OrcaLab Whale Lookout
Watching for orcas and humpbacks in Johnstone Strait, from a research station that has listened since 1970.
About this view
OrcaLab has sat on Hanson Island since 1970, studying northern resident orcas without ever putting a boat in their way. The principle is observation from shore, backed by a network of hydrophones in the water. This stream cycles between the lab's lookouts over Johnstone Strait and Blackfish Sound.
What crosses the frame is the point: orca dorsal fins in line, humpbacks lunging on herring, sea lions, eagles, and the shipping that shares the channel. Nothing is guaranteed on any given hour — this is a real strait, not an enclosure — which is exactly what makes a sighting worth the wait.
British Columbia runs on Pacific Time, UTC−8 and UTC−7 in summer. The northern residents move through from roughly July to October, and that is the window to watch; they come for the salmon runs, and the nearby rubbing beaches at Robson Bight draw them close to shore.
Nearby cams
Frequently asked questions
- Where is the OrcaLab Whale Lookout live cam located?
- The camera looks over Hanson Island, British Columbia, in Canada. Its position is 50.573°N, 126.746°W, which you can open on our world map.
- What time is it at the OrcaLab Whale Lookout camera?
- Hanson Island, British Columbia runs on UTC−7, and the live clock at the top of this page shows the current local time and whether it is day or night there. It is worth checking before you watch: this view changes completely between the middle of the night and the busiest hours of the day.
- Are there other live cams near Hanson Island, British Columbia?
- Yes — the closest ones are Sea Lion Beach, Sea Otter Cam, Vancouver and Vancouver Harbour & Canada Place. They are listed under "Nearby cams" further down this page, and every camera we carry is plotted on the world map.
- Is this stream really live?
- Yes. This is a real 24/7 live feed broadcast by explore.org, played through the official YouTube player — free, no account needed. Every stream in our catalogue is checked automatically before each update to confirm it is still live and watchable.
