One of the best, and sometimes most challenging, parts of watching wild animals is their unpredictability. We never know where we’ll find them, what we might discover, or if we’ll see anything at all. That’s what keeps every trip exciting! Today was one of those days that kept us guessing right up until the very end.

We set off with all three boats, heading into the Southern Gulf Islands to begin our search. The islands are often full of life, and the scenery alone is worth the trip. From Stuart Channel to Trincomali and Pylades Channel, we scanned the waters for whales. While nothing surfaced inside the islands themselves, we were treated to encounters with some of the area’s other wildlife.

Birds cruised alongside us, matching our speed as we raced over the waves. At Stinky Rocks, we spotted two species of pinnipeds: Steller Sea Lions and Harbour Seals. Steller Sea Lions have become year-round residents in these waters. Many juveniles skip the long migration to breeding grounds since they’re still too young to compete for mates. Life for a male sea lion is tough; during breeding season, they must hold territory on the beach, fighting off rivals and going months without food while defending access to females. For younger males, it’s better to stay here in the Strait, feasting on the rich supply of fish and cephalopods until they’re strong enough to challenge for a territory of their own. Soon, we’ll begin seeing the larger, older males returning from their breeding grounds as well.

Harbour Seals, on the other hand, are much quieter than their noisy sea lion neighbours. They don’t make much sound, but their cuteness more than makes up for it. We watched them lounging on the rocks for a while before news reached us of orcas spotted just outside Nanaimo Harbour! Sometimes the whales are much closer than we expect. We revved up the engines and headed over — and before long, those unmistakable black dorsal fins broke the surface.

It was the T002Cs! This family group has been frequenting the waters near Nanaimo recently, so we recognized them right away:

T002C Tasu ♀ (1989)
T002C1 Rocky ♂ (2002)
T002C3 Lucy ♀ (2011)
T002C5 Zippy (2020)
T002C6 (2025)

We encountered them in Northumberland Channel, barely two minutes from Nanaimo Harbour — and nearly three and a half hours into our tour! Encounters like this remind us just how unpredictable whale watching can be. Orcas in particular are known to travel vast distances, sometimes more than 100 miles in a single day, making them challenging to track. This pod, however, tends to move at a slower pace, a trait that may be linked to a former family member: T002C2 Tumbo ♂ (2005–2015).

Tumbo had a severe case of scoliosis, which made swimming more difficult for him. His family adjusted their pace to stay with him, often looping back to pick him up and even sharing food, since he wasn’t able to hunt effectively on his own. Despite his disability, Tumbo lived a healthy life thanks to the remarkable care of his pod. Even now, without him, the family seems to maintain that slower pace, a lasting legacy of their time with him.

Although the T002Cs may not cover as much ground as some other pods, they are still formidable hunters. We caught a glimpse of their hunting behaviour today, beginning with bursts of fast travel at the surface and even the youngest calf leaping clear of the water. Before long, though, they settled back into steady travel, and our time with them came to an end.

It was the perfect way to wrap up the day, unpredictable to the very last moment, and all the more rewarding for it. Please enjoy the photos taken by Marine Naturalists Desarae Poier, Hayleigh Hilbert, and Jordan Robinson throughout the tour, included below.

August 24, 2025, 10:30 AM - The T002Cs prove you can never stop looking!