Orcas

Vancouver, Day 10

The weather's been absolutely beautiful today. In fact, conditions couldn't have been more perfect for getting out on the ocean. Which is just as well, because we'd already booked to go on a whale watching trip!

We caught a shuttle bus out to the fishing village of Steveston from where we headed out by boat through the Strait of Georgia to the Gulf and San Juan islands on the Canadian/US border.

The trip lasted just over 4 hours and for an hour of so of that time we got to hang out with a family of 4 killer whales, a mother, baby and 2 older children. Our guide, Joan, said that she hadn't seen this particular family since October and that their territory stretched from Northern California up to Alaska.

What a thrill it was when 2 of the whales swam right up beside our boat - so close it would almost have been possible to touch them. My heart was in my mouth with awe at the sight!

It all happened too fast for me to grapple my camera into active service and, in any case, sometimes it's best to just be there, watching, in the moment.

I did manage to take a few pictures though, even though the whales moved very fast and were up and down all over the place! This is one of the few shots I managed to get of them all together.

The whole thing really was an amazing experience. Not just for the whales but also for the seal colonies which we got close to, the bald eagle we saw and the beauty of the islands and ocean.


SwissRoll has requested a tune by top Canadian band Arcade Fire so I thought today might be a good day to play 'Ocean of Noise' www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyN9_5LUSZY

(Never fear, Goatee, I haven't forgotten your request either... your day will come!)

PS Congratulations to Andy Murray on his Wimbledon triumph against Canada's own Milos Raonic! I've just watched it. Great stuff!