It was a beautiful day for a cruise, with two of our boats departing from Nanaimo Harbour to begin the search for wildlife. We headed south through Dodd Narrows and began exploring the Southern Gulf Islands. While searching, we received word of an orca spotted from shore, heading into Ladysmith Harbour. We decided to follow up and see who it might be.

While it's not unheard of for orcas to explore busier areas such as harbours, it seems to be only certain individuals or pods that show this behaviour. The whale in question turned out to be T049A1, also known as Noah, one of those individuals who seems to enjoy harbour life.

T049A1 Noah ♂ (2001)

Noah may have picked up this behaviour from his mother, T049A Nan, who is also frequently seen patrolling harbours. She visits Nanaimo often enough that it inspired her nickname! Her family even made the news last year for swimming right along the docks in Horseshoe Bay.

Although it's rare for orcas to travel deep into harbours, some individuals occasionally do a loop through, likely in search of the plump and unsuspecting Harbour Seals that also frequent these areas in search of an easy meal.

Today, however, Noah wasn’t with the rest of his family. We observed him doing the harbour loop solo. We first spotted him among the log booms in the harbour before he disappeared for a while, seemingly slipping further in without us noticing. When we found him again, he was already on his way back out—apparently satisfied with whatever drew him in to begin with.

We stayed with Noah as he made his way through the main harbour and back out into the bay. He continued onward, and our time with him came to a close as we set off to see what other wildlife we might encounter.

Our first stop was a haul-out of Harbour Seals, where the little “rock sausages” were sunning themselves on the shoreline. Despite being the same species, these seals display a wide variety of colour patterns. Harbour Seals spend their entire lives in the Salish Sea: breeding, giving birth, and growing up usually within just five miles of their home haul-out.

We’re now getting close to pupping season, so we spotted several seals that appeared to be pregnant. Harbour Seals have a long gestation period, about 10 months, including a fascinating phase called delayed implantation, where the fertilized egg doesn't attach to the uterus until conditions are right.

The next animals we encountered also have this ability: the Steller Sea Lions! With a similar gestation length (~11 months), they too delay implantation. However, unlike Harbour Seals, Steller Sea Lions migrate to rookeries for breeding. Once there, males stake out territories on the beach, and any females within those boundaries become their mates. These territorial disputes can be quite fierce, often leading to injuries.

This competitive behaviour is one reason Steller Sea Lions have thick, blubbery necks and dense fur: to protect vital arteries and veins. During the breeding season, males often go without food for 1–2 months as they focus on defending their turf. The fat reserves in their necks may not only provide protection but also help sustain them during this fast.

We saw an especially impressive male today, lounging on the rocks with his double chin proudly on display, a clear sign of that essential blubber layer.

Our final stop took us to Northumberland Channel, where we saw some California Sea Lions resting on the log booms near the pulp mill, and Cormorants nesting on the Gabriola Bluffs nearby. The highlight, though, was the Bald Eagle nest!

We're always thrilled to visit this nest, especially when a parent is present. Today was extra special: one of the eaglets was poking its head over the edge! Judging by its feather coloration, we estimate the chick to be about three weeks old. It has transitioned from natal down to thermal down, and soon its juvenile feathers will begin to appear.

Eaglets remain in the nest for about 85 days before fledging, so we’re looking forward to spending more time observing this young bird grow over the season.

Seeing all the activity at the Gabriola Bluffs was a perfect way to end an incredible day on the water! Please enjoy the photos below, taken throughout the trip by Marine Naturalists Desarae Poier and Jordan Robinson.

May 18, 2025, 10:30 AM - Noah in the Ladysmith Harbour