To see a whale breaching is a very exciting and memorable moment. The splash created from a Humpback whale breaching can be seen many kilometers away and the sound from the whale returning to the water travels just as far. Other surface behaviours of Humpback whales that can be observed are lunge-feeding, pectoral slapping, and tail slapping. The sounds of Humpback whales can indicate their presence; their blows can be heard before they are seen. In addition, Humpback whales may also “trumpet”, which means they force air through their blowholes which produces a sound often to indicate something (e.g. such as dolphins surrounding them). They may also be less active and resting along the surface, which can make it more challenging to detect and observe the whale. Let us know what you see and any of these behaviours!
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: 2026-007
TRANSIENT BIGGS KILLER WHALES
Fri Jun 19 2026
16:00 • est. 3-5 Biggs Orca
taking long dives, heading north near Mary Point, Cortes Island, Malaspina Strait.
They dove about 400 feet away from me, coming straight at me. They did not resurface. One Orca with a very tall dorsal fin (6-ft). ▫ From Kayak or Paddleboard
LG, Tiber Bay, BC
Mon Jul 06 2026
10:45 • 4 Biggs Orca in Hoskyn Channel.
No direction given.
Radio, overheard or call out
12:30 • 4 Biggs Orca ◦T051 Roswell◦ in Hyacinthe Bay, Quadra Island, Sutil Channel.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
16:45 • Biggs Orca Dogfish Bay, Sutil Channel.
Radio, overheard or call out
Tue Jul 07 2026
12:17 • 5 Biggs Orca ◦T051 Roswell◦ heading north passing Quathiaski Cove, Quadra Island, Discovery Passage.
Four small finned orca with T051. ▫ Leaving the Scene
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
Wed Jul 08 2026
12:27 • 5 Biggs Orca ◦T051 Roswell◦ heading south at Williams Beach, Georgia Strait. ▫ Leaving the Scene
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
Sat Jul 11 2026
11:30 • Biggs Orca ◦T051 Roswell◦
zig zagging, near Cape Mudge, Quadra Island, Georgia Strait. ▫ Leaving the Scene
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
Wed Jul 15 2026
15:00 • est. 4 Biggs Orca ◦T109As◦
hunting, heading south-west on the north-east side of the Sooke Basin, Sooke Inlet.
Zig zagging, lots of splashing and slapping, hunting by the docks at the north-east side of the basin. At around 1700, they were hunting by the docks by Billing’s Spit and left the basin at around 1730. ▫ From Kayak or Paddleboard
Sylvie Gareau, Sooke, BC
Thu Jul 16 2026
09:10 • Biggs Orca ◦T101s◦ heading south off Cortez Reef, Georgia Strait.
11:52 • Biggs Orca ◦T101s◦
taking long dives, east of Grant Reefs, Georgia Strait.
Lots of herring in the area.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
Sat Jul 18 2026
14:45 • 1 Biggs Orca
milling, off the reef at Willow Point, Georgia Strait.
A male Orca.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
UNIDENTIFIED KILLER WHALES
Mon Jul 06 2026
–:– • Orca in Drew Harbour.
Observed in the morning. ▫ Second Hand
Susan MacKay, Wild Ocean Whale Society
SPECIES SUPPLEMENT
Unidentified Killer Whales
Nature has been putting on quite the show lately
Tue, 7 Jul 2026 – 6 items
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
SPECIES SUPPLEMENT
Unidentified Killer Whales
Nature has been putting on quite the show lately
Tue, 7 Jul 2026 – 6 items
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
HUMPBACK WHALES
Mon Jul 06 2026
11:55 • 3 Humpback Whales
milling, off Dinner Rock, Malaspina Strait.
Colin Griffinson, Pacific Yellowfin Charters
13:30 • Humpback Whales by the spit at Campbell River, Discovery Passage.
13:55 • Humpback Whales outside of Comox Bar, Georgia Strait.
Vessel struck the whale – was reported to CCG.
Radio, overheard or call out
Tue Jul 07 2026
14:04 • 2 Humpback Whales
playing, south-west of Sentry Shoal, Georgia Strait.
Mother-calf pair.
14:51 • 2 Humpback Whales
lunge feeding, off Francisco Point, Quadra Island, Sutil Channel.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
17:13 • 1 Humpback Whales
breaching, heading north out from the Powell River Viewpoint, Malaspina Strait.
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
Humpback Whales
Humpback Whales breaching, heading north out from the Powell River Viewpoint, Malaspina Strait
Tue, 7 Jul 2026 – 3 items
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
Humpback Whales
Humpback Whales breaching, heading north out from the Powell River Viewpoint, Malaspina Strait
Tue, 7 Jul 2026 – 3 items
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
Thu Jul 09 2026
12:54 • 2 Humpback Whales heading south just south of Cortez Reef, Georgia Strait.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
16:47 • Humpback Whales
breaching, out from Lund, Malaspina Strait.
Breaching six times.
