Aug 31st

Today aboard the SuperCat's 12.30 trip we had T44 with 2 females, presumably T41 and T41a, about 5 miles east of Discovery Island, and they were making slow progress towards Haro Strait. Lovely shots! En route to the orcas we thought we saw other blows off Discovery Island. Low and behold, 2 humpbacks were found! So that was an added bonus, as well as seeing startled harbour seals off Trail Island, maybe 20 of them huddled in the water, on full transient killer whale alert! Excellent voyage! See the below video link to see footage of our last pass of the T's!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrHtCumg53I

Aug 30th

The morning SuperCat trip had us out west by Sooke Basin with the same 6 transients as yesterday! The seals must taste really great at this time of year at Race Rocks, because they have stuck around 24hrs+ for a reason!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AmtSCpoO_4

We then had reports that there was a humpback whale by Otter Point, so off we ventured to see that individual, and then on the way home we visited Race Rocks! FastCat had to venture a little further west for their visit with the westbound transients, to Point No Point. FastCat's evening trip could not find the humpback out by secretary island, so we ventured back to Race Rocks, and then on home!

SuperCat - August 27th Photos

We had an amazing trips on Sunday with all three pods (J,K, and L) of the Southern Resident Community. Enjoy the photos!

Note: All photos are zoomed in.

Aug 29th

What a great day! 6 transient killer whales! T31 with his beautiful tall straight pointed dorsal fin, the T41's (T41, T41a and a juvenile), T44 (male with a small rounded nick in the center of his dorsal) and T63 (male with a very handsome injury to his dorsal). Our morning trip witnessed what was thought to be 2 kills, as the animals carried out characteristic attack moves. It was a great sight to see all 6 orcas head straight to and through Race Rocks, then round towards William Head. Enjoy the video links below ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sABpzHJkN80

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pn04wNHttjc

The afternoon trip found us several miles SE offshore of Race Rocks with the same 6 transients, in lazy steady travel. We left the transients as they were still pointed towards the SE. I wonder if we'll see them tomorrow?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfbCF44OaZI

August 26th - FastCat

Enjoy these photos from another awesome day aboard the FastCat.

Aug 26th

SuperCats 12.30 trip today was somewhere south of San Juan, and somewhere east of Discovery Island! We gladly heard the reports that it was SuperPod (90 orcas - all 3 pods!) out there, but we also heard there were 100+ boats out there (private, commercial and research). Once there though, they all seemed to be on their lunch break, as were J pod!!



We had lovely little J groupings, lazing around, milling. Ruffles was ascending to the surface alot slower than usual. He's a graceful old gent.





Our evening trip was out in the same area with J's and L's all mixed up, foraging. We had some great encounters with Ruffles, Blackberry, Gaia, J14 and J40, and a final group of L pod which included L2 (Grace) and family. See video links ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKWoCTDFHws

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwnAUyZeTWQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzcDMGQDnhg

Fantastic. Very happy people on board!

Aug 25th

2 video links below from our trip today on SuperCat. We spent the 2 trips off San Juan Island, with the L12's (Mega and family) and the L5's, whilst the rest of the southern residents were reportedly further north of Vancouver.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVj-JHqpjrw

We were happy to see the research vessel pass by with a highly trained dog on board, one who's job is to sniff out whale poo, for collection and analysis. Data from samples will tell reseachers what the orca had been feeding on, which orca the sample was from (based on DNA) and also hormone levels in the animal! See below video to see the poop pooch!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1CiqWAJBSw

Transient T-14 (PENDER) Porpoising

Transient T-14 (PENDER) Porpoising
Originally uploaded by Jeff Lorton.

This shot, taken on Aug. 23rd shows the robust nature of the Transient eco-type of Orca that frequent the Strait of Juan de Fuca
Mid August is typically when the largest number of new seals are in the area and male sea lions are also returning to Race Rocks. A researcher friend said he would bet money that Transient Orca would show up in the eastern part of the strait by Aug. 15th. He was right on the money.

Pender is looking pretty good for a fella in his early forties.

Best,
Jeff

August 24th - FastCat

Our 10 am trip took us out to Becher Bay where 2 transient orca were reported by a sportfishing boat. As we watched T46B and T46B1, more reports rolled in of more transients south of Race Rocks. These transients included the T100's and T101's along with one of our favorite's, T14 (Pender). The trip was finished by a trip to Race Rocks to check out the seals and sealions on the islands.

