Northern Photo Safari!

I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to attend a wildlife photography workshop, with Coastal Workshops, in July and I would have to say it was essentially a Pacific Coast Photo Safari. It started with a 5 hour drive from Nanaimo to Port McNeil where I met up with my little group. We were 6 amateur photographers hosted by 2 professional photographers and an amazing boat captain with knowledge of the area and the local wildlife. We took the zodiac across to our home base for the first 3 days of Alert Bay. The benefit of doing an adventure as a photography workshop is that they not only help you if you are struggling with your camera settings but they also ensure that the boat is placed in just the right location to catch the light, or to provide the best backdrop for our photos.

The first night in Alert Bay was supposed to be just a meet and greet and camera set up but instead dinner got bumped up early and we had a surprise evening out on our trusty zodiac (supplied by Wild Waterways Adventures). Why one might ask? Well, let me tell you. The ENTIRE G Clan of Northern Resident Orcas were spotted in the waters near where we were staying. A Clan of Orca is essentially an entire matriarchal family line of Orca. Clans are distinguished by the whale dialect they speak, being the songs that they sing to communicate. Each Clan is distinctly different. The Northern Residents are a threatened line of Orca and it is estimated that there are less than 300 left. The G clan is composed of between 50 and 60 of those last 300. Within the clan, they tend to travel in smaller pods, usually a smaller family group. On the first evening we went out and joined them We found the right spot in the straight, shut down our engines and sat quietly and excited as 1 by 1, 2 by 2, 8 by 8, all 50+ of them glided gently past us. Hearing the blows as each surfaced for air and gracefully slid back under, seeing the fins rise and sink, seeing so many so close in such a short time was truly amazing! On top of that, it is the first time in over 6 years the G Clan have been seen in our waters, and we were told it is the FIRST time that ALL of them have been reported to be seen together! It was just magical!

A member of the G Clan family of Northern Resident Orca slaps a tail on the surface of the water while others cut gracefully through the clear blue waters. A stunning backdrop of the fog, the trees, the mountains and blue waters add the beauty of BC to these wonderous creatures

In addition to those magical orca sightings we saw sea otters, humpback whales, so many different birds and simply stunning scenery of blue green waters, mountains, forests and small islands dabbing the watery landscapes. More beauty than the camera ever could capture.

A rhinocerous auklet in the fog floating on flat calm water

On Day 4 we transited from Alert Bay to Campbell River, finding a herd of Roosevelt Elk along the way.

In Campbell River we had 2 more days out on the water. These days were all about the Eagle Show where hundreds of Bald Eagles gather in the trees on a small island waiting for the tide to change. As the tide changes direction, suddenly the waters become huge rapids and migrating hake fish are pushed up to the surface providing a feast for the waiting eagle. It is a sight to see for sure!

Along the way we also encountered more Orca and humpback whales lunge feeding and bubble net feeding, giving an amazing opportunity to see the baleen that lines their massive mouths! The final days was capped off by a pod of very playful pacific white-sided dolphins that raced our boat and swam and leaped all around us!

So tell me…let us know that you were here…which animals are your favourite to see?