Alive with visitors, boats and float planes, Victoria’s Inner Harbour is rarely still. But when a pod of killer whales cruised into town, the commotion paused – the sound of silence broken only by the rhythmic puffs of blowholes and the excited gasps of onlookers.
Stopping harbour traffic Saturday afternoon (Aug. 23) were four male Bigg’s killer whales, identified as belonging to the family group known as the T069s.
The impressive foursome swam leisurely through the downtown waters as hundreds lined the shoreline, cameras at the ready, eager for a glimpse of the majestic visitors.
People on the water weren’t left out either, as kayakers, paddleboarders and small boat passengers found themselves drifting alongside the whales, sharing the same extraordinary view.
Water taxi passengers realized they had unexpectedly purchased the city’s best whale-watching ticket, and with outbound planes delayed because of orcas on the runway, Harbour Air staff and passengers also enjoyed a front-row seat to the spectacle.
While folks on land and sea watched in awe, the apex predators moved purposefully through the harbour, scanning for their next meal.
With harbour seal pupping season still in full swing, it's likely the pod was hoping for an easy meal. But after poking around the Inner Harbour for around 20 minutes, the whales found the seal pup buffet was closed for the day.
After taking one last breath near Fisherman’s Wharf, the orcas slipped beneath the surface, leaving their downtown audience wanting more.
The pod later appeared at the breakwater before travelling along the coast to Sidney, delighting land-based whale watchers along the way.
Visits from Bigg’s killer whales to Victoria’s Inner Harbour and shoreline have become increasingly common in recent months, with experts suggesting the abundance of “easy-picking” seals in the harbour is likely attracting the predatory whales.
Most recently, the T109As were spotted hunting in downtown waters on Aug. 6.
Earlier in March, the T041s entertained visitors at the Ogden Point breakwater, with one ‘spyhopping’ whale seemingly as curious about its human audience as they were about it.
Several transient whale visits were also recorded last year, including the family of Brave Little Hunter, the famous calf who captured hearts worldwide after being stranded for over a month near Zeballos following her mother’s death.
A pod of 4 Bigg's killer whales delighted visitors at Victoria's Inner Harbour Saturday, Aug. 23. pic.twitter.com/T8CHWNRG2T
— Victoria News (@VictoriaNews) August 26, 2025
