreciate their sheer size! Adult males can weigh up to 2,500 pounds, and their deep, growling vocalizations add to the sense of grandeur surrounding these massive pinnipeds.

And the day wasn’t short on avian sightings, either! Three species of cormorants are found in this region: the double-crested, pelagic, and Brandt’s cormorants. By looking closely at their throat coloration and the presence (or absence) of the distinctive white band across their black wings, we determined today’s visitors were Pelagic Cormorants. Watching them swoop in and out of the cliff faces was a true delight for bird lovers.

To top it all off, we even spotted an adult bald eagle—a majestic ending to an unforgettable day close to home!
Please enjoy the photos taken by Marine Naturalists Hayleigh Hilbert and Aly Kohlman.

May 9, 2025 - Right at Our Doorstep!