An amazing day with the sun becoming very bright and warming this afternoon. This morning we cruised through the Pearse Islands and Stephenson Islands in Weynton Passage exploring as we went, appreciating all of it: the harbour seals hauled out on rocky outcrops, bald eagles and their nests and bull kelp forests floating on the surface of the water as we passed by in the current. With our mainsail hoisted we headed down Johnstone Strait with a light NW wind blowing from behind and encountered resident orcas, the two A36 brothers, A37 and A46 near the Sophia Islands. They were foraging a distance apart, both having left the Robson Bight Ecological Reserve just ahead of our arrival. We had some nice viewing of A46 who crossed towards the Cracroft Shore and then crossed back over, making his way towards the Vancouver Island shore. A37 meanwhile was foraging more towards the centre of the Strait. The arrival of the brothers in Johnstone Strait and viewing them today was wonderful! Other sightings included: dall’s porpoises, rhinoceros auklets, pigeon guillemots, california, mew and glaucous -winged gulls and oyster catchers.

Today shortly after leaving the dock we could see many diving birds off in the distance feeding on a herring ball and hoping that we might encounter a minke whale nearby we set off to investigate. We were fortunate coming upon a minke whale as it foraged and as we sat idle in the water watching, at one point it turned and made its way towards us allowing us some viewing of its head and we could also clearly see its two blowholes. Later, travelling in Cormorant Channel we noticed a large gathering of gulls and rhinoceros auklets and soon, a frenzy as the birds began working the area and a herring ball appeared. More birds began arriving while in the distance a humpback whale suddenly appeared, it making its way towards the birds and startling everyone on board when it began lunge feeding in the midst of the feeding frenzy of birds nearby. The viewing was exciting and spectacular for those onboard who had never witnessed lunge feeding before. Three other humpback whales were in the vicinity today, all of them foraging in the heavy flood current. Other sightings included: dall’s porpoises, harbour seals in the water fishing and also hauled out, rhinoceros auklets+++, california, mew and glaucous -winged gulls, oyster catchers, white-winged scoters, red-necked phalaropes, belted kingfishers, an eaglet in the nest and bald eagles++.

It was another extremely beautiful day to be out on the water, warm and sunny throughout the tour. Soon after leaving the dock in Alder Bay we stopped to watch a feeding frenzy of gulls and bald eagles feeding at the surface on a herring ball, the eagles could be seen flying off carrying herring in their talons while rhinoceros auklets and pigeon guillemots were diving deftly under the water resurfacing often with herring in their beaks. A Humpback whale was reported being near to Bold Head and heading in that direction it was not long before a blow was sighted and soon we could see that there were three humpback whales in the near vicinity, all of them were feeding in wide circles in separate directions foraging intently. Looking down through the clear water we could easily observe that plankton was very thick in the water and at times glimpse sight of small schooling fish amongst it. The water was calm and the viewing relaxed, with everyone enjoying the sights and sounds surrounding them. Travelling home via the island waterways is always a treat and today was no exception, the current was flooding in Weynton Passage and a myriad of birds could be seen feeding on bait balls while a small group of dall’s porpoises rode along beside us briefly at the bow of the boat. Other sightings included: harbour seals, a stellar sea lion, marbled murrelets, cassin’s auklets, california, mew and glaucous-winged gulls, oyster catchers, harlequin ducks, belted kingfishers and bald eagles.

Leaving later on tour today we had a fabulous outing this afternoon sailing in Blackfish Sound with a humpback whale. We sighted the whale nearing Bold Head, it having travelled to the west in Blackfish Sound where it turned and began making its way back to the east. Sailing across from Donegal Head we continued sailing in the Sound, observing the whale as it foraged along the Swanson shoreline prior to diving deep, fluking as it did so and just as we were leaving the area a second humpback whale was sighted further to the east near Parsons Light. We made our way home via island waterways enjoying immense natural beauty: glittering bull kelp forests streaming out above and below the water, hauled out harbour seals (mothers and their pups) two eaglets sitting high up in their separate nests, numerous mature bald eagles, a stellar sea lion and small family groups of dall’s porpoises that we observed feeding. The backdrop of brilliant blue waters framed by the snow capped Coast Range Mountains was magnificant! Other sightings included: rhinoceros and cassin’s auklets, california, mew and glaucous -winged gulls, oyster catchers, a humming bird and black turn stones.

