It was shaping up to be another beautiful day on the water. With the sun shining overhead and the winds calm, we set out into the Strait of Georgia, buzzing with anticipation about what might be waiting for us. Every trip starts fresh, we head out with no trackers, tags, and sometimes not even reports from other vessels. Instead, we rely on sharp eyes, patience, and a good dose of perseverance. And today, that approach paid off in spades.

Our first sighting came when two of our vessels spotted the tall, bushy blow of a humpback whale. A distinct notch in the dorsal fin made the ID an easy one: Chi (BCZ0575)! Born in 2021 to the well-known female Zephyr, Chi is part of one of the most famous lineages in the Salish Sea. Zephyr herself is the 2011 calf of Divot, who is the 2003 calf of Big Mama. Big Mama is something of a legend here, one of the first humpbacks to return to these waters in 1997 after decades of commercial whaling. Since then, she’s brought eight calves into the world, and her descendants are now a regular presence in our waters. While humpbacks don’t form long-term family groups like orcas, many return to the same feeding grounds year after year, which means we get to enjoy sightings of Big Mama’s “extended family” season after season.

After spending some quality time with Chi, we continued into the Strait, scanning the horizon for signs of more life. Our next stop was a little different, a land-based encounter at Stinky Rock. The southern tip was bustling with noisy Steller Sea Lions, jostling and roaring for space, while the north side offered a more peaceful scene with Harbour Seals stretched out lazily in the sun.

From there, our boats split to follow separate sightings. One group encountered Spock (BCY1134) and Orion (BCX1251) travelling alongside two unidentified companions. Meanwhile, the other group came across a remarkable gathering of five humpbacks: Kappa (BCX0158) and 2025 calf, Professor X (BCY1965), BCZ0410 2022 calf, and Smoke (BCX2183). Watching such large groups of humpbacks travelling together still feels novel in these waters.

Only a few years ago, we might have described humpbacks as mostly solitary, but increasing numbers in the Salish Sea have revealed just how social they can be. In the days following commercial whaling, low population numbers may have made it harder for whales to find each other, and the ecosystem itself was missing the boost that a healthy humpback population brings. As ecosystem engineers, humpbacks help shape their environment in ways that can make it more productive, meaning the more we see, the more the ecosystem can sustain. It’s a beautiful example of a positive feedback loop at work.

After spending time with these surprisingly social giants, we made our way back to Nanaimo with smiles on our faces and memory cards full of incredible moments. Marine Naturalists Vanessa Vereschahen, Aly Kohlman, and Jordan Robinson captured stunning photos from the trip. Scroll down to see the highlights!

August 2, 2025, 10:30 AM - Humpback Whales partying in the Strait