Desolation Sound, British Columbia

Oct 23, 2018 - National Geographic Sea Bird

1 of 6

Zooming around in an expedition landing craft was exciting enough all on its own. Today, however, our experience was over the top since we spotted the No. 1 marine predator on the planet, killer whales. These magnificent mammals are actually dolphins, and they have a complex matriarchal social structure.

Desolation Sound may have a rather bleak name, but the reality is far from it. For Captain George Vancouver to have stated, “There was not a single prospect that was pleasing to the eye,” does somewhat put into question his appreciation of natural beauty. We spent the morning here exploring the rocky intertidal zone via kayak, inflatable boat, or our own ship, soaking in the landscape from the comfort of National Geographic Sea Bird.

Send
Tweet

About the Author

Ian Strachan

Naturalist/Certified Photo Instructor

One steady constant in Ian’s life has been the ocean. Born by the rocky shores of mid-coast Maine, his family repatriated to far north Queensland in Australia early on in his life where he became a dual-citizen and sparked his passion for exploring new environments. Living only an hour away from the Great Barrier Reef served to direct, if not focus, the exhilaration of discovery and set him on his current path. Returning to native soil for education, Ian was fascinated by altogether too many subjects, leaving him with a bachelor’s degree from Wheaton College in Psychobiology, focusing on animal behavior and perception, and with minors in Astronomy, History, and Environmental Science.

Talk to an Expedition Specialist