The sun was shinning and we could not have asked for a lovelier day to cruise among the islands. A humpback whale had been reported in the vicinity of Bold Head and we observed its “blow” in the distance several times before it disappeared from sight meanwhile a large group of pacific white-sided dolphins 100-200++, could be seen foraging in all directions in the top end of Blackfish Sound and out into the Queen Charlotte Strait. Some were leaping clear of the water, most being intent on feeding while a few curious ones rode at the bow of the boat briefly as we travelled along. When the blow of a humpback whale was sighted near to Stubbs Island we made our way in its direction, we could not be sure if it was the same humpback whale that we had sighted earlier as the whale was also taking long dives but later as it neared the Plumper Island having passed through Weynton Passage, the viewing was easier and closer and we all enjoyed some nice viewing of its fluke when it disappeared taking a deep dive. We cruised through the Plumper Islands taking in the sights and sounds that the narrow waterways provided, vivid in colour and contrast, with kelp forests glistening above and from below the water, bald eagles high on the tree tops and eaglets in their nests, harbour seals (mothers and their pups) hauled out on rocky outcrops resting; all of it was breathtaking and marvellous! Other sightings included: dalls porpoises, two stellar sea lions (one swimming and the other hauled out), rhinoceros and cassin’s auklets, mew gulls, red-necked phalaropes, two eaglets in separate nests, black oyster catchers, a mink running up a rocky outcrop, belted kingfishers and black turnstones.

This morning while on tour we made our way into Blackfish Sound where a humpback whale had been reported being earlier and we sighted its blow down by Parsons light. As we drew closer we observed that it was surfacing briefly between long dives. It began swimming along the Swanson shoreline and headed directly towards a herring ball, surfacing among the auklets and gulls who were also feeding. We enjoyed some good viewing before making our way further west towards Bold Head, sighting another humpback whale in the middle between Bold Head and Donegal Head. As we watched, the cloud cover disappeared and the warm sun began shinning bright. Other sightings included: pacific white-sided dolphins, harbour seals, dalls porpoises, rhinoceros and cassin’s auklets, california and mew gulls, red-neck phalaropes, an eaglet in a nest and other bald eagles.

It was a fabulous day of viewing despite the fog that cleared quickly in Johnstone Strait. We encountered resident orcas this morning as they travelled to the west along the Vancouver Island shore near Kaikash, they were spread out, moving slowly and resting against the flood current. Passengers onboard had some exciting viewing of the A23’s/A61 and A35’s. In particular, A61 (from the A25 Matriline) was identified swimming alongside A77 (from the A35 Matriline), as well A70 and her calf were also nearby. We observed some foraging activity and at one point A77 suddenly appeared cruising alongside the boat under water and looking down some passengers watched it chasing salmon. As they foraged and we listened on the hydrophone, their A-Clan calls and ecolocation could be heard. We cruised through the Plumper Islands and into Blackfish Sound where 100 ++ pacific white-sided dolphins were sighted, they were well spread out in all directions intent on feeding and it was wonderful watching them up close and from a distance. Other sightings included: harbour seals, rhinoceros and cassin’s auklets, harlequin ducks, california and mew gulls, black oyster catchers, belted kingfishers and bald eagles.

It was another sunny day on the North Island and an especially beautiful day on the water. This morning we headed east in Johnstone Strait as orcas had been reported in the strait earlier in the morning before we had left on tour. They were the same resident orcas (the A5 pods) who had arrived yesterday. Having travelled west initially the orcas turned back and we met up with the A23 Matriline just as they had stopped to mill around the east end of the Robson Bight Ecological Reserve and commenced travelling west again to the delight of our passengers onboard. A60 was in the lead most of the time, he was foraging a distance from the shoreline that his sister A43 followed close to, along with her calves A69 and A95. They were travelling at a fair speed and were soon past the western reserve boundary. Throughout our viewing, the orcas were in the company of a group of pacific white-sided dolphins who were playful and interacting and at times mobbing the orcas as they tend to do whilst in the company of resident orcas. Other sightings included: dalls porpoises, rhinoceros and cassin’s auklets, common murres, mew gulls and bald eagles.

