August 20, 2025, 3:30 PM - A young humpback and a couple families of orca feeding in the Strait.

The full fleet was off the dock this afternoon, greeted by calm seas and gentle winds, perfect conditions to head out into the Strait of Georgia in search of wildlife. Spirits were high as we scanned the horizon, looking for the telltale signs of blows or splashes. It didn’t take long before we noticed a tall, misty exhalation in the distance.

As we approached, a massive tail, stretching nearly 20 feet across, lifted high above the waves before slipping gracefully beneath the surface. This is one of our favorite sights: the fluke of a humpback whale. Each humpback tail has unique markings, much like a fingerprint, allowing us to identify individual whales that visit our waters year after year. This particular tail belonged to Dolphin (KEY0054), a familiar humpback in the Salish Sea.

Dolphin was taking long, deep dives and consistently showing their fluke, classic feeding behaviour for a humpback whale. The location offered another clue, Halibut Bank. This is a nutrient-rich hotspot, created by an underwater hill that stirs up the water column with each passing tide. That mixing action fuels an upwelling that supports the entire food chain: from microscopic diatoms, to schools of baitfish, and finally to massive whales like Dolphin. We gave them space to continue their supper, marvelling at how each piece of the ecosystem is connected, before carrying on with our search.

It wasn’t long before another spectacle revealed itself. Off in the distance, splashes cut across the waves. As we drew nearer, the scene erupted into chaos and excitement: a couple of pods of transient orca had launched into a hunt. These apex predators were porpoising powerfully through the water, their sleek black dorsal fins slicing the surface with each stride. The orca involved in todays hunt were:

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)

Then, in an extraordinary moment, their prey revealed itself. A harbour porpoise suddenly soared nearly 20 feet into the air, catapulted by the sheer force of an orca’s strike. More than likely, it was Nootka, a female known for her dramatic hunting style and her skill at “porpoise punting.” This stunning behaviour is not just a display of strength, but an effective hunting tactic. By stunning their prey, the orca make it easier to deliver the final blow.

Transient orca are highly social hunters, and their family structure plays a key role in their success. Each pod is led by a matriarch, usually the oldest female, who passes down knowledge of hunting strategies and preferred prey. Unlike the resident orca, which specializes in salmon, the transient orca targets marine mammals, including seals, porpoises, and sea lions. Once a catch is secured, the pod shares the meal, reinforcing the tight-knit bonds that hold the family together. Watching this culture of cooperation unfold is a reminder that these whales are not only powerful predators but also family-oriented animals with complex social lives.

With mouths still agape from witnessing such a rare and dramatic hunt, we eventually left the orca to their meal and continued our journey. But the excitement of the day wasn’t over just yet.

We soon came across the raucous gatherings of Steller Sea Lions, their deep, growling roars echoing across the water. Watching them jostle and argue for the best haul-out spots is always a lively sight. Nearby, their smaller and more reserved cousins, the harbour seals, lounged quietly on the rocks, far more polite about sharing space. And just before one of our vessels turned for home, a final treat appeared: a group of harbour porpoises, slipping through the calm evening waters, their dorsal fins briefly catching the golden light of the setting sun.

As we made our way back to the dock, we couldn’t help but reflect on the sheer variety of life we had encountered in just one afternoon: from a graceful humpback feeding in a nutrient-rich hotspot, to a once-in-a-lifetime orca hunt, to the noisy antics of sea lions and the quiet beauty of porpoises. The Strait of Georgia had once again reminded us why these waters are so special, alive with stories, culture, and connections from the smallest plankton to the largest whales.

Photos taken by Aly Kohlman, Hayleigh Hilbert and Vanessa Vereschahen.

Dolphin arching their tail as they dive. Photo by Aly Kohlman.

A fluke waterfall from Dolphin. Photo by Aly Kohlman.

The underside of Dolphin’s tail. Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.

Dolphin’s dorsal fin. Photo by Aly Kohlman.

The corner of Dolphin’s tail. Photo by Aly Kohlman.

T049A Nan picking up speed as the porpoise hunt begins. Photo by Aly Kohlman.

Punted clean out of the water! Photo by Aly Kohlman.

The orca will stun the prey with their tails. Photo by Aly Kohlman.

A final hit befor the prey sharing begins. Photo by Aly Kohlman.

T019B Galiano surfacing in front of the Coastal Mountains. Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.

T019 Nootka with T049A5 Nebula following. Photo by Aly Kohlman.

Happy orca with full tummies. Photo by Aly Kohlman.

T049A6 Charlie II with his little bulldog teeth. Photo by Aly Kohlman.

T019B Galiano with his mother T019 Nootka in tow. Photo by Aly Kohlman.

T019 Nootka with T019B Galiano in tow. Photo by Aly Kohlman.

T019B Galiano’s tail with another just breaking the surface. Photo by Aly Kohlman.

T019B Galiano. Photo by Hayleigh Hilbert.

Celebrating the kill. Photo by Hayleigh Hilbert.

T019B Galiano picking up speed. Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.

T019B Galiano surfacing in front of Mt. Baker. Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.

T019B Galiano picking up speed. Photo by Hayleigh Hilbert.

T049A6 Charlie II with another one of the youngsters playing around. Photo by Hayleigh Hilbert.

A tail flick. Photo by Hayleigh Hilbert.

One more breach. Photo by Hayleigh Hilbert.

A harbour porpoise who was not supper! Photo by Aly Kohlman.

A nother look at the porpoise. Photo by Aly Kohlman.

Harbour seals on the rocks. Photo by Aly Kohlman.

A nursing pup. Photo by Hayleigh Hilbert.

A harbour seal posing. Photo by Hayleigh Hilbert.

A cute Steller Sea Lion making their way onto the buoy. Photo by Aly Kohlman.

Fighting over the best spot. Photo by Hayleigh Hilbert.

A Steller taking a look at us. Photo by Hayleigh Hilbert.

Author: Vanessa VereschahenAugust 20, 2025WhalesComment