We departed just after 2 pm on Five Star Charter's vessel Fastcat. It was a beautiful sunny day and after leaving the Victoria Harbour we headed south to Race Rocks to follow up on a report of Transient 'mammal eating' Killer whales (Orcinus orca) in Race Pass. On the way to Race Pass we stopped at Albert Head to check out the bald eagles in their nest. We could see one of the individuals in the nest but it was hard to tell if there were any chicks yet. We suspect their must be as they've been in the nest for over a month which is about as long or longer than the typical 35 day incubation period for bald eagles.
Sail boat in Race Pass with Race Rocks Lighthouse
We arrived at Race Pass just before 3 pm and shortly after sighting the other whale watch vessels we spotted the group of Transients. This ecotype of killer whale is called the 'Transients' because during the early years of research this ecotypes was seen with less regularity than the Resident 'fish eating' whales so scientists believed they were more 'transient' than the fish eating killer whales.
Juvenile Bald Eagle flying over Race Rocks
Juvenile bald eagle joining an adult bald eagle at Race Rocks
Juvenile bald eagle with adult at Race Rocks Marine Protected Area
After watching the Transients for a while we we headed to Race Rocks Marine Protected Area to see if there were some sea lions, harbour seals, elephant seals and bald eagles. We ended up spotting about a dozen Steller sea lions (Eumatopia jubatus), 3 elephant seals (Mironunga angustirostris) and many harbour seals (phoca vitulina).
From Race Rocks Captain Trev decided to do a quick drive into the Strait of Juan de Fuca to see if we could spot anything else. It was fairly calm further in the Strait but the swell picked up because we were out in the more exposed are where the water moves through the Strait from the open ocean.
Steller sea lions at Race Rocks Marine Protected Area
Tattered Canadian flag at Race Rocks
We returned back to the group of Transients and shortly before arriving on scene heard other whale watch captains reporting that the whales were in the process of either killing a porpoise or a seal. When we arrived they were definitely in feeding mode as we watched them circling consistently in one spot and sea gulls were flying overhead and swooping down to pick up scraps.
Group of 5 Transient 'mammal eating' killer whales in the Strait of Juan De Fuca
Group of 5 Transient 'mammal eating' killer whales in the Strait of Juan De Fuca
Group of 5 Transient 'mammal eating' killer whales in the Strait of Juan De Fuca
Around 430 we left the whales, who looked like they were still busy feeding, to make our way back to the harbour. We arrived back at the harbour at 5 feeling quite lucky for our sighting of the Transient killer whales, Steller sea lions, Northern elephant seals, harbour seals and bald eagles. It was another great afternoon on the water!
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