Rare Sea Otter Sighting and Photos plus Cetaceans

Big Excitement! A Sea Otter – we haven’t seen one in this part of the Georgia Strait since before my time; and says a lot in a very few words! I realize that it may not be a Whale, Dolphin or Porpoise, but it’s a very important sighting in our ocean. Perhaps we should call him/her "Canada" in honour of Canada Day. As for the Cetaceans, there have been a lot… Orca, Humpbacks, Pacific White Sided Dolphins and the little Harbour and Dall’s Porpoise again seem to be dropped. Their sightings may not be as spectacular, but the reports are just as important.

PS. Happy Canada Day to all.

2:43 pm Sea Otter – On our way across Sutil Channel from Francisco Point on Quadra Island I looked to the left as I was going by and had to do a double take!! I knew it wasn’t a river otter and having worked on the West coast and spending 6 months with Sea Otters out of Tofino knew exactly what i was looking at!! I am really curious is this the first documented sighting in the central inside coast??? I wish we could have stayed with him/her longer but of course the guests wanted to see the whales. Directly across from this guy’s line of travel was a gang of Killer Whales consisting of the T002C’s, T101/102 gangs plus others. They were no more then a 1/4 mile away.

9:45 am 5 Orca coming out of Mayne Passage by Ripple Point heading West up Johnstone Strait. They continued West.

10:15 am 7 to 9 Orca spread out by Beazely Pass in Hoskyns Channel. They sort of headed towards Beazley Pass, but seem to be unsure.

12:30 pm The Orca had turned back down the channel, South, and were now down by Hoskyns Rock and Dunsterville Island spread out. By 1 pm they were still heading slowly south by Viner Point towards Marina Island. There appears to be more Orca – now up to 12 at least – including T02C’s.

3:51 pm Just found Transient Orca T086A gang plus 2. 6 Orca in total. They’re Northbound at the top of Whale Passage headed along Reid Island shore for Drew Passage. 4:59 pm Leaving T086A’s and T090’s finishing a forage at the bottom of South Rendezvous Island. No direction.

5:56 pm Left the Orca Southbound at the South end of Mitlenatch Island 45 minutes ago. What a day for Orca! All over the place and the Sea Otter was the icing on the cake!

8:35 pm Couple of Orcas passed by Grief Point at 8:35. Moving slow and heading south.

6:30 am 2 Humpback Whales heading North by Steep Island in Seymour Narrows.

10:15 am Found the 2 Humpbacks.

4:20 pm "Big Whale" between Mitlenatch and Savary Island.

4:30 pm Humpbacks in Baker Pass.

8:55 am PWS Dolphins – no great numbers – in lower Bute Inlet by Fawn Bluffs.

10 am 20 PWS Dolphins just out in front of the pier at Campbell River Northbound.

11:30 am 6 PWS Dolphins heading North by Brown’s Bay.

July 1:

6:17 pm 25 to 30 PWS Dolphins by Copper Bluffs drifting Northwards.

6:17 pm PWS Dolphins close to Okisollo Channel, between Howe Island and Greensea Bay.

10:40 am A few Hundred Pacific White Sided Dolphins heading towards Jimmy Judd Island in the Yucultas – There’s an Eagle feeding frenzy on fish in the currents show almost every day.