<START> Video shows the moment ferry boat encounters rare gathering of almost 1,000 dolphins Ferry boat passengers traveling from Galiano Island to Tsawwassen in Canada came across a super-pod of Pacific white-sided dolphins Thursday An expert said it was a 'rare and unique occurrence' to see a pod that big in the Strait of Georgia They are normally found in coastal waters on the other side of Vancouver Island A super-sized pod of nearly 1,000 dolphins was spotted Thursday in western Canada's Strait of Georgia. The dolphin pack was captured on video by passengers on board a BC Ferries vessel traveling from Galiano Island to Tsawwassen. 'I've never seen anything like this before,' Rob Maguire, the man who filmed the dolphins, told Global News. The last time I saw an orca or dolphin was more than 15 years ago. Exciting ride: A ferry boat traveling Canada's Strait of Georgia witnessed a large group of almost 1,000 dolphins last Thursday The species of dolphins filmed yesterday was determined to be the Pacific white-sided dolphin, according to Dr Lance Barrett-Lennard, head of whale and dolphin research at Vancouver Aquarium. This species of dolphin is known to travel in large pods of 50 to 200 and as big as 2,000 but Dr Barrett-Lennard called their appearance in the Strait as a 'rare and unique occurrence'. Packs that big would normally be seen in coastal waters. Mr Maguire said he spoke with BC Ferries workers who said they'd never seen 'anything like this before'. Once in a lifetime: The dolphin pod was spotted in Canada's Strait of Georgia and BC Ferries workers on the boat said they haven't seen anything like it 'Rare and unique occurrence': A dolphin expert told Global News it was strange to see such a large back in Sound waters After about three minutes, the dolphins disappeared out of sight and the experience changed the mood of the ride. 'It was a pretty quiet ferry ride until the dolphins turned up because no one was really talking to one another,' Mr Maguire said. But afterwards everyone was abuzz, strangers were talking with strangers and getting to know one another. Diane Williams was on the ferry and standing next to Mr Maguire when he took the video. She commented on the video when he posted it to YouTube. 'Absolutely amazing,' she said. Moved me to tears. In 35 years of traveling to Mayne [Island] I have never seen such a sight before.