Kelly | M/V Kestrel | Friday, June 13th 2025 | 2:00 PM
Wow...what an unforgettable day on the water! We started our tour pointed South in San Juan Channel, stopping at Whale Rocks for looks at the ever so entertaining Steller sea lions. Dozens of sea lions occupied these rocks, up to their usual shenanigans which include: fighting, belching and napping right on top of one another. We slowly peeled away from the pinniped hotspot and set sail for Canadian water. A family of killer whales identified as the T075B were reported offshore from Discovery Island.
- T075B / Pebbles — female, born in 1994
- T075B2/Jasper/Fifi — born in 2015
- T075B3/Rubble/Kasnikyu — born in 2017
- T075B4/Petra — born in 2021
As we slowly approached the whales from a half mile distance, it was immediately apparent that something was going on. Large splashes erupted as the family of 4 orcas circled quickly at the surface. In the middle of the commotion, the distinct head of a Steller sea lion emerged from the water. These whales were on a hunt! Not but 5 minutes after we arrived on scene the sea lion took refuge next to a vessel in the area. Keeping his body as close to the boat as possible, franticly sticking his head above the surface in search of an entry point aboard (the boat was far too large for that to occur). There are a couple reasons why this is a smart move for a sea lion:
- It prevents the orcas from ramming at full speed. Having a large hard floating object next to you provides protection against the blunt force technic orcas love to use.
- It can provide camouflage. When echolocating (the orcas primary sense), the orcas may not be able to distinguish that the sea lion is not a part of the vessel.
Today, it appeared that the orcas were very aware that the sea lion was tucked into the boat. They circled near by, patiently waiting for their chance to pounce. There chance eventually came as the boat began to return back to it's harbor. The sea lion slipped away and was Immediately picked up by the orcas. The chase went on for over an hour, and included some spectacular surface behavior from the orcas including a full breach, a spyhop and countless tail slaps. So many times it appeared that the sea lion was doomed, and then you caught a glimpse of its head or flippers confirming it was still alive. It almost appeared as if the orcas were toying with the pinniped, extending the hunt perhaps for little T075B4 (Perta) to get some practice in. Whatever the heck was going on, it was very lucky day for the sea lion. Eventually the chase climaxed at Vancouver Islands shoreline as the sea lion successfully crawled out of the water and made it safely to shore! My first time ever seeing prey escape a family of killer whales!