Although the rain was coming down and dampening the suits as the open boat left Nanaimo Harbour in search of whales, we didn’t let it dampen our spirits! We started by heading into the Strait of Georgia, going North of Gabriola Island. We followed the island South, searching along the way until we passed close to a well-known haul-out area on the east side of Valdes Island: Stinky Rock. There, we spotted the first Marine Mammals of the day: Steller Sea Lions!

Steller Sea Lions are always interesting to see, especially because of their large size and boisterous personalities. These pinnipeds are the largest sea lion species in the world, with females reaching close to 800 pounds and males closer to 2,500 pounds! In their breeding grounds during the summer months, they use this size to defend territory, with males keeping sections of the beach to breed with any females that spend time there. This can lead to inherent aggression in the species, and they are often seen fighting for space on the rocks, even when there isn’t territory defence happening. There are benefits to being in large numbers in the area, though, such as increased thermoregulatory benefits by sharing body heat and some protection from predators. With their large size and fighting ability, these sea lions aren’t always at the top of the preferred menu list for the marine mammal-eating transient orca, but they are on that list nonetheless. We enjoyed our time spent here, but the search for whales must go on, so we continued searching in the strait to the south.

We travelled all the way along Valdes Island, past Porlier Pass, and along Galiano Island until we finally spotted a humpback whale's blow in the distance. Excitement radiated throughout the boat as we headed over to the whales. As we approached, it was clear two whales were travelling together here, with another spotted in the distance. The onboard Marine Naturalist quickly identified the two travelling together as Merlin (BCY1033) and Kaju (BCY1474)! In the distance, we identified Chandelle (BCX2140) from the photos on the bigger screen back at the office. All three of the whales seemed to be feeding in the area, likely trying to do the last of their bulking up as they are in the final weeks of preparing for their migration. We have most of our humpbacks here over the summer and early fall, as they use the rich waters around Vancouver Island to feed as much as possible. They build up fat reserves from the massive amount of food they consume during this time, and they use that energy as they head south to either Hawaii or Mexico. Heading south, there isn’t much food available for the whales, so they feed only sporadically, if at all, during the 6,000 km trip.

Soon enough we will no longer be seeing these gentle giants in the coastal waters, so we are making sure to enjoy every last minute we get to spend with them! Next up for wildlife encounters were more humpbacks spotted north of where these three were feeding. This time there was 5 whales in the area, with Harpy (BCZ0503), and her Calf (BCZ0503calf2026), Barge Boy (BCX2514), and Meqe’ (BCZ0492) spending time in closer quaters, and Seltzer (BCY1274) on the outskirts. Again, these whales appeared to be feeding in the area, but with so many whales around, there was also some social activity. The calf showed a little extra energy in rostrum lifts, the diving whales showed a dramatic tail flick, and there was even a cartwheel at the surface. For Harpy in particular, this time is important since she not only needs to support herself and build the fat reserve needed for migration, but the calf with her is likely still feeding on milk alongside solid foods. Calves are fully weaned between 6 and 11 months old, and this calf will be fully separated after a year, returning to our feeding grounds next year without its mother. This time is critical to learn as much as possible from their mother before they will have to be completely self-sufficient. We hope to continue to see all the whales spotted today as the years go on, but seeing the calves returning is a particularly exciting occurrence. Harpy was first spotted as a calf travelling alongside her mother in 2020, and we have had the pleasure of watching her grow and become a mother herself.

Although we could stay and watch the whales forever, we limit the time we spend with any group to reduce our impact on the wildlife, so after an hour we left this group behind and started back to Nanaimo. We decided to search through the Islands on the way home this time, passing through Gabriola Pass, and were treated to more wildlife in Dodd Narrows. The narrows have lots of activity this time of year, with large tidal changes creating strong currents and salmon runs bringing predators to hunt at this natural choke point on their migration back to their home rivers and streams. Seals and sea lions will gather here to feed on the concentrated fish, which in turn brings other scavengers to feed on the scraps created during this feeding. Near the narrows, we also saw a seasonal haul-out of sea lions along the log booms, waiting to be processed at the Harmac Pulp Mill. We saw both California Sea Lions and Steller Sea Lions spending time here before returning to the waters to fill up on fish once again.

Finally, we made it back to the Nanaimo Harbour, happy with all the wildlife that we were able to spot today! Throughout the trip, the onboard Marine Naturalist, Evan Hessels, photographed these encounters, and they are included below for you to enjoy!

October 30, 2026 - A Rainy day spent with Humpback Whales