Orca everywhere! Northern Residents
finally made an official appearance, with a new calf, in Johnstone
Strait, Transients have been at Savary Island, down below Powell
River and some, that are more frequently seen in Alaska made their
way right through, chasing Pacific White Sided Dolphins, from their
first ID point above Campbell River continuing West above Alert Bay.
Humpback Whales have been spotted around the top of Johnstone Strait
down to Helmcken Island a bit above Campbell River. Minke Whales and
Dall's Porpoise round out the sightings reports.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC
Transient Orca
Jessica Dohm
Northern
Resident Orca – Killer Whales
July 25:
7:30 am The A30's just passed
Cracroft Point, Johnstone Strait heading East in the fog.
Cracroft Lookout
July 25:
10 am the A30's Resident Orca
easting by Naka Creek while the Transient Orca (T077 and
T075B's) are between Stubbs and Donagal Head top of Blackfish
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC
July 25:
We were fortunate to have a regular
contributor, Tara Bladon, from Campbell River, and friends camping at
Naka Creek giving some great fogbound Orca updates:
9:05 am Saw 2 Orca heading West
about 10 minutes ago. They were closer to the other (Cracroft Island)
shoreline. Looked like 2 but maybe 3.
9:30 am I can still hear the blows off
in the distance! The water is like glass – fog here too, beautiful.
9:45 am 6 Orca here now...make that
10 or so! Heading East.
10:04 am 2 males; 2 groups one is 7
or 8 the other is 5 with no male; all heading East. Pretty close
to shore – what a treat for us!!!
What a treat to be there for one night
and to see the Orcas!
(the A36's had joined up with the
A30's - SM)
Tara Bladon, Camping at Naka Creek
July 25:
2:13 pm A30's just South of Eve
River (so called since it's close to Adam River – SM)
Aaron Webber, Campbell River Whale
Watching
July 25:
5:30 pm Resident Orca in St. Vincent
Bight.
Nick Templeman, Eagle Eye Adventures
July 24:
9:14 am 2 Orcas near Bear Bight
– no direction. Sounds like the A36 brothers.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys
July 24:
10:23 am A36's Easting by Ripple
Point.
Nick Templeman, Eagle Eye Adventures
July 24:
11:46 am Looks like the A36's
are still Eastbound by Nodales Channel.
Jack Springer, Campbell River Whale
Watching
July 24:
2:50 pm A30's in Blackfish Sound
Eastbound by Bold Head. Total of 11 Orca.
Jim Borrowman, Orcella Expeditions
July 24:
5 pm A30's foraging by Stubbs
Island. A75 has a New Calf – she's a pretty young Mom!
They may be headed down Weynton Pass. (note: they did, but weren't
found till close to Cracroft Point down Johnstone Strait – SM)
Jared Towers
July 24:
6 pm A36's were Westing at Davis
Point Nodales Channel
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys
July 24:
7:02 pm A30's just eastbound by
Cracroft Point.
7:45 pm Now just off the Sophia
Islets heading towards Boat Bay.
Jeff, Lukwa
Pacific White Sided
Dolphins
Garry Henkel,
Aboriginal Journeys
Transient
Orca – Bigg's Killer Whales
July 25:
10 am the A30's
Resident Orca easting by Naka
Creek while the 6 Transient Orca (T077 and T075B's) are
between Stubbs and Donagal Head top of Blackfish Sound
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC
July 25:
6 pm I spotted from Savary two
male Orcas about 2 km E of Grant Reefs Bouy going roughly
east at 6 pm today (Wednesday). I did not see them surface
many times before they did the disappearing act.
Ron Johnston, Savary Island
many times before they did the disappearing act.
Ron Johnston, Savary Island
July 24:
11:45 am Orca chasing PWS Dolphins
westbound off the SW end of Savary Island, just above Grant's
Reef angling towards Mitlenatch Island. Lots of huge chasing leaps
and splashes!
Dee Ingraham, Savary Island
July 24:
1:24 pm Orca and Dolphins by the
Tyee Pool in front of Campbell River
Scotty, Painter's Lodge
July 24:
1:54 pm 6 Transients Northbound
by Pulp Mill in Campbell River. Trying to get a PWS Dolphin
right at the Argonaut wharf jumping 20 feet in the air he (tug Inlet
Ranger) said. T's went West by Chatham Identified as ones that
frequent Alaskan waters, T077 and T075B gangs. They were
moving quickly up Johnstone Strait. Don't know what happened to the
PWS Dolphins ahead of them....I'd guess they took Nodales Ch.
Nick Templeman, Eagle Eye Adventures
July 24:
6:08 pm Just left the 6 Transient
Orca Westbound by Chatham Point. They took something by
Howe Island, not sure what, but were circling and sharing something.
Lots of gulls picking up scraps.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys
July 24:
7:40 pm 4 Orca Northbound by
Armour Road, close to Myrtle Rocks, Powell River.
8:30 pm Orca were splashing around –
looks like feeding. Now they're headed Southwards.
Nina Falls, Powell River
July 24th:
what a lovely sight, one large male
orca, two females and a very small calf from around 9 p.m.
until it was too dark to see. they seemed to be feeding and at
times the large orca would appear straight out of the water and then
descend once again. they were about 1 to 2 km off albion pt (black
point) south of powell river. so calm we could hear the blows.
seemingly the seals knew they were there and hugged the shore. the 3
yr old grand daughter enjoyed the show even without binoculars and we
were pleased that the 6 yr old, also visiting from alberta, was able
to experience this awesome sight.
Laura Johnson (donkersley beach),
Powell River
Pacific
White Sided Dolphins
July 25:
8:50 am PWS Dolphins at Horn Point,
not sure of number or direction, if any.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys
July 24:
2:30 pm 150 PWS Dolphins by McMullen
Point heading North fast away from the Transients.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys
July 24:
1pm The Dolphins were coming out of
Nodales at that point. Re: A36's poss turn
Nick Templeman, Eagle Eye Adventures
July 24:
Group(20) of WSD in Browns Bay
about 2:20pm.
Jacquie-Summer Resident Brown's Bay.
Folks here in the park said it was more
like 50 WSD. so between 25-50 is a better number. I was
in the marina and it is lower elevation and they were in the park and
it is higher and thus a better view.
Jacquie Nevinger, Campbell River
July 23:
11:30 am 120 – 150 PWS Dolphins in
Nodales Channel, by Hall Point foraging.
Nick Templeman, Eagle Eye Adventures
Humpback Whales
Garry Henkel,
Aboriginal Journeys
Humpback
Whales
July 25:
5:10 pm couple of Humpback Whales
around Weynton Pass and ?? (apologies, details never got noted –
SM)
Radio
July 25:
5:30 pm 2 Humpback Whales
heading East at Helmcken Island.
6:14 pm They had turned and we left
them heading West at Earl's Ledge
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys
July 25:
5:30 pm 2 2 Humpback Whales
'Stripe' and another by Helmcken Island
Nick Templeman, Eagle Eye Adventures
July 24:
9 am Humpback Whale by Stubbs Island
Radio
July 23:
11 am Humpback Whale, think
maybe it was 'Arial' was Northbound by Kanish Bay.
Nick Templeman, Eagle Eye Adventures
Minke
Whales
July 24:
9 am Just out of Alert Bay, we
spotted a Minke Whale.
Dave Towers, Seasmoke Tours
July 24:
5:15 pm 3 Minke Whales one in
Pearse Pass the other two at the bottom of the Pass.
Jared Towers
Dall's
Porpoise
July 24:
9 am Just coming out of Alert Bay,
some Dall's Porpoise were bowriding.
Dave Towers, Seasmoke Tours