ḰENES all around Southern Gulf Islands!
December 03, 2025
TEḴTEḴSEN pair of ḰENES
Grebes at Mill Bay
Mout Point pair of ḰENES
Steller and California EŚAS at X̱EMYÁĆ
On December 03 our team headed out to conduct pinniped counts at Mill Bay, and then in our Zone 1 monitoring area in the Southern Gulf Islands. After encountering seals and a raft of Grebes at Mill Bay, we headed towards Active Pass. On the way to Active Pass we encountered two humpbacks milling off Mouat Point on S,DÁYES (Pender Isl.). We were unable to collect fluke photos of these two whales and they have no yet been identified. We carried on counting pinnipeds in Active Pass (S,ḴŦAḴ), and at the Belle Chain Islets (X̱EMYÁĆ). While at X̱EMYÁĆ we observed an injured stellar EŚAS (sea lion) and reported this individual to DFO with photos.
While counting on Tumbo Island, we observed two humpbacks far in the distance. We slowly made our way towards them and were able to identify one as Mammoth due to vessel strike scars near their dorsal fin, their companion remains unidentified as they were travelling unpredictably and we chose not to pursue them. After leaving the two whales near TEḴTEḴSEN (East Point), we continued our Zone one pinniped counts before returning to the marina.
All photos are taken with a 200-600 zoom lens.