Captain’s Blog

Race Rocks Lighthouse

March 10, 2021

Race Rocks Ecological Reserve and Marine Protected Area is an iconic grouping of small islands nestled nine nautical miles west of the Victoria Harbour. It is a place we visit on many tours when we are searching for whales in the Juan de Fuca Strait. Not only is the lighthouse itself stunning and historical, but […]

5 Lessons Orcas Can Teach Us About Life on Land

February 10, 2021

Human beings often look to other humans to learn how to live and operate on this planet. It makes sense for many reasons, however, there’s a lot to be learned from other animals on the planet too. In particular, there are lessons orcas can teach us about life on land! Orcas are an animal possessing […]

Marine Wildlife Conservation & Research Contributions

January 27, 2021

Written by: Rachael Merrett, Orca Spirit Adventures Marine Naturalist At Orca Spirit Adventures, marine wildlife conservation and protection are at the heart of everything we do. We feel the most effective ways to protect local wildlife are through the education of our guests and supporting scientific research and monitoring. With such a diverse array of […]

Little-Known Facts About Orcas

January 14, 2021

Originally published: May 4, 2013 These beautiful black-and-white creatures have secrets and we know some interesting, little-known facts about orcas. Remember these facts about orcas on your next Victoria whale watching trip! Orcas are actually dolphins Orcas, often referred to as “killer whales” (Orcinus orca) are a toothed whale and are the largest member of […]

Why Can’t The Southern Resident Killer Whale Diet Change in Light of Dwindling Chinook Salmon?

December 30, 2020

  In the Pacific Northwest, the Southern Resident Killer Whale population has been facing a crisis that threatens their survival. The crisis is an ever-dwindling supply of Chinook Salmon, their preferred prey, within their range along the western coast of Canada and the United States. Chinook Salmon make up approximately 80% of the Southern Resident […]

New Southern Resident Killer Whale Adoptions!

December 16, 2020

Every year Orca Spirit completes new Southern Resident Killer Whale adoptions from the Whale Museum on San Juan Island, Washington. This year we adopted one whale from both K and L pods.  Adoption funds support the important work of the Whale Museum including the operation of their amazing, educational Exhibit Hall, operating the Marine Mammal […]

Meet the Regulars: Commonly Seen Bigg’s (Transient) Killer Whale Families

November 18, 2020

West Coast Bigg’s (Transient) Killer Whales are a unique ecotype of orca who reside off the Pacific Coast of North America, ranging from Alaska to Northern California. Bigg’s Killer Whales are known as the mammal-hunters because their diet consists of seals, sea lions, porpoises, dolphins, and larger whale species like humpbacks, minkes, and grey whales. […]

Victoria Whale Watching Report: SRKW J-58’s First Breath!

September 24, 2020

Thursday, September 24th, 2020 – 12pm Covered Vessel Tour What a day to be on the water! The Pacific Explorer made its way out of the Victoria Harbour with its 14 guests and 3 crew not expecting to have the trip of their lives. The trip started with a nice visit from Scuttle the Humpback […]

Southern Resident Killer Whale Pregnancies: Cautious Optimism for Their Future

September 23, 2020

Written by Rachael Merrett- Orca Spirit Marine Naturalist The whale world has been abuzz about the orca pregnancies detected within all three pods of the Southern Resident Killer Whale population since SR3 (Sealife Response + Rehab + Research) announced their discovery in July of 2020. They revealed that there are pregnancies in all three pods, […]