I arrived back from the Marine Mammals trip a few days ago, and came back with an abundance of photos, knowledge about my new camera (Canon 1dx Mark II), and great memories. I can’t wait until I have the opportunity to get there again.

Our trip started in Port McNeil where we boarded our accommodations for the week (a 71 foot sailboat), and then we proceeded to the Johnstone Strait Area, which is known for its population of Killer Whales during the summer months. From there we travelled in between Vancouver Island and the mainland up to the northern tip of Vancouver Island, and then back to the Johnstone Strait again.

The goal of the trip was to photograph the different species of marine mammals that call the BC Coast home, and I don’t think anyone walked away from the trip disappointed. In addition to photographing the Humpback and Killer Whales along the Johnstone Strait, we were also treated to some awesome interactions with Steller Sea Lions, and Sea Otters.

Under the Sea

Some of the most memorable experiences of this years trip was witnessing a serial breaching Humpback Whale. We also saw some transient Killer Whales try to kill a Steller Sea Lion (who then tried to seek refuge in our zodiac – luckily without us in it). And the trip ended with us having a pod of over 30 (some estimated 50) Pacific White-Sided Dolphins ride the bow of the boat (see image to the left).

We also had the opportunity to photograph some of the birds of the BC Coast, which provided an excellent opportunity for me to test different AF settings on my new 1dx Mark II. Some of the highlights of the bird photography included Bald Eagles fishing, and Black Oystercatcher in a parcel of at least 13 birds.

What I loved about this trip, in addition to capturing some outstanding images, is that it seemed like each of the 7 days had a different highlight, and no one day was the same. Overall this was a very memorable trip, and is quickly becoming one of my favourites. If you would like to visit the BC Coast to photograph marine mammals contact Brad Hill : Natural Art Images

Stay tuned to my recent images and marine mammals gallery for photos as I get them processed.

And now it’s just under a month until I head back to the BC Coast, and into the Great Bear Rainforest. The images from the last two years can be found here: Great Bear Rainforest Images