August 20, 2025, 10:30 AM - Orca and humpbacks hangging out in the Strait.
This morning, all three of our vessels left the dock with eager anticipation. Reports of orca near Entrance Island had circulated earlier in the day, and with conditions calm and visibility excellent, we set out determined to see if the sightings were true.
Knowing the hunting patterns of transient or Bigg’s orca (the mammal-eating ecotype), we began our search along the shoreline of Gabriola Island. These orca often hug the coast, patrolling kelp beds, rocky outcrops, and shallow bays in search of their favourite prey, harbour seals. Sure enough, we hadn’t been scanning long before we spotted the unmistakable tall black fins and wispy blows close against the shoreline. The report was confirmed: orca!
The pod we encountered was a familiar one, led by the matriarch Nan, a whale whose name pays homage to her connection with the community of Nanaimo. Nan and her family are local favourites, appearing so often in our area that they’ve even been featured in the documentary Island of the Sea Wolves. In the film, you can catch a glimpse of the dynamic lives of these coastal predators as they navigate the challenges of hunting and raising young in the Salish Sea.
Like most orca, Nan’s offspring typically remain by her side for life. Orca are matrilineal, meaning family lines are traced through the mother, and the bond between mother and calf is among the strongest in the animal kingdom. Sons, in particular, are known to be “mama’s boys,” relying on their mother’s presence and experience for survival well into adulthood. However, Nan’s family has a few quirks. Her sons, Jude and Noah, are often seen travelling independently, sometimes together, sometimes apart, and occasionally with other pods. In Island of the Sea Wolves, Noah is featured alongside his family, but Jude is notably absent. Another’s absence is noticed: Nan’s newest calf, Charlie II, who had not yet been born during the documentary’s filming.
As we observed the family patrolling near shore, a few more tall dorsal fins broke the surface. It wasn’t long before we identified them as the T019s, another well-known local family. Their arrival brought our orca count up to eight individuals, and the energy on the water was palpable. We had:
T019 Nootka ♀ (~1965)
T019B Galiano ♂ (1995)
T019C Spouter ♂ (2001)
T049A Nan ♀ (1986)
T049A3 Nat ♂ (2011)
T049A4 Neptune ♂ (2014)
T049A5 Nebula ♀ (2017)
T049A6 Charlie II ♂ (2022)
The T019s are perhaps most famous for Galiano, their largest male. His iconic curved dorsal fin makes him one of the easiest orca to identify from a distance, a true celebrity among local whale watchers. His mother, Nootka, is equally renowned, not for her appearance but for her extraordinary hunting skills. We’ve seen her lead lightning-fast porpoise hunts, where the pod can transition from travelling to hunting, making a kill, and sharing the meal in less than six minutes. Witnessing these two families together reminded us of the complexity of orca society, fluid, cooperative, and endlessly fascinating.
After watching the group hunt and share a meal close to shore, we left them to their activities and turned our bows back toward the open water of the Strait of Georgia.
As we cruised into deeper water, luck and blows were in the air! Towering bushy blows appeared in the distance, and before long, we were alongside a pair of humpback whales. One was quickly identified as Anvil (BCZ0410), a whale we know well thanks to her feature on the cover of the KETA Catalogue, a photo-identification guide used by researchers and whale watchers alike to match individual humpbacks by the unique markings on their flukes and dorsals.
Travelling with her was another familiar tail, Stripe (BCZ0004). It took a few dives before we were able to confirm the ID, but once we got a good look at the underside of the fluke, we knew. These two whales were diving frequently, showing their tails high before disappearing beneath the waves, suggesting they were travelling purposefully, most likely heading toward a preferred feeding area. Unlike orca, humpbacks migrate vast distances, spending winters in tropical breeding grounds but returning to the rich, cold waters of British Columbia in summer to feed. Our nutrient-dense waters are a buffet, supporting the enormous caloric needs of these giants.
Before turning back to Nanaimo, we made one last stop to meet our Steller Sea Lions. These charismatic pinnipeds are always a crowd favourite. The colonies are full of noise and movement as males bellow to defend prime real estate on the rocks, docks and buoys. While younger individuals tussle and play-fight in the shallows. Their agility in the water contrasts with their somewhat awkward, lumbering movements on land, making them endlessly entertaining to watch.
From the stealthy shoreline patrols of transient orca to the towering blows of humpback whales and the playful chaos of Steller Sea Lions, today was a reminder of just how diverse and rich the Salish Sea truly is. Each encounter deepens our understanding of these species and reinforces the importance of protecting this incredible ecosystem, where every day brings a new adventure!
Photos by Aly Kohlman, Hayleigh Hilbert and Vanessa Vereschahen.
T049A3 Nat followed by T049A Nan. Photo by Hayleigh Hilbert.
T049A Nan patrolling close to shore. Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.
T049A Nan surfacing. Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.
T049A3 Nat with t049A Nan in tow. Photo by Hayleigh Hilbert.
T049A Nan with T049A3 Nat surfacing beside. Photo by Hayleigh Hilbert.
T049A Nan with T049A5 Nebula showing off her eyepatch. Photo by Aly Kohlman.
T049A3 Nat with his little brother T049A6 Charlie II just breaking the surface. Photo by Aly Kohlman.
T049A Nan. Photo by Aly Kohlman.
A breach! Photo by Aly Kohlman.
T049A3 Nat picking up speed. Photo by Aly Kohlman.
Swimming towards the camera! Photo by Aly Kohlman.
T049A Nan with a spy-hop. Photo by Aly Kohlman.
T019 Nootka with her son T019B Galiano towering over her. Photo by Aly Kohlman.
T049A Nan. Photo by Aly Kohlman.
Tails up! Photo by Aly Kohlman.
Happy orca with a full belly! Photo by Aly Kohlman.
Coming in for a landing. Photo by Aly Kohlman.
T019B Galiano with a tail slap. Photo by Aly Kohlman.
T049A6 Charlie II. Photo by Hayleigh Hilbert.
T019C Spouter. Photo by Aly Kohlman.
T049A3 Nat followed by T019C Spouter. Photo by Aly Kohlman.
Still breaching! Photo by Hayleigh Hilbert.
A little breach! Photo by Hayleigh Hilbert.
T019B Galiano throwing water. Photo by Hayleigh Hilbert.
Picking up speed! Photo by Hayleigh Hilbert.
T049A Nan. Photo by Hayleigh Hilbert.
T049A6 Charlie II. Photo by Hayleigh Hilbert.
T049A3 Nat in front T019C Spouter behind. Photo by Hayleigh Hilbert.
T049A3 Nat. Photo by Hayleigh Hilbert.
T019C Spouter. Photo by Hayleigh Hilbert.
Stripe fluking. Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.
A fluke waterfall! Photo by Hayleigh Hilbert.
Anvil’s dorsal fin. Photo by Hayleigh Hilbert.
Stripe’s tail. Photo by Aly Kohlman.
Anvil’s tail. Photo by Aly Kohlman.
Steller Sea Lions relaxing on the buoy. Photo by Aly Kohlman.
Going for a dip! Photo by Aly Kohlman.
A pile of Stellers on the rocks. Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.