One of my favourite things to do when I visit British Columbia is to go on a whale watching tour. I’ve been to BC several times and have been on many whale watching tours in Victoria, Tofino and Vancouver, British Columbia.
While on a sunset whale watching tour in the waters of the Salish Sea near Victoria, we were surrounded by a family of orca whales. Suddenly, an orca whale came out of the water to check us out.
A wild & free transient Orca whale (also known as Killer Whale) in the Salish Sea, the waters near Victoria, British Columbia.
Shortly after the above photo was taken, a mother and baby orca swam under our boat, twice. We also had a rare opportunity to watch Orca whales as they taught their young how to hunt for porpoises and saw a humpback whale and seals. It was my favourite whale watching tour to date.
Mother Orca teaching her young one how to hunt for porpoise.
Two orcas in the water near Victoria, British Columbia with Race Rock in the background.
A humpback whale tale against the sunset in the Salish Sea near Victoria, British Columbia
I highly recommend Eagle Wing Tours in Victoria, British Columbia for these reasons:
They are Canada’s first carbon-neutral, eco-adventure whale watching company
They partner with the Songhees First Nation, traditional territory of Victoria, to offer the Songhees Nation Cultural Tour
They contribute to conservation and education
They have several tour options and boats available. I enjoyed the tour on the Goldwing.
Four-year-old Lason Taylor is a 3rd generation performer in the Le-La-La Dancers First Nations dance company. I captured this image as he performed at the 2nd annual three-day Aboriginal Cultural Festival in Victoria, British Columbia in June 2015.
The Le-La-La dancers are from the Kwakwaka’wakh First Nation in Northern Vancouver Island. They have been sharing their culture and traditions through beautiful songs and sacred dances of their
ancestors under the direction of George Me’las Taylor locally and around the world for 27 years.
The passing of stories from generation to generation is how their rich culture has survived and will continue to survive. Events like this are important so that we may learn about cultures in our countries and in the places we visit in our travels. Gilakasla Le-La-La.
I usually bring my 40-150mm 2.8 pro lens for a whale watching tour without a second thought as the whales are never close enough to use a shorter focal length. For the first time, I stood at the trunk of the car and questioned whether I should take the shorter focal length lens.
I had been on 2 whale watching trips during my visits to British Columbia this summer and didn’t even think about it before, but for some reason I had 2 minutes of photographer anxiety. In the end, I didn’t take it because I know that when wildlife appears closer than they normally do, there’s not enough time to change lenses.
Maybe I just knew I was going to see orca whales up close.
We came upon a pod of transient orcas after about a 20 to 30-minute ride from where we departed at Fisherman’s Wharf in Victoria, British Columbia. Transient orca whales are also known as Biggs killer whales. We watched them alternate between shorter 2-minute and deeper 4-minute dives. In those longer dives, they were hunting.
As our captain vied for position and stopped a safe distance away, my best friend who is from British Columbia and is Nlaka’pamux and Cree First Nations was quietly singing her ancestral songs. We were the only 2 on the back of the boat.
Suddenly, a spy hop!
At that moment, I knew they were coming.
Spyhop!
Shortly after the spyhop, some of the orcas started poking their head out of the water as if they were checking us out.
Orca whale in the Straight of Juan de Fuca near Race Rocks, about 17 km from Victoria, British Columbia.
I started to notice more surface activity but weren’t sure what the whales were up to. Then, we could see a harbour porpoise. They seemed more interested in playing with it than eating it as they would push it along and disappear with it under the water. The naturalist on board our Eagle Wings Tours boat thought that they were teaching the baby orca how to hunt. The truth is, he wasn’t sure, as he said that he had never seen anything like it before.
While the large male orca swam close to Eagle Wing tour’s other boat, my friend started to sing a little louder. I knew she was trying to communicate.
An orca shows us a belly roll.
Two orcas and a harbour porpoise.
Then, two orcas were straight out in front of us with their heads above the water looking towards us with the porpoise between them. It was as if to say ‘look what we have’.
The next moment they came towards us.
Two orcas show us their catch, a harbour porpoise.
As they got closer, I switched to video mode and captured the moment they swam under our boat, twice! I said hello and thanked them, out loud.
I thought they’d reappear on the other side of the boat, but instead they resurfaced on the same side that they started from, right beside us.
Orcas with Race Rocks in the background, about 17km from Victoria, British Columbia.
