During the past month, Transient Orca have been observed and reported in various locations. Transient Orca feed on other marine mammals such as seals, sea lions, porpoises, dolphins, and younger baleen whales. They usually travel in pods that have 4 to 6 individuals, and they can travel far distances in one day as they search for food. As they hunt, the Orca are stealthy and they work together to catch their prey. Their presence at the surface and regular splashing may indicate the Transient Orca are hunting and feeding. If you are out on the water, please note the regulations described below regarding viewing Orca.
As a reminder that if you are boating and out on the water, please be aware of the presence of whales and dolphins. Signs of their presence may include blows of the Cetaceans and other boats stopped or moving slowly in an area. Boats and other water craft (e.g. kayaks) must remain at least 1-km away Southern Resident Orca and at least 200-m away from other Orca (Transients and Northern Residents). See the full government regulation in the following paragraph.
The Federal Government (DFO) issued the following statement about watching Orca in the wild: “Keep 1,000 metres away from Southern Resident killer whales in southern B.C. coastal waters between Campbell River and just north of Ucluelet. Keep 200 metres away from all other killer whales in British Columbia (B.C.) and the Pacific Ocean”. A minimum distance of 200-m must be maintained when viewing any Cetaceans that are resting or with a calf. When viewing whales, dolphins, and porpoises under other circumstances not described above, a minimum distance of 100-m must be kept. A great resource for up to date Canadian or US regulations: Be Whale Wise Guidelines.
WOWs works throughout the year, so please continue to keep your eyes open, and report your sightings to us.
Sightings Update
SIGHTINGS MAP – ISSUE: 2026-004
TRANSIENT BIGGS KILLER WHALES
Wed May 06 2026
16:25 • 5 Biggs Orca ◦T023◦ heading into Okeover Inlet. ▫ Leaving the Scene
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
Sat May 09 2026
–:– • Biggs Orca ◦T090s◦ off Vancouver in Burrard Inlet.
The Orca were in the Harbour in the evening. They were observed by a friend, who was travelling on the seabus. ▫ Second Hand
Ivan Ng, North Vancouver, BC
Sun May 10 2026
12:00 • 3 Biggs Orca heading south at Grief Point, Malaspina Strait. ▫ Second Hand
12:40 • 3 Biggs Orca heading north out from the Powell River Viewpoint, Malaspina Strait.
Small fin Orca. Possibly the same Orca observed near Grief Point earlier at noon.
Barry Rice, Powell River, BC
Tue May 12 2026
11:30 • Biggs Orca ◦T101s◦ heading south past Cape Mudge, Georgia Strait.
15:15 • Biggs Orca ◦T019s◦ heading south past Mitlenatch Island, Georgia Strait.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
20:45 • 1 Biggs Orca ◦T011A◦
taking long dives, 200-m east of Billings Spit, Sooke Inlet.
Close to shore. ▫ Observed from Shore
Sylvie Gareau, Sooke, BC
Wed May 13 2026
12:28 • 14 Biggs Orca ◦T063 Chainsaw,T087◦ heading south off Wilby Shoals, Georgia Strait. ▫ Leaving the Scene
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
Sat May 16 2026
13:11 • Biggs Orca ◦T002Cs◦ heading south-west off Sarah Point, Malaspina Strait. ▫ Leaving the Scene
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
Sun May 17 2026
11:20 • 4 Biggs Orca ◦T087◦ heading north-west about 1-NM from Cortez Reef, Sutil Channel.
12:45 • Biggs Orca ◦T002Cs◦ heading north off the NW side of Kinghorn Island, Lewis Channel.
At 13:00, they were off Refuge Cove still heading north.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
Tue May 19 2026
12:15 • Biggs Orca ◦T002Cs◦ heading north off Browns Bay, Discovery Passage. ▫ Leaving the Scene
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
Wed May 20 2026
13:12 • Biggs Orca ◦T023,T023Ds◦
milling, near South Rendezvous Island, Calm Channel.
13:44 • Biggs Orca ◦T023,T023Ds◦
travelling, heading south off Read Island parallel to South Rendezvous Island, Drew Passage. ▫ Leaving the Scene
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
Fri May 22 2026
12:30 • Biggs Orca ◦T090s◦
milling, off the north-west side of Hill Island, Sutil Channel.
Just completed a hunt.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
Sat May 23 2026
13:00 • 4 Biggs Orca
moving slowly, heading east north of William Head, Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Right by the shoreline. ▫ Observed from Shore
Sylvie Gareau, Sooke, BC
15:11 • Biggs Orca ◦T002Cs◦ heading south-west, Burdwood Bay, Read Island, Sutil Channel.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
21:04 • est. 4+ Biggs Orca off Grief Point, Malaspina Strait.
1 large fin.
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
Transient Biggs Killer Whales
Biggs Orca off Grief Point, Malaspina Strait
Sat, 23 May 2026 – 5 items
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
Transient Biggs Killer Whales
Biggs Orca off Grief Point, Malaspina Strait
Sat, 23 May 2026 – 5 items
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
Sun May 24 2026
12:02 • 4 Biggs Orca ◦T087◦
milling, outside Burdwood Bay, Read Island, Sutil Channel.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
Tue May 26 2026
13:48 • 4 Biggs Orca just south of Breton Islands, Sutil Channel.
