Considering the orcas’ movements, another quiet day passed on August 7th. We received no reports or sightings until 6:42pm, when Scotty spotted the A34s off Port Hardy, heading east. Based on their direction, we began to wonder if our kelp horn session might have actually been heard – though we didn’t hear anything else for the rest of the day.
Even without orcas, Blackney Pass was alive with humpback activity, featuring the usual suspects such as Guardian, Argonaut, Stitch, and Inukshuk. It’s always reassuring to know you can count on these giants to fill even the slowest days with their presence.
Speaking of slow days, time on Hanson Island seems to flow differently than anywhere else. Days feel both short and long at the same time – quiet and unhurried without orcas, yet as soon as we pick up the faintest call, everything accelerates in an instant. We truly live on whale time here, a rhythm unlike anything else. Sometimes the Lab feels like a beating heart – never sleeping, always pulsing and vibrating. It rests occasionally, but when it springs back into action, it does so at full speed. We spend much of our time waiting and watching, yet even for the impatient among us, it rarely feels like waiting. Paying attention reveals the most beautiful moments: a playful otter drifting past, a bald eagle hunting with effortless grace, or the vibrant life hiding in resting tide pools. Being here teaches you to notice the smallest details while always keeping the bigger picture in mind.
Slow days don’t necessarily feel longer – just gentler. In between watching our surroundings, these quieter times are filled with learning new skills: tying knots, building improvements, beautifying the space, and tackling everyday tasks like chopping wood, all to ensure this beating heart never stops. Some of us went snorkeling today, while others wandered off on a small hike to explore the island, impressed by the rainforest just beyond camp. Just before dinner, our hydrophones picked up the unmistakable sound of humpback bubble-net feeding – a sound hard to describe, yet utterly unique.
When night settled in, a beautiful full moon rose behind the mountains, bathing everything in its warm light. Sitting at the water’s edge, we heard the clear, resonant blow of a humpback somewhere in Blackney Pass, filling the air with its presence.
Words by Freddy
