Have you ever heard us talk about “humpback soup”?

That’s our nickname for when there are so many humpbacks around that you can’t look in any direction without spotting another blow in the distance. That was exactly the case today as we headed across the Strait of Georgia toward the Sunshine Coast.

We first spotted some blows in the distance and headed that way. Then we saw more and more, and soon a few of the whales began to get quite active! One of our captains came up with a new term to describe this energetic gathering: if we usually call it “humpback soup,” today it was boiling.

Two of the whales, Beak/Nuage (BCX1606) and Niagara (BCY0057), were leaping right out of the water! They did this for several minutes, perhaps trying to encourage the other nearby whales to join in their playful antics. It seemed to work for at least one, as we saw a huge splash in the distance—almost like a response to their invitation. Although many others were in the area, none joined in the acrobatics. And honestly, we don’t blame them.

Humpbacks have just returned to these waters after their long migration from Hawaii or Mexico, where they spend the winter. During that time, they don't feed much, relying instead on the fat reserves built up during summers in our nutrient-rich waters. Breaching takes a tremendous amount of energy, about the same as it takes a human to run a marathon, so they need a good reason to do it.

Why do whales breach? There are three leading theories:

Communication
The impact of a whale hitting the water creates a powerful sound. Because sound travels well underwater, this can be heard over long distances, making it a great way to send a message.
Removing parasites
A single humpback can carry up to 500 pounds of parasites, including the Humpback Whale Acorn Barnacle, Rabbit-Eared Whale Barnacle, and whale lice. Too many of these create drag, so breaching may help knock them off.
It’s fun!
Repeated breaching is often accompanied by other surface behaviours and nearby whales, suggesting a social element. That’s where the “fun” theory comes in.

Regardless of the reason, watching them breach is always a thrill. Even just observing this many humpbacks together is a remarkable experience. In addition to Beak and Niagara, the following whales were identified in the area:

Dalmatian (BCY0994)
Chandelle (BCX2140)
Camelot (BCY1458)
Coyote (BCX2484)
Chi (BCZ0575)
Incognito (BCX2053)

There were likely more in the distance, but these are the individuals we managed to photograph. Speaking of “in the distance,” our open vessel spotted another active whale and headed that way. This whale was doing just about every surface behaviour possible: breaching, chin-slapping, pectoral fin-slapping, trumpeting, and tail-swishing. During one tail swish, our naturalist captured a partial shot of the fluke, allowing us to later identify the whale as Crenel (BCY1137).

Around the same time, we received reports of other whales near Nanaimo: orca! So we left “Humpbackland” and made our way through Dodd Narrows into Stuart Channel, where we spotted the iconic black dorsal fins cutting through calm waters.

We photographed their dorsal fins and saddle patches and identified this pod as the T075Bs, consisting of:

T075B Pebbles ♀ (1995)
T075B2 Jasper ♀ (2015)
T075B3 Rubble (2017)
T075B4 Petra (2021)

It was a pleasure to spend time with these four as they travelled south. At first, they were close to the DeCourcy Island shoreline, but later moved farther offshore. So far, this pod consists of “small fins”: young whales or females.

Determining a whale’s gender is challenging, as the necessary anatomy is usually underwater. Sometimes you can catch a glimpse during surface behaviours like breaching or tail-lobbing, but the splash often obscures the view. In orcas, there are subtle clues: females have mammary slits and differences in their white underbelly, but the clearest signal comes during puberty. Males begin growing a much taller dorsal fin. At this stage, they’re called “Sprouters.” That’s often the first reliable clue to their sex.

In Jasper’s case, we confirmed her as female when she had a calf—sadly, one that didn’t survive. This is unfortunately common in first-time mothers, often due to inexperience or the accumulation of toxins. We hope Jasper will have reproductive success in the future.

As for the other orcas, we’ll have to wait for puberty, or a lucky photo, for more clues. After some final moments spent with these graceful creatures, it was time to head back to the harbour.

What a whale-filled day!

Our onboard Marine Naturalists, Val Watson and Desarae Poier, captured some incredible moments throughout the tour—check out their photos below!