With winter approaching and regular stormy conditions, it is a challenge to spot whales and dolphins. Precipitation and fog will limit visibility, and larger waves will make it difficult to spot Cetaceans that could be surfacing in the troughs of waves. Decreasing daylight also limits the times when Cetaceans are observed. However, whales and dolphins are present regardless of the weather conditions. Any observation of any Cetacean at any time does bring excitement and enthusiasm! Our report includes sightings of Transient Orca, Humpback whales, and of one Sea Otter. Let us know if you see any whales, dolphins, or porpoises, whether from the shore or from a boat or a ferry.
Go to our magazine section to learn about a baby Right whale, a pod of Pilot whales off California, and the use of underwater cables to detect the sounds of Baleen whales.
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 from 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.
Society News & Events
Donatons:
Donations can be made directly by e-transfer to accounting@ wows.org (remove the space after the @) as well as through our Donate button on our website pages.
Thank you all for your kind and continuing donations. Your support is greatly appreciated – we can't do it without you.
Websites:
Whales and Dolphins BC is our educational website where these reports are also published and our Wild Ocean Whale site is our Society website. Information on our Feral Cat Initiative will be updated again soon. We apologize for delays, but we are volunteers working on this and all society and animal needs come first before website work.
Real Time Monitoring Station Live Update
Our Live Web Camera
YouTube Channel streams from Powell River 24/7 with views towards Texada – Vancouver Island – Savary and up towards Cortez. Hope you've been seeing some of the many whales and the Aurora Borealis and eclipses.
Thank You to our Volunteers and Contributors!
Our team of online Volunteers continue to do a great job in making sure all your sightings reports are mapped and published regularly. Would you like to join us? Updates on current availabilities and revised links will be posted here.
Review our previous
Volunteer Job Postings Job Postings are slowly being revamped (we're volunteers too, so sorry for the delays) and not up to date on our web sites, but we do monitor and receive applications.
Data For Research:
For research access to 40,000+ sightings in our database in downloadable csv files for use in spreadsheets, please
Click Here. to fill in your request.
Sightings Update
SIGHTINGS MAP – ISSUE: 2026-014
TRANSIENT BIGGS KILLER WHALES
Sun Oct 18 2026
13:59 • Biggs Orca ◦T002Cs◦ heading south to the south of Grant Reefs, Georgia Strait.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
Wed Oct 21 2026
16:00 • 2 Biggs Orca heading south off Viner Point, Read Island, Sutil Channel.
Colin Griffinson, Pacific Yellowfin Charters
Wed Oct 28 2026
09:20 • 2 Biggs Orca heading north, south of Grilse Point at the north end of Texada Island, Malaspina Strait.
Both Orca were large males.
Barry Rice, Powell River, BC
Wed Nov 04 2026
11:00 • 2 Biggs Orca
moving quickly, heading north-west beyond Grief Point, Malaspina Strait.
Seen from out my front window, looked like an adult and youth. ▫ Observed from Shore
Jovahn Pena, Powell River, BC
Sun Nov 08 2026
17:50 • 1 Biggs Orca heading south near the ferry line off Powell River, Malaspina Strait.
Barry Rice, Powell River, BC
UNIDENTIFIED KILLER WHALES
Mon Nov 02 2026
11:03 • est. 6 Orca
travelling, heading south west of Point Grey, Vancouver, Georgia Strait. ▫ From Power or Sail Boat
PV, Abbotsford, BC
HUMPBACK WHALES
Sun Oct 18 2026
12:11 • 3 Humpback Whales ◦BCX0565 Nick◦ south-west of Savary Island, Georgia Strait.
Nick is with a calf.
14:28 • 8 Humpback Whales south-west of Grant Reefs, Georgia Strait.
In seperate groups.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
Mon Oct 19 2026
12:15 • est. 3+ Humpback Whales
foraging, south of Whirl Bay, Strait of Juan de Fuca.
1+ lunge feeding, 1 breaching further out. ▫ From Kayak or Paddleboard
Sylvie Gareau, Sooke, BC
14:00 • est. 2 Humpback Whales
taking long dives, heading north between Pender Harbour and Texada Island, Malaspina Strait. ▫ Observed from Shore
KS, Garden Bay, BC
18:10 • 2 Humpback Whales heading south between the Powell River Viewpoint and Grief Point, Malaspina Strait.
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
Humpback Whales
Humpback Whales heading south between the Powell River Viewpoint and Grief Point, Malaspina Strait
Mon, 19 Oct 2026 – 6 items
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
Humpback Whales
Humpback Whales heading south between the Powell River Viewpoint and Grief Point, Malaspina Strait
Mon, 19 Oct 2026 – 6 items
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
Tue Oct 20 2026
13:22 • 2 Humpback Whales heading south near Rebecca Rocks, Malaspina Strait.
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
14:34 • 3 Humpback Whales just north of Blubber Bay, Malaspina Strait.
Susan MacKay, Wild Ocean Whale Society
14:38 • est. 60+ Humpback Whales between Addenbroke Point and the south tip of Calvert Island, Fitz Hugh Sound.
