Have You Seen Any of These?

Monday, May 27, 2013

Orca Chasing Dolphins, Humpback Whales and other Cetacean Sightings

Humpback Whales are starting to move through and back up the coast. Transient Bigg's Killer Whales chasing Pacific White Sided Dolphins and some Dall's and Harbour Porpoise round out this report.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC

Have you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise?
Call 1-877-323-9776 or Email your report.
Every sighting report is valuable!


Transient Bigg's Killer Whales Chase Pacific White Sided Dolphins into Sechelt Inlet

Transient Bigg's in Porpoise Bay
May 26, 2013
Sam Nisbet, Sechelt

Reminder: There are Whale Watching Guidelines to protect the whales.

May 26:
around 11:30 am I don't know if you have been informed yet but there was probably 50-60 porpoise heading down to the head of Porpoise Bay and followed by several killer whales today at around 11-30. I don't know exactly how many (Orca) there were but it looked like 10-15. The funny thing is I never saw as many porpoise or whales go back out. They were down at the end of the bay for a good 40-50 minutes so I would imagine someone has some photos or videos. I have included the only photo I got. I thought I was taking a video. I should read the camera instruction book first lol.
Sam Nisbet, Sechelt

May 26:
Two orcas observed yesterday, May 26, in Porpoise Bay, Sechelt Inlet pursuing dolphins.
Bert Carswell, Sechelt

Transient Bigg's Killer Whales

May 26:
1:52 pm 6 Orca Southbound by Maurelle Island/Okisollo Channel. There's 1 big male. They headed out through Hole in the Wall into Calm Channel.
Jen, Campbell River Whale Watching

May 26:
3:57 pm Just about to leave the Orca the T02C's and T123's. They went right into Whiterock Passage. They just turned around and are heading North towards Calm Channel.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale Watching and Grizzly Bear Tours

May 26:
5:27 pm So we are now Northbound at the top of North Rendezvous Island (Calm Channel) now. Still sleepy and rolling along. We have just left the Orca.
Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions

May 25:
6:30 am Report of 3 Orca Northbound past Quathiaski Cove across from Campbell River. From a friend. With the big ebb tide, they're probably going to be way up the channel.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale Watching and Grizzly Bear Tours

Spy Hopping Transient Bigg's Orca
May 26, 2013
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale Watching and Grizzly Bear Tours

May 25:
11:20 am Orca Southbound by McMullen Point. Left them at 12:20 pm at the Narrows running at 7 knots South.
Jos Krijnen, Eagle Eye Adventures

May 25:
12 pm 5 Orca Southbound by Brown's Bay, above Campbell River. T023's
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale Watching and Grizzly Bear Tours

May 25:
1:28 pm Found the Orca T023's just off Quathiaski Cove Southbound.
1:40 pm 2 groups of 3 Orca, all small fins, still Southbound 1.5 miles off shore heading towards Salmon Point.
Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions

May 25:
The Bigg's Transients, a family of 4 , the T 77's were in our area, Albert Head (Victoria) Saturday May 25th, dining on harbour seals.
Marie O'Shaughnessy, Orca Magic

May 24:
11:22 am 3 Orca spotted just South of Lund – looked like they were headed South, but never showed.
Elizabeth Tenhoeve, Powell River

May 24:
Whilst we were all at Friday's Savary Island Dock Committee meeting, held on the dock, Rick Shanaman pointed out breaching whales. Meeting was at 11am, so it was about 11:30 am. They were out toward Major Rock.
Rick Thaddeus, Savary Island Real Estate

May 24:
12:35 pm Heard there are 3 Orca off Savary. Saw 1 fin looking over towards the East end of Savary. Looks like they're Northbound.
Gordie Coles, Sevilla / Savary Island

Transient Bigg's T023C3 with many scratches
most likely from a Sea Lion fighting back.
May 25, 2013
Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions

Humpback Whales

May 27:
10 am Just saw a couple of blows from a Humpback, but no flukes. He/she was heading towards Atrevida Reef. Snuck past Powell River.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC

May 27:
12:04 pm Humpback Northbound by Middle Point, Copper Bluffs in Discovery Passage.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale Watching and Grizzly Bear Tours

May 27:
2 pm The Humpback is still lazing about in Seymour Narrows.
Jos Krijnen, Eagle Eye Adventures

May 25:
10:20 am Humpback by Copper Bluffs (Campbell River) Southbound on the Quadra Island side.
Jos Krijnen, Eagle Eye Adventures

May 25:
1:45 pm The Humpback is now by the Tyee pool in front of Campbell River.
Oak Bay boat

May 19:
Hi Susan, These three Humpbacks were around Victoria Sunday May 19th. Interesting Dorsal of one of them...the light coloured one. I have cropped in close so one can see what I believe is the results of possible killer whales, the mighty T's, leaving scars on that dorsal, and possibly Cookie Cutter shark mark, white circular patch on the darker one near the dorsal fin. Let me know what you think. One of the Humpbacks was Split Fluke as we call her/him. That was the only one that lazily raised its fluke for us, x 1
Marie O'Shaughnessy, Orca Magic
Sorry, not enough room in email feed to post all photos, but the one round mark, I would say is from a Cookie Cutter shark (see photo) and the other possible Transient rake marks actually look more like entanglement marks, but can't be certain. SM

Humpback with Cookie Cutter Shark bite
May 19, 2013
Marie O'Shaughnessy, Orca Magic

Pacific White Sided Dolphins

May 27:
1:31 pm Some PWS Dolphins at the East end of Hole in the Wall.
Radio

May 27:
2 pm 20 to 25 PWS Dolphins mid-channel by Brown's Bay heading North.
Jos Krijnen, Eagle Eye Adventures

May 26:
See Transient Bigg's opening report.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC

May 24:
1:40 pm We had 7 PWS Dolphins in Teakerne Arm, Lewis Channel Northbound.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale Watching and Grizzly Bear Tours

May 22: (rec'd late)
A pod of about a dozen pacific white sided dolphins in Sechelt Inlet near Tuwanek on Wednesday (may 22nd) morning. Alas, nothing happening on the return home today.
Joan Bech, Roberts Creek

Dall's and Harbour Porpoise

May 27:
2 pm There are some Dall's and Harbour Porpoise at the entrance to Nodales Channel.
Radio

May 27:
3:42 pm 8 Dall's Porpoise Southbound by Deepwater Bay, Discovery Pass.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale Watching and Grizzly Bear Tours

May 25:
2:40 pm 1 or 2 Harbour Porpoise in the tide rips off Cape Mudge.
Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions

Have you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise? Call 1-877-323-9776 or Email your report. Every sighting report is valuable!

The official governing society of Whales and Dolphins BC is Wild Ocean Whale Society (WOWs)