Marie O'Shaughnessy Photos

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A note to all blog readers, I am gone away for 10 days and will return for the first two weeks of September before departing to Toronto. There will be little activity from me on the blog until then. See you soon!

Superpod!

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(Ruffles / J1 est 57 years old)






Pinnipeds at Race Rocks








Well for me it's been 6 days since i've seen the southern residents orcas (fish eaters) and today all 86 animals returned to our area. On the Ocean Magic 3:30 we didn't travel far to reach the animals as they were all spread 3 miles offshore of Victoria's Dallas Rd in to the Strait of Juan de Fuca traveling eastbound to San Juan Island. Family groups including the J2 matriline (at 4:44) (ecard) and other smaller groups in Jpod were in our view this afternoon. All the animals were traveling however we viewed mainly the Jpod family who consists of 25 members. The animals were viewed breaching, spyhopping, pec slapping, tail slamming, traveling, speed porpoising and playing along their travels. There was much variation of activity and was happening all around us all the time. Near the end, brothers Blackberry J27 (1991) & Mako J39 (2003) spyhopped past our stern (at 5:10 pm) at this point we were situated about 2 miles southwest of Trial Island. After an amazing time with the killer whales we headed to Race Rocks where an elephant seal was busy making it's way up to the lighthouse, and piles of sealions were hauled out on the rocks sleeping and fighting for real estate.... What an epic trip it was.

Transients, Humpbacks, Pinnipeds

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(Naturalist Liz)

Today on the 3:30 Ocean Magic trip we caught up with 4 transients (meat eating orcas) - T30a and others (will confirm) and were traveling west in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. They zig zagged from 2 miles west from Crescent Bay and 2 miles offshore and would take long dives. After watching the group for about 30 minutes, we followed up with two humpbacks feeding about 3 miles offshore from Beecher Bay. They were about 1 mile apart from each other (the two humpbacks). We watched one animal fluke a few times before heading over to Race Rocks ecological reserve. There we found a large number of Stellar and California sealions hauled out on the rocks. Guests had a lovely view of the lighthouse as well as a variety of marine birds. Today was a perfect warm and sunny summer day!

Humpbacks & pinnipeds

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(Bull Kelp - NOTE: kelp was already dead)
















(Naturalist Jenn)

Today on the 3:30 Ocean Magic voyage, we headed approximately 6 miles south east of Victoria where two humpback whales, a probable mother and calf were milling. Nice tail flukes. The animals were apart by about a mile. Following the sighting we headed to Race Rocks ecological reserve where we found an abundance of Stellar and California Sealions and Elephant seals and harbour seals. One Elephant seal was busy on its way up towards the lighthouse. On our way home, passengers were treated to a hands on information session about bull kelp. Today was sunny and beautiful, a perfect summer day.