Our guests at 2pm were treated to the rare situation of viewing both transient and resident orca in one trip. As all three of our resident pods headed east down the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the transients hung out 3 miles to the South. It was an amazing day!

Enjoy the photos, but keep in mind......photos are taken with a zoom lens and then doctored on my computer. Animals are NOT as close as they appear! For more photos check out www.flickr.com/photos/chelseastanley/

24th Aug

Can the end of August really be coming around? Today's afternoon trip on SuperCat found us out west by Sheringham Point with inbound resident killer whales. It was wonderful, as it always is. They exhibited playful travelling behaviour. Enjoy the below video links to see what we saw out here today! Race Rocks was a treat to see on the way home as well...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhDDnmVC8aY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjvXr2yoJwI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzPk6_R-4pk

FastCat - August 23 Trips

Enjoy the photos of transient killer whales and sea lions at the Race Rocks!

Note: the photos are zoomed in.

Sunday August 20 - SuperCat's Trips

Here are some photos from Sunday's SuperCat's Trip for everyone to enjoy. It was an Amazing Day!

Friday August 18 - FastCat Night Trip

Here are some photos from the FastCat's Friday Night Trip. Enjoy!

Aug 20th

FastCats 2pm trip today had us venturing up to Stuart Island, where J's, K's and L's were all south bound from Turn Point. We had orcas everywhere!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGldIngmjXg

K pod hugged the shoreline, and were extremely social, with fins poking out of the water, as they all sat there logging at the surface (video below is a bit shaky due to the 20x zoom applied!).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deXldxkCkmM

One of the passing J ladies gave us a wonderous breach, which I managed to luckily capture on video...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsmAv47YKVA

Mike (J26) swam by the stern....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dhdrr_DpaZY

and one lady orca was sunning her belly at the surface for a while!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQPEz-CAJSc

Everyone enjoyed our sunny, calm waters trip in the north Haro Strait. My cousins Dave and Barb were on board, and had a fabulous time. Not too many killer whales in Lethbridge, AB, where they are from!

Aug 19th

Todays three trips were in the company of our resident orcas off San Juan Island. Our 9am trip found groups of J's, K's and L's all spread out and making a bee line for San Juan. 55yr old Ruffles was being a cheeky old devil by accompanying Raggedy, who is in her mid 40's. Cappucino was travelling with some K and L ladies, as they all headed north!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGr-oGSV1-o

By the afternoon trip we heard that J's had scooted further north, so we viewed mainly L's off Lime Kiln and Hannah Heights. The L12's were having a snooze, all grouped up in the park, in a slow south bound direction impeeded by the flooding tide!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTEH48qskQU

The evening trip was spent over at Salmon Bank, with mainly L pod whales. Mega and Alexis were hunting and zigging all over the place in search of a salmon snack or 2! L78 (Onyx) surfaced off the stern all of a sudden, and surprised our group stood there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVvwWYYXShY

Everyone on board enjoyed their trip immensely, and we enjoyed their company too. Excellent day.

Aug 18th

Fabulous day out on the SuperCat today. The morning trip found us out searching the straits for our cetacean friends. We visited harbour seals at Chain Islets, and then went over to William Head where someone had found a stinky minke! Our passengers were content, and we decided to finish the trip with a visit to Race Rocks. En route, Trev swerved the SuperCat to a SE direction as we had word that there were transients at Dungeness Spit, over on the Washington side. Off we set and came to the T100's and another small group!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBuDIjeuNEg

The afternoon brought us the delightful news that all our residents were inbound from the west, so off we set to Secretary Island, and saw all our black and white friends file past. Lovely playful social behaviour as they made slow progress east.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90mQvGSsdmU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgTX78ZdqNc

Our evening trip was just off the waterfront, with groups of orcas spread out, frolicking east towards San Juan. L41 and his grandmother, L12 came by! Glad to have them back after 4 days away.

