May 17, 2025, 3:30 PM - The party is still bumping in the Salish Sea!

We left the dock under cloudy skies with a few raindrops falling as we headed out into the Strait of Georgia to see if the morning’s T-party was still going strong. As we rounded Gabriola Island, we spotted splashing in the distance. Sure enough, we had reacquired the orca! They were still very active, treating us to an incredible display of breaching, tail slapping, pec slapping, and even a back dive! The orca at the T-party included:

T086A Eider ♀ (1988)
T086A4 Akia ♀ (2016)
T086A5 Siku (2024)

T071B Hood ♀ (2000)
T071B1 Zengo ♀ (2013)
T071B2 Tasli/Nemo ♂ (2018

T086A1 Nahanni ♀ (~2001)
T086A1B Denali (2023)

T100 Hutchins ♀ (~1979)
T100C Laurel ♂ (2002)
T100F Estrella (2004)

T100B Freya ♀ (1997)
T100B1 Seidr (2010)
T100B3 Selkie ♀ (2024)

T124A2 Elkugu ♀ (2001)
T124A2A Agafia ♂ (2013)
T124A2B Litton ♀ (2016)

T124D Field ♀ (1996)
T124D1 Salish II (2014)
T124D3 ♀ (2022)
T124D4 (2024)

What is a T-party? A T-party is what we call it when multiple transient orca pods come together, and yes, it’s as exciting as it sounds! But why do they do this?

Transient orca pods are much smaller than resident pods. This difference comes down to their diets and hunting strategies. Resident orca feed exclusively on fish, especially the rich, fatty Chinook salmon. They use echolocation to locate their prey, and because fish don’t react to the noise, residents can be as vocal as they like. That’s why resident pods are often large; L Pod, for example, has around 33–35 members. Transients, on the other hand, are silent hunters. Often called the “wolves of the sea,” they hunt marine mammals like harbour seals, porpoises, dolphins, sea lions, and even minke whales. To successfully sneak up on such alert prey, they must remain quiet and travel in smaller groups, typically 2 to 8 individuals. Some even travel solo. Smaller groups make it easier to ambush unsuspecting prey, such as a dozing seal.

The term “T-party” comes from the way transient orcas are catalogued; all their scientific IDs start with a "T"! When these normally small pods gather together, we call it a T-party. Similarly, resident orcas also come together in larger groups, and when they do, it’s called a Superpod.

So, why do transient orcas come together to form T-parties? There are a few fascinating reasons:

Socializing: Much like us, orcas enjoy spending time with extended family and friends outside their immediate pod.
Mating: These gatherings offer opportunities to meet and mate with orcas from other pods.
Hunting: Sometimes orcas will join forces to hunt larger prey, or in the case of residents, to herd fish more effectively. When prey is especially abundant, it can attract multiple pods to the same area to take advantage of the feast.

Whatever the reason behind the gathering, witnessing a T-party is an unforgettable experience, and we were lucky enough to see it firsthand!

To top it all off, we also encountered other incredible residents of the Salish Sea: the impressive Steller Sea Lion! These giants are often seen in large groups, especially at haul-out sites where they loudly jostle for the best sunning spots to rest on the rocks. While they typically forage alone, they sometimes gather in the water as well, a behaviour known as a raft. This strategy, common in prey species, offers safety in numbers.

After all that action and excitement, it was time for us to head back home and get some rest of our own!

Enjoy the photos from the tour taken by Marine Naturalist Jordan Robinson.