Orca & Humpback Breaching

Humpback Whales Breaching

Whale Tales has more pics than usual today: three tours and some very cool photos of both Orca & Humpback Breaching. A spectacular day viewing Orca & Humpback Whale Breaching. I am torn between a humpback breach or the sunset breach of a male Orca. Since the humpback whale breaches are more rare, I went with one of the humpback breaching, even though the sunset pic is beautiful.

Cetaceans in BC Ferry’s Path

On our first tour, we joined in a search pattern for Orca, coordinating with other vessels. We located three groups of Humpback Whales but no Orca. We viewed a pair of Humpback Whales in Swanson Channel, BC. Several breaches and agitated tail slapping by this pair. I believe it was due to them being agitated each time a BC ferry cruised by. The first time it was the Spirit of British Columbia. I had called the ship to let them know the Humpback had shifted closer to the ferries path. As the ferry approached they did slow down some but not enough in my opinion and the whale seemed to feel the same way with agitated tail slaps.

In one of the humpback photos you can see the top of its head as it surfaces for a breath. The large bumps on its head are hair follicles. Kind of an oddity I find fascinating.

T65As at Protection Island

We watched them for a while and then moved on to see if we could spot something else. Towards the end of the tour, a pod of Killer Whales had been located south of Protection Island just off the Olympic peninsula. That was too far for us to go on that tour. However, on the second tour, we headed south out of the harbor and made our way to them. Crossing the Strait of Juan de Fuca was beautiful and calm waters with a forecast of wind waves to build as the day wore on.

Sunset Happy Dance

Later on during the evening tour is when the Orca made a kill and then began their happy dance and started breaching. I call it their happy dance because they have meat in their bellies and feeling good and start to share their joy. Any day on the water, I consider a good day. However, when we see both Orca & Humpback Breaching for our viewing pleasure, that is a special day. We started with the T65As on the Olympic Peninsula on our second tour. Then at sunset we left them on our last tour after they had entered San Juan Channel. Possibly they ducked into the harbor during the night sometime.