We saw humpback whales too, we think we saw 2 different ones. Humpback whale tail.
A humpback whale tail against a British Columbia sunset.
A beautiful sunset behind Trial Island, near Victoria, British Columbia
Every now and again I’d hear my friend say “kuk’stem” which is thank you in the Nlaka’pamux language. She was following Indigenous protocol in giving thanks to the whales and the Creator.
It’s been a great travel year for me and I am grateful for the opportunities, new friends, old friends and for a family that supports me.
In 2014 I returned to a country I love – South Africa, not once but twice! I visited in May and my dad came along. I also returned in November and my family (husband, 4yo & 9yo sons) came with! My dad joined us a week later. My visits to South Africa are always so inspiring and wonderful and never long enough.
St. James Beach – Cape Town, South Africa May 2014. This image was chosen to appear in Pocket Vistas, a Mobile Photography exhibition of Landscape, Nature & Wildlife.My sons & penguins at Boulder’s Beach in Cape Town, South Africa November 2014.My son checking out the view at Boulder’s Beach May 2014. Both my boys enjoyed seeing the penguins and playing in the water. Cape Town, South Africa.Street art in Woodstock. Cape Town, South Africa November 2014.Zebra in Black and White. Taken with my Olympus em1 mirrorless camera & M.Zuiko 40-150mm 2.8 pro lens while on safari in South Africa with Naledi Enkoveni December 2014.Bird silhouettes against a South African sunset. Taken with my Olympus em1 & 40-150mm 2.8 pro lens while on safari with Naledi Enkoveni December 2014.
The reason for my return to South Africa was because of a women’s mobile photography development initiative I founded and started there in November 2013, The Heart of a Woman Project. I visited in May to launch phase 2 and my father came with to meet the ladies and offer some help. I returned once more in November to celebrate our 1st anniversary with an exhibition and cultural celebration and was very happy to have my husband & 2 sons (9 & 4) with me.
The Heart of a Woman Project South Africa #thoawSA May 2014.An inaugural #instameetEKASI in Khayelitsha with Instagramers Cape Town and the ladies from thoawSA June 1, 2014. Photo by Ockie Fourie.A collage of the women’s work over the last year on display at eKhaya eKasi, The Heart of a Woman Project. Debuted at the 1st anniversary exhibition & cultural celebration November 2014.My 4 yo son learning isiXhosa games from the kids in the eKhaya eKasi community. We spent 6 days there in November 2014. They played with the kids while I taught the ladies and they can’t wait to return.
On the way to South Africa, we had an overnight layover in London, England. Mostly we stayed near the airport in hopes that my sons would adjust a bit to the time difference so they could handle the further 2 hour difference between GMT and SAST. It seemed to work and they adjusted well. It also helped to avoid 2 back to back overnight flights. We took off to Windsor before checking in for our flight. Windsor was about 25 minutes from Heathrow, it’s a quaint town and a good layover visit. We saw Windsor Castle from the outside only and had lunch in a local pub. It was my son’s 1st visit to Europe, we’ll have to go back for a proper one.
My sons in front of Windsor Castle, a layover stop before our flight to South Africa November 2014.
Gemma, Andrea, Kelly & Mariellen of WeGoSolo at Women’s Travel Fest in New York, NY March 2014.
I went to New York City in March for the Women’s Travel Fest and again in October for National Geographic Traveler’s seminar on Storytelling Photography with Ami Vitale and Melissa Farlow, two well respected National Geographic photographers. I’ve been a professional photographer since 2003 and have been following Ami’s incredible work since that time. It was great to meet her in person and to learn from her.
New York is a great city for solo travel and I love to see a show on broadway, discover a restaurant and observe what’s happening around the city. While walking back to my hotel after seeing a show on Broadway, I came across this scene in Times Square. At first it was just this young man with his sign and then this half dressed man came by and started dancing, things got interesting.
Only in New York City? October 2014.
I am also grateful to have been able to get in a short visit but with quality time with dear friends in Vancouver (my home away from home) and Saskatoon in Canada in April.
Dundarave Beach in West Vancouver April 2014Saskatoon, Canada April 2014.
Between all the travel both solo and with family, I also managed to visit some our family favourites nearer to home – Niagara Falls in February and June and the Kawartha Lakes in August.