It was an amazing day for viewing cetaceans in the area. Beginning early in the tour we had several sightings of small groups of dall’s porpoises feeding nearby and when Bigg’s (Transient) orcas were reported to be travelling to the west in Johnstone Strait we headed in that direction via Blackfish Sound where we encountered a humpback whale feeding in Blackney Passage along with a large flock of rhinoceros auklets who were also feeding. As we entered Johnstone Strait a small group of pacific white-sided dolphins were sighted, they appeared nervous and were grouped close together and behind them orcas could be seen moving slowly in a relaxed fashion towards them. We observed as the group of 5 orcas appeared to split into two groups and then suddenly an orca was airbourne and hunting had begun at a fierce pace. We observed movement from above and below the water as the orcas hunted their prey and the speed and tremendous power of the orcas was evident. It was a successful hunt and after they had eaten, with our hydrophone deployed, it was remarkable listening to their vocalizations as it is not often that we get to listen to transient orcas vocalize and it has always been following a successful hunt. We observed some milling around and resting activity before they began making headway through Blackfish Sound on the ebb current. The humpback whale could be seen in the far distance along the Swanson Island shore and we travelled as well in Blackfish Sound. Meanwhile resident orcas had also been reported "inbound," east of Lizard Point earlier in the day and we were fortunate on our way home to encounter a group passing east of Donegal Head. Other sightings included: a stellar sea lion, harbour seals, dalls porpoises, rhinoceros and cassin’s auklets and bald eagles.

It was another gorgeous day on the water, calm and perfect for sighting humpback whale blows in the distance. The Plumper Islands this morning were sparkling with kelp forests glistening in the sunlight and the narrow passageways we cruised through on the ebb current were beautiful and at one point we glimpsed a small black-tailed deer grazing on a grassy islet. Once out in Blackfish Sound blows of humpback whales could be seen against the Swanson Island shoreline and as we neared Bold Head we observed two whales swimming together, a third one was nearby foraging, close in along the shoreline. Passing Bold Head the three whales came together and everyone onboard enjoyed watching as they lunged, feeding close into shore several times, working together side by side, the three would surface and dive simultaneously. One whale was observed ‘trumpeting’ and the viewing was extremely picturesque and exciting; the rocky shoreline was sunlit and glistening and the sound of shorebirds calling was audible while we drifted quietly waiting for the whales to surface. It was a brilliant and close encounter and before leaving the area we watched as they headed north west together. Other sightings included: harbour seals, dalls porpoises, pacific white-sided dolphins, rhinoceros and cassin’s auklets, common murres, pigeon guillemots, belted kingfishers, mew gulls and bald eagles.

It was a beautiful calm day on the water and we noticed increasing numbers of sea birds had arrived into the area from our last tour out with herring ball activity ++. We enjoyed some nice viewing of a minke whale that we identified as ‘Ripple’ foraging near to Stubbs Island while other sightings included: harbour seals hauled out, dalls porpoises, rhinoceros and cassin’s auklets, red-necked phalaropes (first sighting of the season for them) and numerous bald eagles.

Today was a great day on the water and exciting from the moment of our first sighting of a humpback whale blow. A few more blows were sighted and then the whale breached, all being viewed from a distance away then suddenly the whale surfaced nearby where it appeared to be lying on the surface of the water resting briefly between taking breaths. When the whale resurfaced it was near to Stubbs Island and was soon seen foraging back and forth in wide circles meanwhile a second humpback whale was sighted in Blackfish Sound. The humpback whale that we encountered and enjoyed viewing was identified as KC (Kelp Creature). Other sightings included: harbour seals, dalls and harbour porpoises, rhinoceros and cassin’s auklets, mew and herring gulls, belted kingfishers and bald eagles. Over recent days there has been minke whale and humpback whale sightings in the area and yesterday 8 Biggs orcas (Transients)passed through Cormorant Channel heading west, two Minke Whales were also nearby at this time and a large group of pacific white-sided dolphins. The orcas were: the T109A’s, T69A’s and T12A.

