Sightings reports catch-up. Reports were delayed due to a computer glitch and lack of internet connectivity. In the past few days, there have been numerous encounters with Orca, Humpback Whales, Minke Whale or Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises. Read On....and keep reporting!
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC
California Killer Whales in BC!
Noteworthy Identification of some truly pelagic Transient Orca seen over a number of days till Augus 13th. This is an unusual sighting and has everyone quite excited. The Orca photos below had everyone puzzled for a while. “Can-Opener” as we called him, in fact, is NOT 'Can-Opener', read the identification email below. Also, word has it that they were last seen, prior to these sightings in Monterey Bay in April, 2011.
Thanks to Nick Templeman and Orca Network for getting the photos to the correct person to identify these animals.
The BIG guy is CA24, first photographed in Monterey Bay in 1990.The smaller male is N25, initially identified in 1996 off of Santa Barbara, Ca. N25 has a key identifying scoop; this scoop is VERY similar to the one on Can-opener, who is CA60 - a HUGE male first seen off Humboldt Count, CA in 1980; they are often mistaken for each other. (Can-opener has been spending a bit of time up your way the past couple of years; I would LOVE to get any sightings dates and details of his travels). The female in the 5th image is the one that I expected to see: CA180. (Note: I did not receive the same sequence of photos, so am not sure of which photo Alisa talks of – SM) She was first identified in 1996 with N25. I do not recognize the other ones at first glance.
Alisa Schulman-Janiger, California Killer Whale Project
California Transients CA24 and N25
August 13, 2011
Photo: Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys
California Transient
August 13, 2011
Photo: Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys
Northern Resident Killer Whales
August 16:
8:30 am Orca were spread out from the West end of Robson Bight Ecological Reserve to Beaver Cove, by Telegraph Cove. They travelled in smaller groups and were first heading West then East, back to the Bight.
Later in the day, they started to repeat the process, but turned back to Bight before they got to mid-Hanson Island.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC
10:30 am A12 and the two A36 brothers were spotted by Kelsey Bay, Johnstone Strait heading East By 12 pm they were at Camp Point, and at 4 pm they had passed Turn Point, the lower start of Johnstone Strait, an headed East up into Nodales Channel.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys
August 15:
9 am Orca reported by Port Neville. The A4's and A5's were caught up to by the tours out of Campbell River and by 11 am were Eastbound by Kelsey Bay.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys
9:45 am Orca were by Swaine Point, Boat Bay, Johnstone Strait. These guys went West then East and lots of foraging.
Various Radio reports
Around 12 pm A very large group of many of pods of Orca are still hanging around the upper Queen Charlotte Strait area. Bill was with them for a number of hours off of the Port Hardy Airport.
Bill MacKay, MacKay Whale Watching
August 14:
7:15 am Orca at Cracroft Point Westing along Hanson Island to Weynton Pass. By 9 am they went through Weynton and were slowly continuing West past Donagal Head, Malcolm Island.
SM
9:30 am Broken radio transmission that there were possibly Orca at Helmken Island, lower Johnstone Strait. SM
11:30 am Some Orca vocals were heard at Critical Point, by the Bight. Then some Orca 'popped up' and some headed East some headed West By 2 pm some were past the top end of Malcolm Island and some had made it down to Eve River, close to Kelsey Bay. SM
2 pm 2 to 3 Large groups of Orca are milling / foraging and slowly Westbound in Goletas Channel, by Chrisitie Pass.
Bill MacKay, MacKay Whale Watching
3 pm Orca Easting by Eve River.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys
9 pm A8's and A24's were headed West to Cracroft Point...from the Bight? And soon after, the A4's and A5's went West then East....these animals do get confusing to follow, it's as if they just can't make up their minds – guess the food is good in spots. SM
Hi Susan,
Time to catch up from the past couple of days. Yesterday, Aug 12th we had a fantastic trip up Johnston Strait to find the A-36s/A-12/A-24s/A-11s without the 35s or A-73(they were reported further west) We found this gang in flat calm water at the Broken Islands and followed them to the west at Forward bay. I have enclosed a nice pic of the 24s.
Today, August 13, started out fantastic with a report at 9am of our BIG T (no i'd yet) with "Can-opener" (see note above regarding the ID's- SM) and a large female. They were southbound bucking an 11knot ebb tide at Race Point. We stayed with them until 1130 am as they zig zagged there way south in Discovery Passage dodging fishing boats and commercial traffic. No kills were seen or confirmed. We then travelled North up Discovery Passage and after stopping at Chatham Point for 2min confirmed a report from Way West Watertaxi and found the A-23s easting into Nodales Channel! We followed them into Nodales for 40 minutes then headed for Fredricks Arm at the east end of Nodales Channel for a nice look at the A-8's and A-25's foraging. One of the other WW companies said they saw A-73 in there as well, but I cannot confirm this. From there we headed into the Stuart island area for some fantastic Ocean Rapids in the Devils Hole, Arran rapids and Yuculta rapids. Watching the Eagles swoop for Hake on the surface is amazing! From there a quick trip into Bute Inlet and home via Hole in the Wall and Okisollo Channel completed our fantastic adventure for the day!!! I will enclose a pic from the other day of the big guy and Canopener and a nice dolphin pic (photo below) from the other day as well, cheers!
