Tofino, B.C.

November 3rd, 2007  -- Update

Our last outside coast trip of the season to visit the great whales before they travel south.  And to reward our efforts, today was the largest grouping of Gray whales we have observed on the Pacific Rim this season -- five different animals confirmed from photos, and possibly a sixth that we were not able to photograph.  Especially interesting is the first appearence this season of two returning coastal resident Gray whales in this group. 

In the next week or two, as the winter storms and seas sweep in, these whales will move offshore and then on south to the warm waters off Baja, Mexico.  This year's calves will be born in the warm waters of Baja; adult animals, meanwhile, fast and wait until their early spring return to feed in our rich, cold northern coastal waters.

An overview of the 2007 season

Several interesting notes on this year's season -- once again, Humpback whales returned ealier, and in greater numbers, than in previous years.  Gray whales, on the other hand, were seen less frequently during the summer, but then returned to a more familiar pattern in September-October, as they gathered in Ahous Bay before their journey south.

Clayoquot Sound's Black bears were seen in good numbers foraging in the intertidal beginning mid-April.  Following a very high concentration of sealions in Tofino Inlet in March and April, several sealion carcasses washed up onto inlet shores in early summer -- a rich feeding opportunity for the bears.  This food was especially important for the bears as the late summer berries (salal, blackberry & huckleberry) were very poor this year. The Black bears continued to concentrate only on intertidal feeding until the autumn salmon runs began in earnest in mid-October.

But now it's time to tie up for the year, and let winter have its way with the wind and waves. We wish you all a safe and cosy winter.  Our spring season begins March 1st, 2008 as the Gray whales return to our coast -- hope to see you then!