The American Falls as seen from the Canadian side. Visited Niagara Falls with the family on Family Day February 2014.My oldest son enjoying the view in Kawartha Lakes, Ontario at a cottage we rented for a week August 2014.Sons enjoying a ride on the Skywheel in Niagara Falls June 2014. We had an overnight there shortly after I returned from South Africa.
Lastly, I added 2 new cities to my travels, Albuquerque and Santa Fe, New Mexico in July. I was in Santa Fe for the International Folk Art Market that hosts artisans from around the world. From their website – “Celebrates the humanity of the handmade that empowers communities through monumental earnings.”
There were so many talented artists with their incredible handmade work. It was like travelling around the world in a day. The highlights were visiting the artists and learning more about the work from Myanmar (Burma), South Africa and Haiti. I met a man and his family that represents the last 30 puppeteers of Myanmar. It’s a dying tradition that dates back 600 years. You can read about it here.
Fabrics from Myanmar at IFAM July 2014 in Santa Fe, New Mexico.Baskets made of telephone wire in South Africa at IFAM July 2014 in Santa Fe, New Mexico.Art from Haiti, with a strong belief in voodoo at IFAM July 2014 in Santa Fe, New Mexico.Puppeteer from Myanmar, a 600 year tradition at IFAM July 2014 in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
I also got a chance to drive a bit of Route 66 in Albuquerque.
Route 66 – Albuquerque, New Mexico July 2014.Route 66 – Albuquerque, New Mexico July 2014.
It’s been great to go through my photos of the last year and relive some memories. I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing some images from the destinations I visited in 2014.
Sharing 2 quotes I love and perfect for starting the new year –
Wishing you new beginnings, magic, dreams and safe travels in 2015, the best is yet to come!
I observe a man in a saffron robe. He is tall, his head bald and he is smiling. Ten others have suddenly joined him on the street; he stands above them as a shepherd tending to his flock. I hear the sound of a drum and shaking of the tambourine and then, “Hare Krishna Hare Hare Hare ”. The song trails off as they chant walking down the street.
Continuing my walk on Kensington Avenue where the streets are narrow and sidewalks wide, I come to a wall with graffiti and the words “One Heart”. As I take a photo of it, a faint scent of soap, fresh after a shower, wafts towards me. The sign above the entrance of the store reads Tribal Eye. I see a table full of incense in front of their window and then wander in. There’s a Djembe in the corner. Walking over to it, I feel tempted to play it.
“Do you play?” he asks.
“I’m learning” I answer enthusiastically. “I took 2 lessons in Senegal and bought a Djembe in South Africa.”
Suddenly, alternating soft and hard slaps on the drum sound out, the owner is now playing the African drum and I am the only audience. Enjoying this moment, I wonder if he took lessons too.
“Where did you learn?”
“I’m African, we’re born with it.”
He grins as he walks over to his laptop; I follow behind to continue the conversation. A rhythmic drumbeat begins to play over the speakers; he starts dancing behind the counter. As I am looking at the products on the counter, I feel myself dancing too. I find it hard not to move to this music.
“Did you see the Tree of Life on your trip? How did you like it?”
“Oh, the Baobab trees are beautiful and I even slept in one in Senegal.”
“You like to live life!”
“Yes, I do!”
He looks at me and starts singing: “If you know what life is worth, you will look for yours on earth, and now you see the light: stand up for your rights.
“I love Bob Marley.”
He smiles. It is 25 minutes after I walked in and I remember why I went in. I pick out some incense, look at the “One Heart” jewellery and buy some African Shea butter. I thank him, but what I am most thankful for is his time and openness.
“Thank you my sister.”
I smile and as I walk out, I’m reminded that we are all one; one heart. I am even more inspired to continue to live with an open heart by being open to conversation with people I meet as I wander locally and around the world.
The Krishnas just passed by singing. Just another day in Kensington Market that us Torontonians simply know as Kensington.
One Heart at the Tribal Eye in Kensington Market, TorontoDancing Days – Kensington Market, TorontoKensington, Toronto
Author’s Note:
You never know where inspiration is going to come from and you don’t have to travel to find it. It is right here, every day if you live with an open heart. Thanks to Anthony for the reminder and another lesson in the Ubuntu philosophy. Ubuntu, is the Xhosa word I learned while in South Africa that simply means “I am what I am because of who we all are” and speaks of interconnectedness.
