It was another beautiful day on the water and as just as we were leaving the dock this morning in Alder Bay we received a report of a whale sighting close-by and very soon everyone on board could see that it was a minke whale foraging back and forth. The water was calm and sunlit, it was a very peaceful encounter as we lingered to enjoy the beauty of the solitary minke whale feeding. Of the three humpback whales reported this morning in the area, initially they were reported travelling east at Lizard Point but they turned back and travelled to the west off Malcolm Point, keeping well ahead, their blows and flukes could be seen off in the distance. Other sightings included: harbour seals, dalls porpoises, rhinoceros and cassin’s auklets, mew gulls and bald eagles.

It was an incredibly beautiful day on the North Island and especially so being out on tour with calm sparkling blue waters and the sun shining in all directions! Two Transient orcas, T11 & T11A were reported heading west in the ebb current after we set out on tour this morning and turning back we also headed west. With reports of the orcas picking up speed and being well ahead we turned back and in Cormorant Channel sighted a harbour porpoise followed by a minke whale. The viewing today was exceptionally beautiful with kelp forests sparkling from above and below the water and one could not help being drawn to the snow capped mountains on both the BC coast and Vancouver Island, they seemed to beckon us, their whiteness drawing a sharp contrast to the bright blue sky and water. Other sightings included: harbour seals, dalls porpoises, rhinoceros and cassin’s auklets and bald eagles.

When we set out this morning the weather was cool and the visibility poor from rain and low lying cloud but as we neared Donegal Head we could make out the splashings of a very large group of Pacific White-sided Dolphins (100-200) in the distance. They were well spread out across to Bold Head and into Blackfish Sound. The current was ebbing quickly and small splinter groups of dolphins, mothers and their calves were observed feeding a distance away from the larger group. We continued further east into Blackfish Sound and as the rain ceased there appeared in the distance the fluke of a Humpback Whale and soon after another was sighted down towards Parsons Light and finally a third one suddenly surfaced nearby. KC and Twister were among those we sighted today. Passing through narrow and very scenic waterways on the way home, the kelp forests were fascinating to look down at through the crystal clear waters and numerous Bald Eagles could be seen perched high in the tree tops, their wings wide spread and drying. And suddenly, when we were not expecting it, the sighting of a Minke Whale identified as ‘Rapid’ was a splendid way to end the tour on. Other sightings included: harbour seals, dalls and harbour porpoises, rhinoceros auklets, glaucous-winged and herring gulls, pigeon guillemots and cassin’s auklets.

It was a beautiful calm day on the water with an early sighting of a humpback whale we identified as KC who we observed feeding in the company of numerous rhinoceros auklets and small groups of dalls porpoises. Other sightings included: harbour seals, glaucous-winged gulls, common murres and bald eagles. Yesterday evening, Alert Bay residents and visitors watched spell-bound as two of the humpback whales we had seen earlier in the day on tour: Stripe and Nick, swam close in along the Cormorant Island shoreline (and main Fir Street), making their way to the west. With the sun still high in the sky and bright, their blows were clearly visible and it was mesmerizing to sit and watch and listen to their breathing when they surfaced in the calm waters of “The Bay” before they passed from sight. Breathtaking and beautiful!

Our tours have commenced for the season and on recent tours the highlights have included sightings of humpback whales, black bears foraging on beaches and grasses, numerous bald eagles (mature and juvenile) and on one occasion a rare sighting of a turkey vulture who was being attacked by bald eagles. On today’s tour we sighted three humpback whales: Stripe and Nick who were traveling together and KY who was also in the near vicinity. Other sightings included: harbour seals, dalls porpoises, rhinoceros auklets, common murres, and belted kingfishers. It was evident today that more feed was in the area with increasing numbers of birds arriving++. The day was a beautiful one, warm and sunny!