When Anna Mihalj decided to go for a run on ValentineB次元官网网址檚 Day, she wound up being at the right place at the right time to witness something spectacular.

The new-to-the-area resident said she was running along the Cable Bay Trail on the outskirts of Nanaimo about mid-day on Feb. 14. At the same time, a pod of orcas were B次元官网网址渞olling on throughB次元官网网址� Dodd Narrows B次元官网网址� a narrow, fast-movement passage between Vancouver Island and neighbouring Mudge Island.

B次元官网网址淚 was just like, B次元官网网址業 canB次元官网网址檛 believe this,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� she said of the encounter. B次元官网网址淚 was really lucky.B次元官网网址�

Mihalj said she had been through the passage on a sailboat before during slack water, but wanted to see what the area looked like at high flow, so she set out for a run after checking the tide tables.

B次元官网网址淎nd I got a bonus too,B次元官网网址� she added.

While her first marine mammal encounter may have only lasted a few minutes, the runner said one of the whales was within two metres of her at one point.

B次元官网网址淭he video didnB次元官网网址檛 do justice to how close they were at first. They were right there because the water goes so deep right away,B次元官网网址� she said.

In an e-mail, the co-founder and president of the Orca Behavior Institute, Monika Wieland, referred to the sighting as a special and unusual occurrence.

Based on MihaljB次元官网网址檚 video, Wieland said they were able to determine the whales passing through were members of J-pod by identifying their unique markings, and added that while there are records of southern resident orcas transiting through Dodd, itB次元官网网址檚 not a common occurrence. BiggB次元官网网址檚 killer whales, she said, also known as transients, tend to travel through the passage more regularly.

B次元官网网址淭hey were likely heading through on their way to the Strait of Georgia, where they typically spend a lot of time foraging for food this time of year,B次元官网网址� Wieland said. B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e lunging higher out of the water than usual to help fight the strong currents B次元官网网址� While they donB次元官网网址檛 often swim in currents this strong, theyB次元官网网址檙e well-adapted to manoeuvre through them, and do occasionally encounter strong currents in other narrow passages throughout their habitat.B次元官网网址�

Wieland also noted that orcas were also spotted in March 2022 going through Dodd Narrows, and suggested this could indicate a new preferred travel route this time of year.

Mihalj originally posted the video to FacebookB次元官网网址檚 Nanoose Whale Watch page for other people to enjoy, but noticed that it has also been shared by other wildlife institutes and environmental groups.

B次元官网网址淲hich makes it even more important,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e trying to protect [the area] right now too, because itB次元官网网址檚 not fully public land. So thereB次元官网网址檚 been some response to the video in that regard, which I had no idea about.B次元官网网址�

An to preserve and expand the Cable Bay Trail area exists on on www.change.org.

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mandy.moraes@nanaimobulletin.com
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