Nick Templeman, Eagle Eye Adventures
Transient Orca
August 15:
4:30 pm to 9 pm Transient Orca were hunting off the Pearse Islands and Stephenson Islets. They were identified as the T55's. Although there were some Pacific White Sided Dolphins and Dall's Porpoise in the area, they seemed to be focused on the harbour seals on the rocks. They headed into Johnstone Strait then turned back up and out through the Plumper Islands at 9 pm. The initial report came from Neil on the Island Odyssey who stumbled upon them. He stayed with them till Jared Towers arrived to confirm the ID's and soon after I got into viewing range. Larry on the Discovery Skiff followed them out through the Plumper Islands.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC
August 14:
Note: a couple of the miscellaneous Orca sightings under Resident Orca, could potentially be Transient Orca roaming the inner waters. They were posted to Resident Orca since some of the Resident Pods were heading in that direction.
Humpback Whales
August 16:
Humpback Whales are all over today. 'Freckles' again worked the tide rips at the bottom of Blackney Pass, 'Ripple' and her calf were over by Bold Head most of the day, and another very large whale, whose tail fluke photos I have not had a chance to look at to determine who it is, was lunge feeding by Stubbs Island and doing incredibly high tail lobs lifting half his body out of the water to create a splash almost as big as a full body breach. The krill are back and perhaps this is a way of getting the word out. There were other whales reported over by Fife Sound and from around Donagal Head, Malcolm Island, and in Blackfish Sound.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC
August 15:
8:30 am and throughout the day: 2 Humpbacks reported off Donagal Head and then Bold Head throughout the day. Some tail lobs and as well as breaching. On my way back across Blackfish Sound I had to stop twice for Humpback Whales. First for 'Ripple', her calf and another larger whale lunge feeding by Bold Head, and then again by Stubbs when a Humpback surfaced right in front of me. He did a quick turn, did a lunge feed, turned back, looked at me and fluked, leaving me grabbing camera, after I put the boat in neutral, of course, and firing a couple of quick shots.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC
August 14:
Throughout the day: A total of 8 different Humpback Whales were seen at one time. Most of them were in the 'golden triangle' Donagal to Plumpers (Stubbs in the middle) to Bold Head. Some very large blows as well as the tiny one from 'Ripple's' new calf.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC
Minke Whales
August 16:
Around 2;30 pm While torn between looking at the salmon eating krill in Weynton Pass and the Humpback heading out towards Bold Head, a Minke Whale surfaced heading towards the Plumper Islands. They are so fast and seem to always stay down so long, that I never did notice where it came up again. Too much to look at.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC
August 14:
11:30 am 2 Minke Whales were foraging in the tide rips between the Plumper Islands and Bold Head, Swanson Island.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC
Pacific White Sided Dolphin Leaping
August 2011
Pacific White Sided Dolphins and Dall's Porpoise
August 16:
2 pm 12 Pacific White Sided Dolphins were Westbound in Johnstone Strait by Ripple Point, just above Campbell River.
August 15:
9 am till 4 pm Around 300 to 500 Pacific White Sided Dolphins were foraging and spread out from Fife Sound to Donagal Head, Malcolm Island. They made a sudden turn away when they realized they were about to head straight into some Transient Orca.
Throughout the day: Dall's Porpoise, in small groups of 2 to 8 at a time were seen foraging, usually in the tide rips.
Around 6 pm I had a number of them bow riding as I headed close to where the Transient Orca were. They peeled off just as I got into the narrow passage between the Pearse and the Stephenson Islets, where the Orca were.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC
August 14:
3 pm 16 Pacific White Sided Dolphins were at Hall Point, Nodales Channel.
3 pm 200 to 400 Pacific White Sided Dolphins came out of Knight Inlet and spread out in Queen Charlotte Strait. There were a lot of new calves.
Jim Borrowman, Orcella Expeditions
Throughout the day: Dall's Porpoise, in small groups of 2 to 8 at a time were seen foraging, usually in the tide rips from Weynton Pass throughout Blackfish Sound area.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC
From the US:
August 13
Something rare occurred today; killer whales surprised us by coming up not only next to our boat, but a couple swam under our boat! We headed around Cattle Point to the west side of San Juan Island. This is where we saw the orcas. There was a small group of three that were close to land. We stopped or boat to watch when one big male changed direction and the next thing we knew he swam right across our bow. I was able to identify him as Blackberry (J27). Then more killer whales started coming to us from both directions. We watched them tail slapping and milling around, and we even saw the new K-calf (K44) with his mother Deadhead (K27). Then, out of nowhere a group of 4 whales went around and under the boat next to us and then two swam under our boat! It was incredible! On the other side when they came up I was able to identify Mike (J26). This was the closest encounter I've had! What a great summer afternoon.
Kristen, Naturalist, San Juan Safaris
Kristen, Naturalist, San Juan Safaris
August 11
Thursday there were no reports of anyone seeing any Orcas in the Salish Sea, so we headed towards Victoria to try and find the elusive Humpback Whale. The last reports we heard were of two animals that had just 'fluked up' and gone for a deeper dive. So we slowly moved into the area, turned off the engines, and waited. After only a few short minutes we had two mature Humpbacks surface not far from the boat side by side. We watched as they each took a few breaths, spouting about 15 feet in the air, and then getting great shots of a double fluke as the dove again. We repositioned the boat and waited for the next surfacing. As we scanned all the around, I heard passengers from another boat gasp in excitement and I turned just in time to see both Humpbacks completely breach out of the water!! Our other boat, the Sea Lion, was between us and the whales, but one of the Humpbacks got so much air that I could see it over the top of the other boat. It was Incredible! Humpbacks are some of my favorite whales in the world.
Mike, Captain - San Juan Safaris