TOFINO WILDLIFE BLOG
Biggs Killer Whales - More of the T023's
A few days ago we had a visit from the Bigg’s Killer Whales T023C’s. Yesterday we had a report of Killer Whales at Indian Island. John and I jumped into the Eco and went up to have a look. We met up with the whales traveling at Windy Bay with Howie on the Goolka. T023 and T023D’s booked it out Browning Passage and through the Tofino Harbour, then headed out past Lennard Light and down the coast. We observed T023D with her two calves plus the matriarch Janice, aka T023.
A Rare Visit from the T050s Killer Whales near Tofino!
On Thursday evening we got a report that there were Killer Whales off Hippie Point. John and Howie headed out in the Eco at 5:30 pm. They came across a gang of Transient Killer Whales between Monks and Hippie Point. They followed the whales to Saranac Island and then back to Roberts Point. The T050’s were spy hopping and traveling. They spent about an hour with these Killer Whales. Tim on the Hootka Kootla was on his way back from Hot Springs Cove and was able to get a few looks of the gang too!
We don’t see the T050’s often in Tofino. The last time we photographed them was October 2015. This gang like to work the inlets and have been successful hunters while visiting Tofino. These Killer Whales are more frequently seen in Alaskan waters.
Killer Whales up Tofino Inlet (T023C's)
The T023C Killer Whales make an appearance in Tofino today!
Early this morning I was drinking my tea and getting ready for a busy Saturday when I got a text from our Guide Tim Tom that a gang of Killer Whales were passing his window at Opitsaht. All my Saturday plans changed. John and I headed down to the Eco to set out up Browning Passage to find them. Tim had jumped into his boat and was with the T023C’s when we arrived on scene. We followed the orcas up Browning Passage, into Tofino Inlet where they led us up Tranquil. Along the way they tangled with a sea lion but left it alone after a few breaches.
The T023C’s have broken off from T023’s, aka Motley Crew. T023C was born in 1990 and she appears to have three calves (born in 2009, 2013 and a new one that looks like it was born in the last year or more.
The last time we saw the T023C’s was in May 2016 and they were still with the Matriarch T023. They all took the same path of coming through the Tofino Harbour and headed up Tofino Inlet.
Both the morning and afternoon Whale Watching Tours were able to get out to see the Killer Whales!
TOFINO BEAR WATCHING TOURS
Our Bear Watching Tours for 2019 will start up mid-April from Tofino. The Black Bears will be waking up from winter hibernation hungry and looking to forage on the coastline. Vancouver Island has the highest density of black bears in North America, and a total estimated population of 12,000.
Unlike whale watching, which ventures out on the open ocean's waves, bear watching is done from covered vessel with a viewing deck, or open Boston Whaler boat on the calm inside waters in and around Tofino Inlet. This is where black bears can be witnessed at low tide, as they approach the shore on their quest for nutritious shore crabs by turning over beach boulders and rocks.
TOFINO'S HOT SPRINGS COVE: How to have this West Coast experience
Hot Springs Cove! Hot Springs Cove lies 26 nautical miles up the coast from Tofino at Maquinna Provincial Park. For thousands of years, natural thermal hot springs have poured out of the rocks and spilled out on the edge of the Pacific Ocean in Northern Clayoquot Sound.
Northern Resident Killer Whales A34's off Tofino
On Sunday morning John and I heard reports on the radio of a large group of killer whales off Lennard Light. We jumped into the boat and headed out off the Glory Hole to meet up with the fleet and the whales. We knew this large group of killer whales were not Transient Killer Whales but likely Northern Resident Killer Whales. The last time we had Northern Residents in Tofino on a whale watching tour was the H5's in August 2014. We spent some time photographing them. Our Tofino Whale Watching Tours and our Hot Springs Tour were able get some good looks at these killer whales as they made their way up the coast past Tofino. The NRKW we saw yesterday day were the A12 Matriline (A34's) and this was a first meeting for us since we have been document killer whale sightings in our area!
Southern Resident Killer Whales - J Pod near Tofino
Southern Resident Killer Whales sighted near Tofino on June 8th, 2018.
A Visit from the U073 Killer Whales of Lennard Lighthouse Near Tofino
On Thursday, March 29th we got word that there was a group of Transient Killer Whales off Lennard Lighthouse near Tofino. Our afternoon Whale Watching Tour was able to get some good looks at about 8 killer whales. John and I decided to head out on the Eco to get some photos ID's to see who they were. When we arrived on scene we immediately recognized the T068's with about 6 other killer whales.
Sunset Magazine's Tour To Hot Springs Cove
Whales and Hot Springs are all possible seasonally in one amazing tour! Hot Springs Cove is an exciting 6 hour adventure where our captains make an effort to find wildlife including whales, black bears, seals, sea lions, puffins, sea otters, bald eagles and over 20 miles of gorgeous coastline and beaches.
A Night with the T069's off Vargas Island
Whale Watching near Tofino, British Columbia on Vancouver Island.