Val’s first encounter with a wild killer whale took place in 1986 when a large male known as Ruffles (J1) swam right under the small boat she was in. She was instantly smitten! Since then, she’s been in and around Victoria’s evolving whale watching industry, blending her skills and experience in writing and photography with a passion for whales and all things marine. Val is our Communications Manager and lead photographer, and writes many of our blogs and photo posts on social media. She’s one of our senior marine naturalists, has a biology degree and has almost 40 years of experience as a science writer and communications specialist. She’s written a booklet on whales, dolphins and porpoises of BC and hundreds of articles on BC’s killer whales. She spent several years volunteering at the Vancouver Aquarium, where she worked with young harbour seals and sea lions. She’s one of few people on the planet who can say they’ve bottle-fed a Steller sea lion pup on their lap! Val loves nothing more than sharing British Columbia’s stunning marine environment and its wildlife with our guests and social media followers!