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A pod of orcas surprised people on B.C.’s Sunshine Coast by swimming close to shore and rubbing their bellies on the rocks.
Ryan Chilibeck lives in Gibsons, across Howe Sound from West Vancouver, and on Jan. 2 heard that killer whales were swimming by Secret Beach Park.
He rushed out the door to try to catch a glimpse of them.
“Luckily enough, I just got to the right place at the right time and got an amazing show,” Chilibeck said.
A group of people formed on the beach, watching in silence as the pod of orcas swam back and forth for 20 minutes just feet from the shore.
“I picked my jaw up off the ground, it was once-in-a-lifetime type of stuff,” Chilibeck said.
The group of whales has been identified as North Resident Killer Whales (NRKW) and the A5 pod, which comprises three different families, according to Jared Towers, the executive director of Bay Cetology.
“Amongst all the different killer whale populations around the world, there’s only a couple that have been observed doing this behaviour,” Towers said.
“It’s very specialized, very unique, it’s not that common.”
The pebbles on the beach have to be just right for the Northern Resident Killer Whales to use, and the A5 pod are known to like the ones on the Sunshine Coast.
“They’re the only ones that know these spots and use them,” Towers said.
Rubbing their bellies against the smooth rocks feels good for the whales and can aid in exfoliation.
“Killer whales have very active skin, so their skin is sloughing all the time, rubbing their bodies on rocks like these smooth pebbles, it may help them expedite that exfoliation,” Towers said.
Community connects over whale sightings
Chilibeck wouldn’t have known about the whales if it weren’t for a local Facebook group that shares sightings of whales.
“I’m probably the world’s number one orca fan, so this is a big deal for me, for sure,” Chilibeck said.
He was mesmerized by how the marine mammals moved through the water.
“Just how big they were when they were swimming along … I think was, was probably one of the things I’ll take away the most,” Chilibeck said.
Glenda Sewards runs the Facebook group with the hopes of sharing sightings so everyone can enjoy them.
“Then everybody in the community will have a chance to see these magnificent creatures,” Sewards said.
She created the group more than 10 years ago after spotting whales from her back deck in Langdale.
“It’s really not that [much] work, it’s more joyful than anything else to see the community loving this and getting so excited about it,” Sewards said.
