Mobile Menu

  • Destinations
    • Canada
      • British Columbia
        • Vancouver Island, B.C.
        • Okanagan
        • Lower Mainland, B.C.
        • Northern B.C.
        • Interior B.C.
        • Kootenays/Rockies
      • Alberta
      • Yukon
      • Northwest Territories
    • U.S.A.
      • Alaska
      • Washington
      • Oregon
      • California
    • West Coast Galleries
  • Experiences
    • Things To Do
    • Staycation Secrets
      • Canada
      • U.S.A.
    • Adventure
      • Adrenaline
      • Beaches
      • Biking
      • Camping
      • Fishing
      • Hiking
      • Hunting and Fishing
      • Rafting
      • Skiing
    • Sip & Savour
    • Family Activities
    • Indigenous Tourism
    • Accessible Travel
    • Travel Tips & Advisories
  • West Coast Galleries
    • Nature Photography
    • Wildlife Photography
    • Cityscapes
  • Contests
    • Autumn Escape
    • Amateur Photographer of the Year 2023
    • Hotel Zed Contest
    • It’s A Shore Thing Summer Getaway
  • About
    • The Armchair Traveller Newsletter
    • Explore our travel guides
    • Impressive West Coast
    • West Coast Partners
    • West Coast Traveller Directory
    • Join Our Team
    • Contact Us
    • Explore West Coast Traveller on TikTok
  • Search
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • TikTok Icon
  • Flickr Icon
  • Menu
  • Skip to left header navigation
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Before Header

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • TikTok Icon
  • Flickr Icon

West Coast Traveller

  • Destinations
    • Canada
      • British Columbia
        • Vancouver Island, B.C.
        • Okanagan
        • Lower Mainland, B.C.
        • Northern B.C.
        • Interior B.C.
        • Kootenays/Rockies
      • Alberta
      • Yukon
      • Northwest Territories
    • U.S.A.
      • Alaska
      • Washington
      • Oregon
      • California
    • West Coast Galleries
  • Experiences
    • Things To Do
    • Staycation Secrets
      • Canada
      • U.S.A.
    • Adventure
      • Adrenaline
      • Beaches
      • Biking
      • Camping
      • Fishing
      • Hiking
      • Hunting and Fishing
      • Rafting
      • Skiing
    • Sip & Savour
    • Family Activities
    • Indigenous Tourism
    • Accessible Travel
    • Travel Tips & Advisories
  • West Coast Galleries
    • Nature Photography
    • Wildlife Photography
    • Cityscapes
  • Contests
    • Autumn Escape
    • Amateur Photographer of the Year 2023
    • Hotel Zed Contest
    • It’s A Shore Thing Summer Getaway
  • About
    • The Armchair Traveller Newsletter
    • Explore our travel guides
    • Impressive West Coast
    • West Coast Partners
    • West Coast Traveller Directory
    • Join Our Team
    • Contact Us
    • Explore West Coast Traveller on TikTok
  • Search
You are here: Home / news / Group has close encounter with shore-skimming orca pod in B.C.

In this Jan. 18, 2014, file photo, a female resident orca whale breaches while swimming in Puget Sound near Bainbridge Island, Washington. A pod of orcas surprised a group of friends visiting Quadra Island, B.C., last weekend, appearing metres from where they stood the shoreline of Moulds Bay. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Elaine Thompson

Group has close encounter with shore-skimming orca pod in B.C.

September 13, 2022 //  by The Canadian Press

Share this:

A pod of orcas surprised a group of friends visiting Quadra Island, British Columbia, last weekend, appearing metres from where they stood on the waterline of Moulds Bay.

The shore-skimming encounter prompted one marine mammal expert to warn that observers should not to get too close to such behaviour.

“They’re on the hunt. We can observe it, we just can’t be a part of it,” said Andrew Trites, professor and director of the Marine Mammal Research Unit at the University of British Columbia.

Erika van Sittert, who captured a video of the encounter, said she and her four friends were excited when they first spotted the pod in the distance.

She said they were then shocked when the whales appeared about 20 minutes later, coming within three metres of her friend Callum MacNab, standing ankle-deep in the water.

Van Sittert, who had been seated on a rock above, said she was initially worried for MacNab’s safety because of the whales’ high-speed approach, but describes the encounter as “easily one of the most exciting moments” of her life.

“I was mostly in awe. I didn’t expect that to happen. I used to work in whale watching and I’ve had some encounters, but nothing quite like that,” she said in an interview Friday. “It was just incredible.”

She said the group is now considering getting matching orca tattoos to commemorate the experience.

Jared Towers, a killer whale researcher with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, identified the pod as the T-090 family, which includes a mother, her adult son and two daughters.

“The two daughters, aged five and 12, were the two whales that came closest to the shore and rolled over on their sides to check out Callum on the shore,” he said in an interview Friday.

Towers said he doesn’t believe the whales had malicious intent and were likely either hunting and initially mistook the humans for prey, or were “just curious.”

“They love hunting in that area (because) there’s a lot of harbour seals, and that’s really what makes up the bulk of their diet, and they hang out near shore,” he said.

Towers said there is no record of an orca killing a human in the wild.

“They’re certainly masters of their own environment and if there’s anything swimming around out there, they want to check it out, see what it looks like and see if it is prey,” he said.

