For some, spotting a whale in Vancouver's Burrard Inlet is a once-in-a-lifetime, jaw-dropping sighting. But for Vancouverites, seeing a whale off the shore of a local beach is just a random Tuesday.
Recent Whale Sightings in Vancouver
In recent days, social media has been rife with reports of whale sightings in and around Vancouver's waterways. It all came to a head Monday evening when a grey whale was struck by a jet skier while boaters and observers on shore watched in shock.
An individual riding a Jet Ski who struck a grey whale near Siwash Rock in Vancouver, B.C. on the evening of Monday, May 4, 2026 can be seen in the water climbing back onto the Jet Ski following the collision. Photo courtesy of Andy Zofka / @roamnc
Why Is There a Grey Whale So Close to Shore?
The short answer? It's hungry. According to David Rosen, an associate professor with the University of B.C.'s Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, there are two groups of grey whales that migrate from the south and may spend time in our waters.
“For both of them, they've been fasting for a long time down in Baja California where they spend the winter and they're heading north and they're looking for food,” he told Postmedia. “If they're going all the way up to the Bering or Chukchi Sea, they know there's food there but it's not like they're not going to feed along the way, even if it's not their final destination.”
Why Do They Stop Here?
Rosen called B.C. “kind of like the restaurant on the side of the road.” He explained, “You haven't eaten for a long time, you're going to go through the drive-thru and hang out until you're full and have that motivation to keep heading on your trip.”
How Long Will the Whale Stay?
Rosen said there was no indication of how long the grey whale might stick around Vancouver but that it could leave as soon as it's had its fill. “Right now, they're probably feeling the pull to head north but also, it's a good sign for our local ecosystem, in some ways, that they are like — hey, there's food here and I'm going to take advantage of it.”
Will We See More in Vancouver?
Rosen said Vancouver likely won't see huge numbers of grey whales, though some have already come and gone, but “you know, this is a pretty good restaurant by the side of the road.”
