Victoria harbour buzzing Sunday night as orcas cruise by again

CHEK

WATCH: It had been a long time since orcas were seen travelling through Victoria’s Inner Harbour. But now it’s happened twice in just over a week. Kori Sidaway has more on the pod of four transient killer whales spotted last night and why they may be hanging out there.

It had been years since orcas were seen travelling through Victoria’s harbour, but now it’s happened twice in just over a week.

A pod of four orcas were spotted in the harbour Sunday night around 7 p.m., captivating many people who were in the area and caught their appearance, which lasted for about a half-hour.

In an email to CHEK, David Best provided a video showing people running to get to a better spot to watch the transient killer whales, stating it’s “what happens when whales come into Victoria harbour.”

Video courtesy David Best.

WEB WHALES IN HARBOUR COURTESY DAVID BEST

WEB WHALES IN HARBOUR COURTESY DAVID BEST

Duration 31s

Video courtesy Rebekah S. from a bistro near the Inner Harbour.

WEB WHALES INNER HARBOUR REBEKAH S

WEB WHALES INNER HARBOUR REBEKAH S

Duration 21s

Although there have been orca sightings near the harbour in recent years, experts say it has been at least a decade since they’ve been spotted spending an extended period of time in these waters.

Many shared in the surprising moment, including whale watching captain Jackie Cowan who had front row seats from her boat.

“Well naturally my first moment was complete and total disbelief that it could be happening two times in one year, let alone in one week,” said Cowan, who was on her day off June 7 when she saw another pod swimming near the Inner Harbour.

The second visit also shocked orca experts.

“To have a second one so close to the first sighting, really was a big surprise and really was an unusual occurrence for southern Vancouver Island and Victoria,” said marine zoologist Anna Hall.

Cowan says it could be due to the recent low tides. The transients prey on seals and sea lions and Cowen says the low tide swept nutrients into the harbour that would attract seals, with the orcas not so far behind.

“So we’d had this exceptionally low tide. When the whales came in last night, they were basically following the tideline,” said Cowan.

But Hall’s not convinced.

“We do get these tides each year, at this time of year around summer solstice and we don’t have this event occurring. So it may be correlated with the tides, they do drive the coastal ecosystem, but specifically to the Victoria harbour ecosystem, I suspect not,” said Hall.

Hall says there’s still a lot we don’t understand about transient Orca movements up and down the Pacific coasts.

“As to whether or not it’s going to happen again this summer, next year, next winter – we really don’t know. Truthfully the only ones who do know are the transient killer whales,” said Hall.

A pod of transient killer whales seen in Victoria's Inner Harbour Sunday night. Another pod was found cruising in Victoria's harbour on June 7, which had been the first time in more than a decade that whales were seen swimming that far into the harbour. Photo courtesy Jackie Cowan.

A pod of transient killer whales seen in Victoria’s Inner Harbour Sunday night. Another pod was found cruising in Victoria’s harbour on June 7, which had been the first time in more than a decade that whales were seen swimming that far into the harbour. Photo courtesy Jackie Cowan.

Andy NealAndy Neal

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