The T137s, which includes T137 “Loon” and her children T137A “Jack,” T137B “Tempest,” and T137D “Wright,” were in the middle of hunting a California sea lion. T137 was actively porpoising out of the water in pursuit of her prey. But this sea lion was clever—they used a nearby vessel to hide from the hungry killer whales.
For over an hour, the T137s patiently waited for the sea lion to abandon the vessel. The killer whales dove for 7-8 minutes at a time, as they likely attempted to coordinate an ambush or devise a plan to separate the sea lion from the boat. While the guests waited to see what would happen—would the sea lion get away or not?—the clouds overhead opened up, and everyone waited with bated breath in the cool autumn rain.
Bigg’s killer whales are efficient hunters, but today, the sea lion won the stand off! Tired of waiting around, the T137s split away and travelled north towards Bowen Island. There are plenty of harbour porpoises and seals near the shores of Bowen Island, so it is likely this family did not go hungry for long.
Just as the sea lion swam away, the rain stopped, and a rainbow stretched out across the sky. It was a beautiful farewell as we departed from the scene, and everyone felt a little relieved that the sea lion would live another day.