Nicole Cline, Powell River, BC
Fri Jul 10 2026
13:23 • Humpback Whales
spread out, between Mitlenatch Island, Cortez Reef, and Wilby Shoals, Georgia Strait.
Multiple humpacks observed.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
Sat Jul 11 2026
10:45 • 1 Humpback Whales
breaching, off Marina Reef, Sutil Channel.
Colin Griffinson, Pacific Yellowfin Charters
12:15 • 3 Humpback Whales near Cortez Reef, Georgia Strait.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
Sun Jul 12 2026
12:10 • 3 Humpback Whales north-west of Mace Point, Savary Island, Malaspina Strait.
One of the whales was feeding.
Jude Abrams, Otter Be Good Productions
Mon Jul 13 2026
12:16 • 10 Humpback Whales
spread out, between Mitlenatch Island and Marina Reef, Georgia Strait.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
Tue Jul 14 2026
08:00 • est. 2 Humpback Whales heading north between Kinghorn Island and Cortes Island, Lewis Channel.
10 min dives, seen from a high cliff. Watched them move north for an hour. ▫ Observed from Shore
LG, Tiber Bay, BC
11:44 • 3 Humpback Whales just south of Cortez Reef, Georgia Strait.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
Wed Jul 15 2026
09:55 • 2 Humpback Whales heading north in Thulin Passage, Malaspina Strait.
Jude Abrams, Otter Be Good Productions
Thu Jul 16 2026
07:15 • Humpback Whales
breaching, south of Hill Island, Sutil Channel.
Colin Griffinson, Pacific Yellowfin Charters
14:06 • 6 Humpback Whales within 400-m of each other south of the Pinnacles, Georgia Strait.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
20:00 • Humpback Whales
breaching, off Viner Point, Read Island, Sutil Channel.
Numerous whales.
Colin Griffinson, Pacific Yellowfin Charters
Sat Jul 18 2026
10:31 • Humpback Whales south of Teakerne Arm, Lewis Channel.
Colin Griffinson, Pacific Yellowfin Charters
11:51 • 6 Humpback Whales within 800-m of each other between Marina Reef and Cortez Reef, Sutil Channel.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
12:31 • Humpback Whales off Frederic Point, Read Island, Sutil Channel.
12:44 • 1 Humpback Whales off Rebecca Spit, Quadra Island, Sutil Channel.
Colin Griffinson, Pacific Yellowfin Charters
13:07 • 2 Humpback Whales off the south-east end of Mitlenatch Island, Georgia Strait.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
19:41 • 1 Humpback Whales
breaching, half-way between Powell River and Rebecca Rocks, Malaspina Strait.
Susan MacKay, Wild Ocean Whale Society
Sun Jul 19 2026
08:45 • Humpback Whales between Rebecca Spit and Cortes Island, Sutil Channel.
Colin Griffinson, Pacific Yellowfin Charters
19:45 • est. 3 Humpback Whales
moving slowly, heading east off William Head, Strait of Juan de Fuca.
One breach, short dives, still in the area at 2050. ▫ Observed from Shore
20:45 • est. 1+ Humpback Whales
breaching, heading north about 1-NM south of William Head.
2 breaches. ▫ Observed from Shore
Sylvie Gareau, Sooke, BC
SPECIES SUPPLEMENT
Humpback Whales
A glimpse into what we have been fortunate enough to see on recent tours
Tue, 7 Jul 2026 – 9 items
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
SPECIES SUPPLEMENT
Humpback Whales
A glimpse into what we have been fortunate enough to see on recent tours
Tue, 7 Jul 2026 – 9 items
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
SPECIES SUPPLEMENT
Humpback Whales
Recent tours have been pretty magical
Thu, 16 Jul 2026 – 4 items
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
SPECIES SUPPLEMENT
Humpback Whales
Recent tours have been pretty magical
Thu, 16 Jul 2026 – 4 items
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
GREY WHALES
Fri Jul 03 2026
11:00 • est. 2 Grey Whales heading north-west about 2-km west of Davis Bay, Georgia Strait.
Just 5 small to medium blows over 5 minutes. ▫ From Power or Sail Boat
JH, Vancouver, BC
Sun Jul 19 2026
–:– • 1 Grey Whales off Vancouver in Burrard Inlet.
Was in the harbour during the afternoon. ▫ Second Hand
Ivan Ng, North Vancouver, BC
PACIFIC WHITE SIDED DOLPHINS
Fri Jul 10 2026
08:40 • PWS Dolphins off Quadra Island in Drew Harbour.
Colin Griffinson, Pacific Yellowfin Charters
HARBOUR PORPOISE
Mon Jul 13 2026
07:30 • est. 4+ Harbour Porpoise
milling, just south of Jordan River, Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Continuous sightings of more groups of porpoises until 0830 between Jordan River and Mystic Beach. ▫ From Kayak or Paddleboard
Sylvie Gareau, Sooke, BC
Wed Jul 15 2026
11:05 • 1 Harbour Porpoise west of Powell Islets, Malaspina Strait.
Jude Abrams, Otter Be Good Productions
Archive Explorer
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