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!

Humpback Whale entanglement: May 27, 2012

This is the update from Jared and Christie with regard to the Humpback Whale entanglement in Knight Inlet on May 27th. Hi all, Just wanted to give you all an update on the entangled whale yesterday. As we mentioned last night, the success depended on the involvement of a lot of different people, so we wanted to share the story of how events unfolded yesterday. Thanks to the report from Alex, which was passed along by Leah, we were able to get in touch with Chris (who had reported the entanglement). We were then in touch with Paul Cottrell who we assume had just heard from the DFO radio room via Chris about the situation. We're still unsure exactly who Chris is or how he became informed about the situation as he was near Bute Inlet when we spoke to him but in any case he was very helpful in passing along details about the vessels on scene, their contact info, and the nature of the situation. While Paul was making arrangements to fly up here, we and Nic assembled the disentanglement gear that Cetus owns. Due to having all this gear on hand Paul was able to travel light. Once loaded down with all this gear and some extra fuel courtesy of Dad Towers we left the Bay and arrived on scene on the Knight Inlet side of Minstrel Island at 15:45. The prawn boats were standing by and explained the situation. The gear was set in the early morning and they heard from another fisherman around noon that there was a whale wrapped up in it. We went over to have a look at the whale which was laying on the surface taking shallow breaths. It was anchored to the bottom with all the gear and was completely immobilized. It was vocalizing almost non-stop when we were close to it, and was only able to show its head to about halfway to its dorsal fin above the surface. Shortly after our arrival, Fishery Officers Kyle and Lindsay from Port Hardy arrived on scene in the Protection Point (Fisheries Patrol vessel). They had come straight from dealing with a float plane crash near Sullivan Bay... they were the first on scene for the crash and were able to rescue all passengers from the plane, before arriving on scene at the entangled whale. Paul's float plane arrived at 17:15, and we all discussed the situation and possible strategies. The decision was made to try to grapple for the gear that was under the whale, to try and get a sense of what we were dealing with. Unfortunately, due to the weight of the gear, it was not possible to pull up on it. The decision was then made to have the prawn boat start hauling their gear. They were able to retrieve about 1/3 of their traps before reaching a spot where the gear was caught up on a rock and could not be hauled in further. Luckily, while we were using a GoPro underwater camera on a pole to try to further assess the whale's entanglement (made difficult by the fact that the water was very murky), the prawn boat managed to grapple for their gear at another spot, and continued hauling traps, reducing a little of the weight anchoring the whale. Once some of the weight was relieved, the entanglement on the whale was more visible. There was a line wrapped around its flipper, which then ran over its back, and wrapped twice around its tailstock. Using a specially designed knife at the end of a pole (developed by the Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies in Massachusetts), Paul was able to cut the line that was wrapped around the whale's flipper. Once this line was cut, we were able to see the whale's dorsal fin for the first time. There were injuries apparent on the dorsal fin from where the line had scraped away its skin, but we were later able to recognize the whale as the same one that Alex photographed in Knight Inlet on May 17 of this year. With the prawn boat still relieving some of the weight of the gear on the whale, Paul and the Fishery Officers were able to make the final cuts of the line around the tailstock of the whale, freeing the whale completely from all gear at around 20:00. It appeared to take the whale a few moments to realize that it was free. It then started moving, at first very slowly, raising and lowering its back over and over again. It gradually picked up a little speed and we stayed with it for a few minutes before having to leave in order to get back to Alert Bay before dark. We never saw the fluke of the whale, nor was the fluke photographed the last time the whale was seen, so we do not have an ID of the whale yet. We were however, able to confirm from a later viewing of our underwater video that the only gear attached to the animal were the lines that got cut off :) Photos from the disentanglement, and dorsal fin photos of the whale are attached. If anyone sees this whale, it would be great if you could notify us so that we can document its condition. ~ Christie and Jared