Aug 17th

Orcas in the morning, and a grey whale in the afternoon! Made for 2 fabulous trips! The morning orcas were no less than 3 transients, the T10's (Mum and her 2 offspring). They were all the west out by Sheringham Point, and were travelling at a steady 6 knots westbound. We stopped by Race Rocks on the way home, and saw our 4 favourite (and only) pinnipeds!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYca2_HBwTY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3_LnTl8E2I

Out at Freshwater Bay in the afternoon with the same grey whale as yesterday, making its way east towards Port Angeles. 100's of seabirds were at the west end of the Elwar River, as it terminated in the strait, feeding on what Ron guessed were lots of sandlance. We saw a shoal of herring on the way home, a feeding salmon within, in the midst of many gulls dining at the surface! What a rich marine world we work in!

Gray Whale At Low Pt. Olympic Peninsula

P8164988
Originally uploaded by Jeff Lorton.

It was terrific to see this big whale feeding along a steep under water drop off. The depth rapid went from 45-50ft down to 100ft and we saw no silt in the water to indicade flat mud bottom type feeding oftern associated with the Gray whales. The animal made fairly regular stop and clockwise circles as ti slowly progressed towards
Pillar Point to the west..

Kind regards,
Jeff

FastCat - 12:30 and 4:00 PM Trips

The two FastCat trips were spent with a lone Grey whale off Crescent Bay, Washington. The animal was slowly foraging, heading in a westernly direction. We had two amazing passes by the Grey whale, as seen in the above photos. In addition, we had a great view of the four pinniped species: Steller Sea Lions, Californian Sea Lions, Harbour seals, and Northern Elephant seals, at Race Rock MPA. We had a great opportunity to listen to Californian's barking and the Steller's growling. Enjoy the photos of the pinnipeds at Race Rocks. Note: the photos are zoomed in.

What a spectacular day in the Strait of Juan de Fuca.....watching marine life!

2orcas & 2cats

2orcas2cats
Originally uploaded by orcagirl.

From one of our superpod days last week

Aug 15th

No news of our black and white friends, so off we set searching the straits! We came across a minke, and then 2 more minkes at Hein Bank. Fleeting glimpses of harbour porpoises. Pulled a strand of bull kelp out of the water, and we all examined it! The afternoon trip brought reports that there were 15+ transient orcas off Port Townsend. As we set our GPS, Wilson Point was our limit, yet we realised earlier than that it was a no go. This group of orcas had headed south down Puget Sound, and were well out of our reach. So to Hein Bank, where we had a great show from a minke. He/she was surface lunge feeding, all over. Must have been great feed down there. The animal certainly startled the seabirds!
With a grusome look at a de-capitated (partially!) harbour seal floating 3 miles NW of Hein Bank, seeing the live ones at Chain Islands was better, and surprisingly more fragrant than the deceased! Go to video link below to see ....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbZMn1p564s

August 13

Well, what can I say, another incredible day with the Southern Residents. We caught up with a mixture of K's and L's, 3 miles east of Hein Bank. We were treated to breaches, spyhops and foraging displays. Scoter (K25) proudly displayed a salmon on the top of his head for a few minutes, then proceeded to push it around in the water before coming out with the fish grasped in his teeth. (Excuse the blurry photo of this, I was pretty excited when I took it!) He opened his mouth and swallowed it for all of our passengers to see. What a day!

August 12 - SUPERPOD!!

What a day! We started off in the morning with 5 members of the L12's off of South Beach. We got word that the rest of the Southern Residents were on their way down from Point Roberts, heading towards East Point. Great news for our afternoon and evening trips! These trips were unforgettable. Whales as far as the eye could see! All 89 of our local orcas came together for a day our passengers will never forget. Enjoy these photos from our day - and please keep in mind that these are taken with a high-powered zoom.....objects in photos are not as close as they appear!!!!!!!!! For more photos from 5 Star trips, check out www.flickr.com/photos/chelseastanley/

INCREDIBLE Super Pod

WOW! Today was the BEST whale watching day probably in existence!!! Or at least this year anyways. Stay tuned as more of the 5 Star staff will be uploading their epic photos from today. UNBELIEVABLE!!!!

Today we had onboard guests from Mexico City and boy did they get the orca show of a lifetime!!!

Go West Young Whale

Onyx heading West
Originally uploaded by Jeff Lorton.

Onyx, L-87 heads into the setting sun. L-87 is part of a small subpod consisting mostly of young orca males.