One big fin (male).
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
Fri May 29 2026
13:33 • Biggs Orca ◦T101s◦
taking long dives, heading north approaching Teakerne Arm in Lewis Channel.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
SPECIES SUPPLEMENT
Transient Biggs Killer Whales
Body and tail slaps showing active surface behavior
Wed, 20 May 2026 – 5 items
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
SPECIES SUPPLEMENT
Transient Biggs Killer Whales
Body and tail slaps showing active surface behavior
Wed, 20 May 2026 – 5 items
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
SPECIES SUPPLEMENT
Transient Biggs Killer Whales
We were fortunate to see my favorite orca family (T002C’s) on consecutive days. We also had the old boy TO87 travelling with T124A and T124A6 & T124A7 on today’s tour.
Sun, 17 May 2026 – 5 items
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
SPECIES SUPPLEMENT
Transient Biggs Killer Whales
We were fortunate to see my favorite orca family (T002C’s) on consecutive days. We also had the old boy TO87 travelling with T124A and T124A6 & T124A7 on today’s tour.
Sun, 17 May 2026 – 5 items
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
SPECIES SUPPLEMENT
Transient Biggs Killer Whales
Consistent surfacing as the group comes up repeatedly to breathe
Fri, 29 May 2026 – 5 items
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
SPECIES SUPPLEMENT
Transient Biggs Killer Whales
Consistent surfacing as the group comes up repeatedly to breathe
Fri, 29 May 2026 – 5 items
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
UNIDENTIFIED KILLER WHALES
Tue May 26 2026
20:20 • Orca heading south between Bowser and Chrome Island, Georgia Strait.
No Name Provided
HUMPBACK WHALES
Fri May 08 2026
15:30 • 2 Humpback Whales ◦BCY0291 KC◦ heading south approaching No Name Creek, Discovery Passage.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
Mon May 11 2026
16:06 • 1 Humpback Whales
breaching, about 2-km east of the Saltery Bay Ferry Terminal east of Powell River, Jervis Inlet. ▫ From Ferry
Amy Tong, Burnaby, BC
Humpback Whales
Humpback Whales breaching, east of the Saltery Bay Ferry Terminal, Jervis Inlet
Mon, 11 May 2026 – 1 items
Amy Tong, Burnaby, BC
Humpback Whales
Humpback Whales breaching, east of the Saltery Bay Ferry Terminal, Jervis Inlet
Mon, 11 May 2026 – 1 items
Amy Tong, Burnaby, BC
Wed May 20 2026
15:09 • 1 Humpback Whales heading south off Cape Mudge, Georgia Strait.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
Thu May 28 2026
13:30 • 3 Humpback Whales heading north 4 miles northeast of Little River, Georgia Strait.
Graham Evans, Stowaway Adventures
18:48 • 1 Humpback Whales heading south, south of Beach Gardens Marina, Malaspina Strait.
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
Humpback Whales
Humpback Whales heading south, south of Beach Gardens Marina, Malaspina Strait
Thu, 28 May 2026 – 3 items
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
Humpback Whales
Humpback Whales heading south, south of Beach Gardens Marina, Malaspina Strait
Thu, 28 May 2026 – 3 items
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
GREY WHALES
Fri Apr 03 2026
19:00 • est. 2 Grey Whales
moving slowly, heading south-east off Kwomais Point, Boundary Bay, Georgia Strait.
Off White Rock (Surrey, B.C.). ▫ Observed from Shore
Noah Schmidt, BC
Sun May 10 2026
06:50 • 1 Grey Whales ◦CRC-2688◦ heading west towards Jericho Beach, Vancouver, Burrard Inlet.
Surfacing and blowing every 2 minutes. Viewed from Stanley Park through binoculars. ▫ Observed from Shore
Ivan Ng, North Vancouver, BC
PACIFIC WHITE SIDED DOLPHINS
Thu May 21 2026
15:22 • PWS Dolphins heading south off the Powell River Viewpoint, Malaspina Strait.
Small pod.
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
HARBOUR PORPOISE
Mon May 11 2026
19:45 • est. 2+ Harbour Porpoise
milling, heading south at the mouth of Pedder Bay, Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Moving slowly. ▫ From Kayak or Paddleboard
Sylvie Gareau, Sooke, BC
Harbour Porpoise
Harbour Porpoise milling, heading south at the mouth of Pedder Bay, Strait of Juan de Fuca
Mon, 11 May 2026 – 2 items
Sylvie Gareau, Sooke, BC
Harbour Porpoise
Harbour Porpoise milling, heading south at the mouth of Pedder Bay, Strait of Juan de Fuca
Mon, 11 May 2026 – 2 items
Sylvie Gareau, Sooke, BC
Thu May 28 2026
15:16 • 6 Harbour Porpoise at Marina Reef, Sutil Channel.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
Archive Explorer
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