There were no reports first thing this morning so Five Star Charter's Fastcat departed at 1000 from the Victoria harbour and headed south in the Strait of Juan De Fuca to see what marine wildlife we could find. We headed south towards the Race Rocks Marine Protected Area. Luckily for us, after travelling just over half an hour, we spotted two Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) travelling east in the Strait of Juan De Fuca. Although we've been getting the occasional report of Humpback whales in the straits this summer this was my first sighting of this species of whale in this area since last summer!
We watched the pair of Humpbacks for just under an hour and then left the animals heading eastbound south of Victoria in the Strait of Juan De Fuca. We finished the trip by stopping at the Chain Islands in Oak Bay where we saw many Harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) hauled out and a Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) sitting on the Double-crested cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) nests at Great Chain Island. It was a wonderful way to end a great whale watch trip!
Above 2 photos: 1 of 2 humpback whales sounding in the Strait of Juan De Fuca
Nice profile shot of the humpback's fin and it's hump-like shape
Another long dive!
A
A slightly better look!
A slightly better look!
And going down...
Diving...note all the barnacles along the trailing edge of the tail fluke!
And another good look at the tail fluke!
Humpback whale with the Olympic Mountains in the background
More humpbacked humpbacks!
Water coming off the tail fluke!
Bald Eagle sitting on the Double-crested cormorant nests at Great Chain Island, Oak Bay
Hauled out harbour seals (hanging with the gulls!) at the Chain Islands, Oak Bay
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