BC Ferries passengers wowed by stunning killer whale show
A pod of killer whales gave BC Ferries passengers a memorable experience as they waited for their voyage on the Sunshine Coast.
Wildlife photographer Tracey Thomas shared images of the orcas breaching at Earls Cove, the BC Ferries terminal located on Jervis Inlet.
According to Thomas, the pod of orcas caused an excited commotion among the early morning commuters.
Tracey Thomas Photography
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“I was sitting at the back of the line when I noticed others making their way quickly down towards the water,” Thomas told Daily Hive. “In that moment, I had a feeling there was something exciting to see.
“I grabbed my camera and headed down towards the water, and to my surprise, there were three orcas right in front of the ferry dock. It was so exciting to see them.”
Tracey Thomas Photography
It was the second time in 48 hours that the Sunshine Coast resident got to see killer whales up close, as she also saw a lone male orca passing by the Roberts Creek Pier the day before.
“I feel so fortunate to live in the Sunshine Coast and witness so many beautiful creatures passing by the shoreline,” added Thomas, who began her journey as a wildlife photographer about four years ago. “I acquired an old professional camera, taught myself photography, and quickly realized I was mainly capturing wildlife and just continued in that direction.”
Thomas also identified the lone male orca in Roberts Creek as T49A1, aka Noah, and the group pod seen in Earls Cove was the T090S. “The T stands for transients.”
Tracey Thomas Photography
It has been a busy year for orca sightings in Metro Vancouver. Competitors at Vancouver’s T100 triathlon in June were treated to a trio of orcas making a surprise appearance just off the shoreline during the international event.
And earlier this spring, there were several killer whale sightings, including near Vancouver’s seawall and near the Lions Gate Bridge.
While it may seem tempting to try to get the best footage of a whale if you happen to see one, Grace Baer with the North Coast Cetacean Society told Daily Hive that folks need to respect the marine mammal viewing regulations.
These rules require individuals to remain “at least 400 metres from all orca in southern B.C. and 100 metres from all other whales, dolphins, and porpoises unless they are resting or with a calf, in which case, remain at least 200 metres away.”
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