We never truly know how precious something is until it is changed or gone forever. This is the realization that New Zealander's are waking up to this morning when they face yet another day of oil spilling onto their pristine sandy beaches. On October 5, 2011, the container ship 'Rena' ploughed into a well known chartered reef some 12 miles off the entrance to Tauranga Harbour on the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand. The question is still being asked, "why did the Freighter plough into the reef"? The answer is unquestionably "human error!" The once tantalizing sandy beaches are awash with blobs of toxic oil and large numbers of seabirds including some endangered species, fur seals and whales are at risk of dying. The birds and penguins, their feathers matted by oil are drowning in a soup of oil, ingesting it, the toxic oil renders them anaemic and they die. What of the fur seals and whales, will their fate be the same? Here on our own coast in BC we have the Enbridge Gateway Pipeline Proposal looming before us. If allowed, the pipeline will transport crude oil from the Alberta Tar Sands to a new marine terminal in Kitimat. From the terminal, some 220 super tankers will transport crude oil to Asia and the USA, carrying up to two million barrels of oil anually. In early 2012 the panel reviewing the project will hold community hearings along the proposed pipeline route, as well as Vancouver and Port Hardy, it will be in the hearings at Port Hardy that locals of the North Island area will be able to voice their opinions and concerns. With tragic consequences to the environment already being reported off the coast in NZ , what will be the consequences for seabird and marine mammal populations when an oil spill occurs at some point in the future in our own coastal waters? Looking back on history, the Alaskan coast near where the Exxon Valdez oil spill occurred on Bligh Reef, March 24, 1989, is still in recovery mode some 22 years later. In the weeks and months following the spill, thousands of people tried to clean up the contamination but two decades later, oil persists and is estimated to total around 20,000 gallons. Scientists continue to study the affected shorelines to understand how an ecosystem like Prince William Sound responds to, and recovers from, an incident like the Exxon oil spill. Twenty years after the Exxon Valdez spilled 11 million gallons of crude oil in Alaska's Prince William Sound, oil persists in the region and, in some places, "is nearly as toxic as it was the first few weeks after the spill," according to the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council overseeing restoration efforts. "This Exxon Valdez oil is decreasing at a rate of 0-4 percent per year," the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council stated. "At this rate, the remaining oil will take decades and possibly centuries to disappear entirely." With this in mind and the New Zealand oil spill tragedy unfolding before us now, it brings me back to my beginning. How precious is this 'place and planet' we live in/on, we must all be vigilant and protect it while we can .

In the last few days the North Island has been buffeted by heavy winds and heavy rain which overnight has turned our lingering late summer into one of late fall. On our last three tours out, on September 21st, 22nd and today, we have had some fabulous Humpback Whale sightings (6-10 whales being sighted) including lunge feeding today and yesterday. Most sightings have been near to Bold Head although yesterday on our way home we sighted one near the Pearse Reefs, it was foraging in circles and passing back and forth through enormous herring balls. The lighting was golden as we watched it lunge feed and observed not only its baleen plates but also gulls scrambling away just in time before getting caught inside its mouth and again this morning our first Humpback Whale sighting was near the Pearse Reefs. Herring ball activity has been considerable in recent days with a myriad of seabird species feeding from both above and below the surface of the water. In the last few days our sightings of Sooty Shearwaters have dwindled considerably from large flocks flying about to a few small groups of birds today. Sooty Shearwaters are amazing birds that fly 65,000 km in a round trip journey each year. They are one of the most abundant bird species in the world with a total population estimated at 20 million. They only breed in temperate and subantarctic regions of the southern hemisphere, in New Zealand, Australia, Chile and the Falkland Islands. New Zealand has by far the most birds with 5 million pairs in 80 breeding colonies, approximately half of the worlds population. Researchers have found that the migratory cycle of the birds encompasses the entire Pacific Basin, focusing on the richest feeding grounds in both hemispheres -from Antarctic waters in the south during the breeding season to bountiful coastal currents off California, Alaska and Japan. With this information in mind, it is always exciting to welcome them back to our waters in early September knowing that they are on their journey back to the South Pacific and while their visit is brief it is wonderful seeing these extraordinary birds. Information on their transequatorial migration can be found at: www.terranature.org/sootyShearwaterMigration Other sightings in these recent days have included: stellar sea lions++, harbour seals, rhinoceros auklets, common murres+++, red-necked phalaropes, great blue herons, belted kingfishers, pelagic cormorants, surf scoters and bald eagles.