It was a picture-perfect day to be on the water, calm seas, blue skies, and the full fleet off the dock. Kula and Cascadia pointed their bows north, while Keta made its way across the Strait toward Halibut Bank in search of wildlife.

Not far north of Lantzville, Kula spotted some serious splashing on the horizon. As we drew closer, we recognized the familiar black-and-white tail pattern of Dalmatian (BCY0994). This humpback was bursting with energy, treating us to an incredible series of behaviours: chin slaps, pec slaps, rolling, fluking, and even a full breach. At one point, it looked like Dalmatian may have been lunge feeding, scooping up schools of fish or krill near the surface. After such a high-energy display, the excitement tapered off into something much calmer, nap time.

By now, Cascadia had joined us on scene. While Kula moved back into search mode, Cascadia stayed with Dalmatian and spotted a couple of other blows nearby. These whales weren’t identified this time, so we’ll call them “friends.” Meanwhile, Keta, having crossed the Strait, discovered another pair: Niagara (BCY0057) and Forge (BCZ0410 calf 2022). These two were travelling steadily, lifting their massive tails high before slipping beneath the surface on each dive. We left them to their journey for a while and circled back to see what Dalmatian and their friends were up to.

As Cascadia kept watch, two more whales surfaced, Geometry (BCZ0338) and Twinning (BCX1207). The pair were sound asleep, resting peacefully in the still waters. Later, when they roused, it was straight back to work with long, deep feeding dives. At the same time, Niagara and Forge had been joined by another familiar fin, Pingu (BCY1110). The trio appeared to be diving in sync, likely feeding on schools of fish or concentrations of krill below the surface. Kula reunited with them as they continued their meal, showing us just how successful humpbacks can be when conditions line up in their favour.

Seeing whales sleep is always a special treat. Unlike humans, humpbacks (and other cetaceans) can’t shut down their entire brain at once; they need to come to the surface regularly to breathe. Instead, they use something called unihemispheric sleep, which means they let one half of their brain rest while the other stays awake enough to keep them moving, breathing, and aware of their surroundings. Watching Geometry and Twinning resting quietly at the surface gave us a perfect example of this fascinating adaptation.

In addition to whales, we also had a chance to see two types of pinnipeds today: harbour seals and Steller Sea Lions. These marine mammals have their own unique sleeping habits. Harbour seals often nap in the water, floating like corks with just their noses poking up for air, or tucked just under the surface, they can hold their breath for around 30 minutes, or stretched out along rocky shorelines soaking up the sun. Stellers are much larger and louder than their harbour seal cousins, tend to haul out in groups and snooze piled up on the rocks. Like whales, both seals and sea lions can nap in the water. Sea lions sometimes even shut down half their brain at a time to stay alert for predators, just like our humpbacks can.

With calm conditions, familiar fins, playful behaviours, and even a glimpse into the secret world of whale sleep, today was a day we won’t soon forget. Encounters like these remind us how much there still is to learn about the incredible lives of the animals we share these waters with!

Photos by Jordan Robinson and Vanessa Vereschahen.

August 9, 2025, 10:30 AM - Humpbacks snoozing in the Salis Sea.