The 14th December brought us a beautiful day. Clear and calm waters. First we found a surface feeding humpback whale followed quickly by the first of many pods of mammal eating killer whales.
After a short 15 minute search from Victoria harbor we stopped to watch a humpback whale feeding at the surface.
In the same area we watched a pod of killer whales approach. This was the first of many family groups all moving into the Salish Sea from the Pacific Ocean. The Orcas were identified as an unusual mix of families. Usually the mammal eating orcas we find are understood to have a territory along the inner coastal waters of the Pacific North West. Today however we had at least one individual identified as CA166 who would normally be found along the coast of California. Also 3 member of a group identified as ‘unknown’. Researchers are unsure of where they would normally spend there time.
The prey of these orcas may be seals, sea lions, and porpoise. Many sea lions are in the area and the waters are prey rich right now.
We saw large groups of the sea lions hauled out on the rocks and return home as the sun set.
