Rare orca sighting at Victoria’s Inner Harbour

CHEK

WATCH: At least four orcas seen swimming around Victoria’s Inner Harbour on Thursday afternoon.

There has been a rare sighting at Victoria’s Inner Harbour.

“I’ve been on the Island for 27 years and I’ve never seen them that close,” said one witness.

ORCAS IN HARBOUR

ORCAS IN HARBOUR

Duration 1m

At least four transient orcas swam into the Inner Harbour on Thursday afternoon at around 2:30 p.m.

“You saw the big fins and probably half [of their bodies] out of the water. It was really wonderful,” said one tourist from Washington.

Orcas were seen in Victoria’s Inner Harbour on June 7, 2018. Photo Credit: Jackie Cowan.

“They literally all popped up in front of me,” said whale watcher Jackie Cowan.

Cowan, who lives on a boat in the harbour, was on her day off when she heard the call of orcas on her radio.

“This was like, a moment in time that was so rare and I was there capturing it,” Cowan said.

Orcas, killer whales, are marked black-and-white dolphins. According to the Vancouver Aquarium, there are three distinct groups, residents, Bigg’s (transients) and offshores. Each group has major differences in behaviour and social organization, and subtle differences in appearance, such as the dorsal fin and saddle patch.

WEB EXCLUSIVE ORCAS

WEB EXCLUSIVE ORCAS

Duration 34s



Resident killer whales are common on the coast from April to November, but some pods can be seen in inshore waters throughout the years. Some may go offshore or into mainland inlets during the winter. In the summer months, southern resident pods are seen in Haro Strait and the San Juan Islands, while the northern residents are often seen in the Johnstone Strait area.

Bigg’s killer whales are found along the B.C. coast year-round and are always on the move as they look for prey. They are often seen in areas where seals are abundant.

A Bigg?s pod may travel up to 1,500 kilometres along the coast from Alaska to California while resident pods have been known to travel up to 2,200 km. There are approximately 300 northern and southern residents and 225 transients in B.C./Washington waters.

Here are some of the photos and videos of the beautiful sighting. If you have any photos or videos of the orcas in Victoria, send them to [email protected].

Orcas were seen in Victoria's Inner Harbour on June 7, 2018. Credit: Jackie Cowan.

Orcas were seen in Victoria’s Inner Harbour on June 7, 2018. Photo Credit: Jackie Cowan.

Orcas were seen in Victoria's Inner Harbour on June 7, 2018. Credit: Jackie Cowan.

Orcas were seen in Victoria’s Inner Harbour on June 7, 2018. Photo Credit: Jackie Cowan.

Orcas were seen in Victoria's Inner Harbour on June 7, 2018. Credit: Jackie Cowan.

Orcas were seen in Victoria’s Inner Harbour on June 7, 2018. Photo Credit: Jackie Cowan.

Orcas were seen in Victoria's Inner Harbour on June 7, 2018. Credit: Jackie Cowan.

Orcas were seen in Victoria’s Inner Harbour on June 7, 2018. Photo Credit: Jackie Cowan.

Orcas were seen in Victoria's Inner Harbour on June 7, 2018. Photo Credit: Jim McNeill.

Orcas were seen in Victoria’s Inner Harbour on June 7, 2018. Photo Credit: Jim McNeill.

Orcas were seen in Victoria's Inner Harbour on June 7, 2018. Photo Credit: Jim McNeill.

Orcas were seen in Victoria’s Inner Harbour on June 7, 2018. Photo Credit: Jim McNeill.

Orcas were seen in Victoria's Inner Harbour on June 7, 2018. Photo Credit: Jim McNeill.

Orcas were seen in Victoria’s Inner Harbour on June 7, 2018. Photo Credit: Jim McNeill.

Orcas were seen in Victoria’s Inner Harbour on June 7, 2018. Photo Credit: Jim McNeill.

Orcas were seen in Victoria's Inner Harbour on June 7, 2018. Photo Credit: Justin Foran.

Orcas were seen in Victoria’s Inner Harbour on June 7, 2018. Photo Credit: Justin Foran.

WATCH: Orcas swim around Victoria’s Inner Harbour. Video Credit: Justin Foran.

Orcas in Victoria

Orcas in Victoria

Duration 16s

Credit: Justin Foran

Orcas were seen in Victoria's Inner Harbour on June 7, 2018. Photo Credit: Candice Olivier.

Orcas were seen in Victoria’s Inner Harbour on June 7, 2018. Photo Credit: Candice Olivier.

Orcas were seen in Victoria's Inner Harbour on June 7, 2018. Photo Credit: Hannah Geddes.

Orcas were seen in Victoria’s Inner Harbour on June 7, 2018. Photo Credit: Hannah Geddes.

CHEK NewsCHEK News

Recent Stories

Send us your news tips and videos!