Too many whales in the area to count.
Colin Griffinson, Pacific Yellowfin Charters
14:45 • est. 1 Humpback Whales approaching Departure Bay Ferry Terminal, Nanaimo, Georgia Strait.
Spotted roughly 15 min away from docking at Departure Bay. After spotting the humpback whale, another cetacean of unknown species was observed nearby, breaching. ▫ From Ferry
Kaydra Lloyd-Lussier, Nanaimo, BC
Wed Oct 21 2026
08:45 • est. 3+ Humpback Whales
foraging, off Bentinck Island, Strait of Juan de Fuca.
1-2 close to shore, a few far out. ▫ From Kayak or Paddleboard
Sylvie Gareau, Sooke, BC
09:01 • est. 2 Humpback Whales off Kelsey Bay, Johnstone Strait.
Colin Griffinson, Pacific Yellowfin Charters
10:10 • 1 Humpback Whales heading west near Swordfish Island, Strait of Juan de Fuca. ▫ From Kayak or Paddleboard
11:15 • est. 1+ Humpback Whales
moving quickly, heading south-east between Whirl Bay and Race Rocks, Strait of Juan de Fuca. ▫ From Kayak or Paddleboard
Sylvie Gareau, Sooke, BC
Wed Oct 28 2026
13:45 • est. 3+ Humpback Whales heading east, south of Race Rocks, Strait of Juan de Fuca.
1 was 200m+ south, 2+ far out. ▫ From Kayak or Paddleboard
Sylvie Gareau, Sooke, BC
Sat Oct 31 2026
07:45 • 1 Humpback Whales 100-m south of William Head, Strait of Juan de Fuca.
1 side roll. ▫ Observed from Shore
Sylvie Gareau, Sooke, BC
Mon Nov 02 2026
13:19 • 2 Humpback Whales far out from the Powell River Viewpoint, Malaspina Strait.
Doing a big circle and gently dives.
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
Humpback Whales
Humpback Whales far out from the Powell River Viewpoint, Malaspina Strait
Mon, 2 Nov 2026 – 6 items
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
Humpback Whales
Humpback Whales far out from the Powell River Viewpoint, Malaspina Strait
Mon, 2 Nov 2026 – 6 items
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
Tue Nov 03 2026
14:38 • 1 Humpback Whales near Langdale, Collingwood Channel.
Ferry slowed down for the whale. ▫ From Ferry
Jude Abrams, Otter Be Good Productions
SEA OTTERS
Mon Oct 19 2026
14:30 • 1 Sea Otters off Church Island, Strait of Juan de Fuca. ▫ From Kayak or Paddleboard
Sylvie Gareau, Sooke, BC
Sea Otters
Sea Otters off Church Island, Strait of Juan de Fuca
Mon, 19 Oct 2026 – 2 items
Sylvie Gareau, Sooke, BC
Sea Otters
Sea Otters off Church Island, Strait of Juan de Fuca
Mon, 19 Oct 2026 – 2 items
Sylvie Gareau, Sooke, BC
Archive Explorer
Archive Explorer navigates 25,000+ Cetacean Sightings, images, videos and audio recordings. Please use the the funnel in our Map for access to our huge range of filters. Those wishing Research information in a spreadsheet format, please Click Here
*Recommended for desktop browsers and newer mobile devices
Archive Explorer dives into the Coastal Cetacean world. View Cetacean sighting locations, photos and videos:
- All species including Orca, Humpback, Grey Whale or Dalls Porpoise
- Follow the endangered Southern Residents Orca in the Salish Sea
- Search for encounters with T002C2 Tumbo
- Witness a close-up Orca encounter video in Port Alberni harbour
- Follow the T010s Transients as they hunt and travel the inside passage
- Track "KC", the ever popular Humpback's movements
- Locate any of 12,000+ named locations on the BC and WA State coast
- Print custom sighting reports and maps (Coming Soon)
Archive Explorer Help Page explains many advanced functions
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To access 25,000+ sightings in our database in a downloadable csv file for use in a research spreadsheet, please Click Here.
The Magazine
REGIONAL & NATIONAL
CBC News
Scientists were shocked and delighted to discover a previously unaccounted for baby right whale swimming alongside its mama off the coast of Quebec.
The surprisingly sneaky, 6,804-kilogram North Atlantic right whale calf had somehow evaded the watchful eyes of researchers who closely track endangered species’ population…
read on
SPECIAL SIGHTINGS
SFGATE
A once-in-a-decade wildlife spotting happened in Southern California waters on Tuesday. Erica Page, a captain of the whale-watching company Newport Coastal Adventure, was the first to spot a pod of 70 short-finned pilot whales….
read on
RESEARCH & CONSERVATION
Phys Org
Bioacoustics researcher Léa Bouffaut, at the Cornell K. Lisa Yang Center for Conservation Bioacoustics, has spent the past several years eavesdropping on the conversations of whales. But instead of using underwater microphones like other marine scientists, she listens by tapping into fiber-optic cables lying on the ocean floorâ??a powerful tool to aid in marine mammal conservation….
read on