Trites, of the Marine Mammal Research Unit, predicted these types of encounters will happen more frequently in B.C.

“Everybody now has a high-definition video camera in their pockets and so we’re seeing these encounters, but it’s also evidence that the whales are here far more frequently now than they used to be,” he said.

“All of us want to have these amazing close encounters, but not at the expense of injuring the animals, harming them, or causing them to avoid coming here.”

Trites said killer whales are comfortable hunting near shore at this time of year and people should aim to keep a distance.

“It is about us developing this new relationship, because things have changed. The oceans have changed very dramatically and we’re seeing that play out in front of us,” he said.

“Just as you wouldn’t wander into the Serengeti and take part in a lion hunt, you also need to respect and stand back as killer whales are going about their lives because they’re hunting.”

— By Brieanna Charlebois in Vancouver.

***

Plan your adventures throughout the West Coast at westcoasttraveller.com and follow us on Facebook and Instagram @thewestcoasttraveller. And for the top West Coast Travel stories of the week delivered right to your inbox, sign up for our weekly Armchair Traveller newsletter!

Share this:

Category: news, TravelTag: British Columbia Destinations, Canada, WCT Intro, Whales, Wildlife

Related Posts

You may be interested in these posts from the same category.

Waterfalls, not wildflowers are Mt. Rainier National Park’s main springtime attraction

By Taylor Newquist, The Spokesman-Review A thin layer of clouds hung over Mount Rainier on…

Waterfalls, not wildflowers are Mt. Rainier National Park’s main springtime attractionRead More

Fly high and touch the sky at Golden Skybridge

For adrenaline junkies, outdoor adventurers or families looking for a thrilling, interactive way to spend…

Fly high and touch the sky at Golden SkybridgeRead More

Ottawa rejigs trusted-traveller program in bid to avoid last summer’s airport chaos

The federal government has rolled out a revamp of its trusted-traveller program to clear any…

Ottawa rejigs trusted-traveller program in bid to avoid last summer’s airport chaosRead More

Fire-breathing metal dinosaur roars for travellers in BC Ferries lineup

Passengers waiting at a BC Ferries terminal in Nanaimo in Vancouver Island were probably not…

Fire-breathing metal dinosaur roars for travellers in BC Ferries lineupRead More

‘You barked, we listened:’ BC Ferries’ pet pilot project expanded

Dogs – and cats – are getting their day on BC Ferries … at least…

‘You barked, we listened:’ BC Ferries’ pet pilot project expandedRead More

200+ former employees return to Lytton’s Kumsheen Resort to kick off 50th anniversary

In what was expected to be one of the biggest gatherings in the Lytton area…

200+ former employees return to Lytton’s Kumsheen Resort to kick off 50th anniversaryRead More

Summer zipline tours to restart at Juneau’s Eaglecrest Ski Area

Visitors to Juneau, Alaska can once again take to the skies at Eaglecrest Ski Area,…

Summer zipline tours to restart at Juneau’s Eaglecrest Ski AreaRead More

5 ways to be more food sustainable while travelling

By Katrina Sirotta It’s the night before a big trip. You’ve got your luggage packed,…

5 ways to be more food sustainable while travellingRead More

Travel, tourism sectors set for major recovery this year: Report

A new reports finds that Canada’s travel and tourism sector is poised for a big…

Travel, tourism sectors set for major recovery this year: ReportRead More

Previous Post: « B.C. adventurer treks 4,200-km Pacific Trail from Mexico to Canada
Next Post: Discover Yellowknife at brand new visitor centre »

Primary Sidebar

Things To Do

Waterfalls, not wildflowers are Mt. Rainier National Park’s main springtime attraction

May 26, 2023

Fly high and touch the sky at Golden Skybridge

May 25, 2023

Ottawa rejigs trusted-traveller program in bid to avoid last summer’s airport chaos

May 24, 2023

Fire-breathing metal dinosaur roars for travellers in BC Ferries lineup

May 24, 2023

Recent Posts

Waterfalls, not wildflowers are Mt. Rainier National Park’s main springtime attraction

May 26, 2023

Fly high and touch the sky at Golden Skybridge

May 25, 2023

Ottawa rejigs trusted-traveller program in bid to avoid last summer’s airport chaos

May 24, 2023

Fire-breathing metal dinosaur roars for travellers in BC Ferries lineup

May 24, 2023

Footer

The West Coast Traveller has an immense social media footprint, with eight social media sites and and 125,000+ social followers.

Join us on social media and Join Our Community by sharing your stuff!

Get Inspired

News Media Groups

Black Press Media
Sound Publishing
Oahu Media Group
Alaska
Boulevard Magazines
Used.ca

Let’s Get Social

West Coast Traveller
I Love British Columbia
I Love Alberta
I Love Yukon
I Love Northwest Territories
I Love Washington
I Love California
I Love Oregon
I Love Alaska

Visit Our Companion Sites

I Love Saskatchewan
I Love Manitoba
I Love Nunavut
I Love Ontario
I Love Quebec
I Love Newfoundland and Labrador
I Love Nova Scotia
I Love New Brunswick
I Love Prince Edward Island

Site Footer

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • TikTok Icon

Copyright © 2023 West Coast Traveller and · All Rights Reserved