2023 Cetacean and Pinniped Report

As 2023 comes to an end it is time to look back on this years whale and dolphin visitations.

Orcas visited consistently in the late winter / early spring timeframe. During the summer they showed up in Jervis Inlet but only rarely visited close to the Hideaway. This changed in September with them coming through regularly until November.

The Humpback whales visited irregularly in during the winter and early spring. As is normal for them , they disappeared for the summer, showing up again in the late fall. For a few weeks they were regular visitors. The picture above was taken from the Hideaway’s dock.

As this post is being published the Pacific Whitesided Dolphins have taken over the bay. They have spent the last few days feeding in the bay and entertaining everyone with their spirited playfulness. While they normally appear in large numbers, we had the company of a single dolphin for most of the summer. Normally, we see these dolphins come through in large number in the early spring and late fall. Its always a treat when they appear.

Sea Lions visit us from late spring into the winter. In late winter to early spring they disappear to their mating grounds. We get both the Steller’s Sea Lion and the California Sea Lion. Most years we get a few that spend the entire summer, fall and winter in the area but this year we had more show up but only intermittently.

All year round we have Harbour Seals in the bay. If you spend any time on the dock these curious “dogs of the sea” will drop around to see what you are up to.

2023 was a good year for whales. Hopefully, 2024 will give us many more opportunities to interact with these interesting animals.