M/V Sea Hawk was able to enjoy Resident Orcas on both trips today. With our departure at 11AM, we met up with them around Eagle Point. The orcas were spread out, but several larger groups of four or five. It appeared that the orcas were fishing. Resident orcas are fish eating only mammals and they specifically want Chinook salmon. Chinook salmon make up about 80-90% of the orca's diet. On average, adult male orca needs about 400 pounds of salmon per day!
Eagle point is a very common place to see orcas fishing because that is where the salmon come in from open ocean. The salmon then migrate north to the Fraser River due to that is where they spawn. The Resident orcas will follow the salmon all the way up to the river, and if there is not enough in the area, then they move out to open ocean.
After a few minutes of hunting behavior, one group with two younger calves started playing with one another! Guests got to enjoy half breaches and spy hops from these two younger ones! It was a great day to see so much activity.
Aimee
Naturalist, M/V Sea Hawk