Transient (meat eating) Killer Whales
together with Pacific White Sided Dolphins off Powell River! It's a
dangerous, for the dolphins, mix. It was difficult to get some other
work done and not watch out the window while the dolphins and Orca
were heading towards one another. Unfortunately I couldn't get out on
the water even though it was beautifully calm, but a couple of tours
from came all the way to Powell River to see the Whales and Dolphins.
Note: the reports below will be mixed
for species rather than duplicating them.
Susan MacKay, Whales
and Dolphins BC
Transient
Orca
and
Pacific
White Sided Dolphins
April
29, 2012
Transient Orca, Harwood
Island
April 29, 2012
Nick Templeman, Eagle
Eye Adventures
8:30 am Around 60+ Pacific
White Sided Dolphins feeding off the Westview, Powell River
ferry terminal heading towards the mill.
Gladys Raven, Powell River
9 am, 10:20 am and 11:30 am The
dolphins, estimated at around 80 were still feeding back and
forth from Sliammon to in front of the ferry terminal by
Powell River. They did spend some time leaping and doing their
usual play / feed patterns, but stayed in front of Powell River.
Susan MacKay
Hi Susan Thanks for the heads up this
morning. I went to the lookout shortly after getting off the phone
with you around 10:30 this morning and saw 150-200 dolphins
making their way south. They then turned and moved in towards the
ferry and Willingdon beach where I left them at about 11:15.
Lots of leaps and milling about, looked like they were feeding
as there were lots of birds above them. Then a boat came and pushed
them towards the west end of Harwood. What a great way to spend the
morning!
Nicole Robertson, Powell River
11:30 am A call came in that at
least 3 Orca, all small fins were spotted off Atrevida Reef
just North of Powell River and Sliammon headed towards Powell River.
Kim Liseberg (sp?), Savary
Island/Lund
12 pm Dolphins, I think were
using a tug and tow to hide off the Powell River mill and were now
heading slowly Southward towards Grief Point.
Susan MacKay
12 pm At least 4 Orca which
included at least one large male, were taking their time moving
slowly Southward off Sliammon.
Steve Grover, Powell River
1 pm The first whale watching
tour found the Orca just off Sliammon Creek. There were 7
whales including at least one small calf. Later, over the
radio, it was confirmed that they had at least 8 whales with 2
calves and T02C.
Lee, (sorry Lee, you're new to this
area, please email your other information to me for credit)
Transient Orca T02C, Harwood
Island
April 29, 2012
Nick
Templeman, Eagle Eye Adventures
1 pm The Dolphins count was down
to between 50 to 60 of the larger ones in front of the
viewpoint in Powell River. They were bunched up pretty tightly
and appeared not to know what direction (North or South) they wanted
to go. I didn't see where the rest of them got to. I last saw them,
still in front of the ferry terminal with their noses pointed
Northward at around 2:30 pm.
Susan MacKay
3:30 pm Lee waited with
the Transient Orca till Jen,
Campbell River Whale Watching got on scene close in to
Harwood Island and starting to pick up the pace a bit towards
Rebecca Rocks, half way between Harwood and Texada Islands.
They again stalled and soon after, Nick Templeman, Eagle Eye
Adventures arrived on scene. He was with them till a bit after
4:15 pm. Nick contributed a number of great photos and links to a
couple of his video / audio clips. Check out his report below.
4:15 pm Pacific White Sided
Dolphins, numbers now back up to around 100, managed
to sneak past the Orca, just across the passage, and were by
Atrevida Reef heading Northward.
Jen, CR Whale Watching
The Lund Dolphins were seen
around 16:00 hrs and were developing quite an entourage, so we
did not follow along. Lund was treated to 25 to 30 dolphins
cruising between Savary and the main land heading NW to Major
rock. They were making good time and were soon out of site.
Ken Dykstra
Transient Orca T023, Harwood
Island
April 29, 2012
Nick Templeman, Eagle
Eye Adventures
Hi Susan! We had an amazing day with
this Gang of Orca today. There were 8 animals in Total,
my rusty eyeballs can pick out T02C and T02C2 and T02C3 I
think it is?! The rest I am leaving in your capable hands. (No
time to check them all or send them off for verification yet – SM)
Here is the link to some under water video and some amazing
underwater vocals that I posted on you tube as well. I have a
Swann HD mini camera in an underwater housing and didn't realize
while it was happening but when we listened and watched the clips
later on the computer the vocals were amazing!! The vocals and echo
location came right thru the underwater camera housing and being
underwater with no interference came thru crystal clear!! I was
amazed. This was shot just after the confirmed kill of a harbour seal
and during the food sharing process. What a way to start the season!
Take care Susan!
Nicklaus, Eagle Eye Adventures
2012
Charter Cruises
Enjoy a personalized week long
Charter Cruise in the pristine wilderness of the Great Bear
Rainforest. Information can be found on the 2012
Charter Cruises pages of Whales
and Dolphins BC.