• Bull Kelp Forest ("Family")- habitat for ~750 species and up to 36 m in length. Marine algae, from the microscopic to these giants, produce ~70% of our O2. ©Jackie Hildering; themarinedetective.ca.
  • Pacific White-Sided Dolphin mirrored in the Ocean’s surface. ©Jackie Hildering; themarinedetective.ca.
  • Plumose Anemones just under the surface. ©Jackie Hildering; themarinedetective.ca.
  • Purple-Ringed Topsnail - species to 4 cm wide. Brilliant ambassador for the colour and biodiversity of the NE Pacific Ocean. ©Jackie Hildering; themarinedetective.ca.
  • Pacific Harbour Seal emerging from a Bull Kelp forest. ©Jackie Hildering; http://www.themarinedetective.ca
  • Basket Star - surreal looking sea star species; up to 75 cm across. Their 5 arms branch to form an intricate net to trap food. ©Jackie Hildering; themarinedetective.ca.
  • A Mother Hunting – T140 in pursuit of a Pacific White-Sided Dolphin. Mammal-eating Killer Whales diverged from other populations ~700,000 years ago. ©Jackie Hildering; themarinedetective.ca.
  • Just breathe. “Conger” the Humpback Whale exhaling at the surface. Throat pleats on left and baleen on right; breathing in the very air that you do. ©Jackie Hildering; themarinedetective.ca.
  • Just under the surface . . . so much beauty and fragility. Northern Kelp Crab atop rock studded with Ochre Sea Stars at about 3m depth. ©Jackie Hildering; http://www.themarinedetective.ca
  • Endangered “Southern Resident” Killer Whales by moonlight. Members of L-Pod passing through our area (inshore fish-eating killer whales). ©Jackie Hildering; themarinedetective.ca.
  • Ocean Eye - The eye of a Giant Pacific Octopus in her den. ©Jackie Hildering; TheMarineDetective.ca.
  • Bull Kelp just below the surface. ©Jackie Hildering; themarinedetective.ca.
  • We Are Family. 115 Matriline of "Northern Resdients" (inshore fish-eating Orca). ©Jackie Hildering; TheMarineDetective.ca.
  • Giant Pacific Octopus out hunting. Hooded Nudibranchs around him/her. All local photos; themarinedetective.ca.
  • Humpback Whale Jigger breaching (BCX1188, female)©Jackie Hildering; TheMarineDetective.ca.
  • The Interface - Steller Sea Lion just before he breaks through the surface to breathe the very air we do. ©Jackie Hildering; http://www.themarinedetective.ca
  • Alabaster Nudibranch - flower-like in appearance. Here at only 3 m depth; species to 18 cm. So much beauty, mystery and fragility is hidden just below the surface. ©Jackie Hildering; themarinedetective.ca.
  • Bull kelp forest (Nereocystis luetkeana). Habitat for +/- 750 species and can grow up to 60 cm/day. About 70% of our oxygen comes from the sea - from these giant algae to the phytoplankton that make these cold, dark, rich waters appear emerald green. ©Jackie Hildering