It was a splash-tastic day as our full fleet headed out, eager to begin the trip. Heading south, we began the day by venturing through the Southern Gulf Islands. Our vessels spread out, searching all around as we went. None of our whales are equipped with trackers or tags, so every day is a new adventure for where they will show up.

Cruising southbound, we scanned all around. The inner islands can be a tricky place to find whales, as there are many spots where they can disappear out of sight, but that didn’t discourage us! After a bit more searching, we spotted our first pair of the day – a duo of humpback whales!

When we first arrived, the smaller whale was bursting with energy and breaching at the surface. This soon died down, though, and then they began travelling along together. The Naturalists began identifying these whales, and it was noted that one was noticeably smaller than the other. Excitement arose as we cross-matched photos – this was Crevasse (BCX2054), who was travelling with her 2026 calf (BCX2054 calf 2026), who happens to also be her first-born calf!

Anytime calves are spotted, it is a celebration, but this pair is extra close to our hearts. Crevasse is the 2019 calf of Glacier (BCX1383), a whale that used to return to the Salish Sea. Sadly, in 2022, Glacier was spotted travelling while a very odd pinkish-brown colour. This colouring was likely due to an abundance of whale lice, possibly resulting from an infection or illness. It is believed that Glacier was very ill, and unfortunately, she has not been seen since, leading us to believe she has passed away.

Seeing Crevasse with her calf today warmed our hearts, as it shows that Glacier’s family tree will continue to grow through her. We are excited to witness the calf grow and learn from her, and we are eager to see them both return to our waters in the coming summer seasons.

After travelling with the pair today, we parted and began chatting about where to head next. Cascadia cruised along Vancouver Island’s shoreline and briefly stopped near Boat Harbour. Here, a tiny island could be seen just peeking out of the waters. On top of it, several spotted creatures could be seen. These Harbour Seals were stretching and yawning away, enjoying the sunshine. These plump pinnipeds enjoy our area year-round and never migrate away.

Soon after, we set off and once again began searching. With an earlier report that whales may have been spotted near Dodd Narrows, we were eager to take a look and see if we could find them. It took no time at all for us to find them – a group of five orca together, with one sprouting male amongst them. After a few photos and ID guide comparisons, it was confirmed that this was the T099s:

T099 ♀ Bella ( ~1984)
T099B ♀ Holly (2007)
T099C ♂ Barakat (2009)
T099D ♂ Puck (2015)
T099E ♀ Qwiin qwiin oo qwii la (2021)

While typically we use larger males are the individuals we use to ID a pod, the easiest whale to ID from this group is the eldest daughter. T099B Holly has a few small notches, leading to a very distinct trailing edge along her dorsal fin.

This pod was travelling fast as we observed them, dipping through Dodd Narrows and continuing towards Nanaimo Harbour. On and on they went, past Nanaimo, continuing northbound. Soon, Snake Island came into view, and shortly after, they became highly active. A small head popped out of the water beside them, and after that, the hunt was on. The lone Harbour Seal tried to make a break for it, but after a few minutes, they were successful. The pod members quickly came together and divided up the catch. For a pod of five such as the T099s, hunting Harbour Seals can be a whole-day endeavour. Every individual needs to eat hundreds of pounds of food daily, and with Harbour Seals averaging around 200 lbs, that means they need to successfully hunt at least 6 to 7 seals daily to keep their weight up!

Once happy and full, the pod continued its northbound travels. It was then time for us to depart as well, and soon our Captains turned us around, and we were once more off and about. Rounding the corner, Nanaimo’s skyline came back into view, and as we pulled back into the harbour, we excitedly reminisced about the day's adventures that will forever remain in our minds.

Please enjoy these photos taken by Marine Naturalists Jordan Robinson, Evan Hessels, and Vanessa Vereschahen.

July 5, 2026 - A new cow-calf pair appears! Plus the T099s hunt by Nanaimo