Happy Mother's Day! Transient Bigg's
Orca have been popping up all over the place and in numbers too. They
appear to have all taken to doing long dives and manage to sneak
around. Humpback Whales are working their way up to their summer
feeding grounds with a sudden influx of sightings in our inside
waters. One Humpback Whale of note is 'KC' or Kelp Creature who was
struck by a boat last year. The dorsal wound is substantial, and
fortunately, does not appear to have hindered spinal movement. It's a
relief. Pacific White Sided Dolphins and Dall's Porpoise have been
spotted a few times, but not as often as we'd expect considering the
feed in these waters.
A reminder to please be cautious on the
water and keep your distance. Be aware of, and eyes open for all
Cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoise). As always, we look forward
to receiving your sightings reports.
Fundraising Draw: We will be
drawing Four whale watching tours at the Powell River Sea Fair this year. The
tours are being donated to help cover costs and support our society's
continued efforts. We have received commitments by: Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours, Discovery
Marine Safaris, Eagle Eye Adventures and Stubbs Island Whale
Watching.We will post more details in the next report.
Susan
MacKay, Whales
and Dolphins BC
Call
1-877-323-9776
or Email
your
report.
Every
sighting report is valuable!
Have
you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise?
Transient
Bigg's Killer Whales
Transient Bigg's Orca
May 10, 2014
Garry
Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
May 10:
11:03 am About 10 Orca Northbound by
Cape Mudge lighthouse. Radio.
11:10 am They are about half mile South
off Cape Mudge lighthouse.
12:30 pm Left at least 5 Orca at the
red can buoy Southbound (yes, they turned). Looks like they're headed
for Mitlenatch Island.
Leigh Nelson, Adventure Quest Tours
May 10:
12:30 pm Transient Bigg's T101's and
T102 are 1.5 miles off Francisco Point, Quadra Island heading into
Sutil Channel. Lazy whales just rolling along. T101A is off on his
own with the rest all grouped up for the most part. Just lazy
swimming. They're angling towards Marina Island.
2:10 pm left T101's and T102 Southbound
at Marina Reef, Cortez Island.
Also, spoke with Ron on the Aurora
Explorer at 1:45 pm and they had 3 Killer Whales inside the reef by
Gorge Harbour, Cortez Island on a possible seal kill. Sounds like
they may have just grouped up on the way out of the pass.
Try to get you nice shot of T102
passing the reef with seals and 2 eagles flying off in background for
the report.
Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale
and Bear Excursions
May 10:
3:09 pm Orca grouped for a 10 minute
intermezzo, then split up again. 3 females went toward Marina Island
shoreline while other group headed towards Rebecca Spit, then they
joined up again.
3:32 pm Leaving the Orca now all
angling towards Rebecca Spit.
5:33 pm Another group of 4 Killer
Whales inbound to Okisollo Channel.
Jos Krijnen, Eagle Eye Adventures
May 9:
12:58 pm 3 plus Orca Westbound down
Jervis Inlet, but still just above Hotham Sound. Seen from the Earl's
Cove to Saltery Bay ferry. Could have sworn I saw more blows, but too
far to confirm more.
Susan
MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC
May 9:
Evening: We had 12 Bigg's Orca off
Nanaimo Northbound. They were almost to Winchelsea Island. It was the
T65A's, T86A's and T100's.
Simon Piddock, Ocean Eco Adventures
Transient Bigg's Orca
May 10, 2014
Garry
Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
May 8:
9:26 am 3 Orca reported by Rob off
Saltery Bay heading up the inlet just prior to ferry arriving at
dock.
9:59 am 3 Orca, two females and one
sprouter (juvenile growing into his big dorsal) almost to Captain
Island from the Saltery Bay to Earl's Cove ferry.
Susan
MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC
May 8:
9:59 am 3-4 Orca Northbound off the
Sonora Island Resort dock now.
10:10 am 3 Orca just turned South at
the Sonora dock.
Aaron Nagler, Sonora Resort
May 8:
no time given: Was with 4 Orca in
Okisollo Channel from Bute Inlet side all the way to Okisollo side.
They hit the tide rip and turned around. I left them mid-Hole in the
Wall Eastbound towards Bute Inlet. There was 1 big male, 2 females
and a calf.
Leif Nordman, Campbell River Whale
Watching
May 7:
12 pm At least 20 Orca reportedly
Northbound at Dogfish Bay now. That's just North of Francisco Point
(Cape Mudge) on the Heriot Bay side of Quadra Island. Probably the
big group from Nanaimo the other day.
1 pm Sounds like the Orca are now by
Rebecca Spit, Quadra Island now.
5:30 pm Leaving the Orca Northbound
between Penn Islands and Cortez Island; T087, T124's, T101's and
T102.
Garry
Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
May 7:
1:52 pm 20 or so Orca back and forth
between Viner Point, Reid Island and Marina Island on a kill.
3:11 pm Leaving the 20 Orca between
Subtle and Hill Islands and Viner Point. Had 3 seal kills.
Jos Krijnen, Eagle Eye Adventures
May 6:
7:30 am 8 Orca Southbound by Raza
Island (just above Desolation Sound) headed for Subtle Island. From
fishing guide.
Aaron Nagler, Sonora Resort
May 6:
6 pm 4 Orca Northbound by Steep Island,
Discovery Passage including one large male, from a friend.
Garry
Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
May 5: (rec'd on 7th)
no time given: Left 16 Transient Bigg's
Orca were Northbound off Nanaimo in the evening. You should have some
KW's up your way today.
Simon Piddock, Ocean Eco Adventures
May 3:
1:15 pm 5 to 6 Orca Southbound in
Discovery Passage at Granite Point from fishing guide.
Aaron Nagler, Sonora Resort
May 3:
2:49 pm Orca by the Campbell River
Mill. I also see 2 large fins near Steep Island and some smaller fins
mid-channel by April Point.
3:50 pm Group of 4 small fins and one
calf in with them. Left them at Cape Mudge, southbound.
Garry
Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
Transient Bigg's Orca
May 7, 2014
Garry
Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
May 3:
2:49 pm 6 to 8 Orca by Copper Bluffs,
Quadra Island side, across from Campbell River.
Aaron Webber, Campbell River Whale
Watching
May 2:
Afternoon: Had the T065A's headed North
in Georgia Strait.
Simon Piddock, Ocean Eco Adventures
May 2:
~ 6 p.m. - Myrtle Point, Powell River,
Southbound - Four Orca, with at least one baby. 150ft from shore, on
the surface for 5 min. then dove down at the point and did not spot
again.
Joel Nordham, Powell River
May 2:
around 5:30 pm Spotted a group of
Orcas, mid channel, heading east toward Jervis Inlet.....one male,
three females and a 'big baby'...the little one was almost coming out
of the water each time it surfaced, we could see the white
underbelly. It managed to keep up with the bigger guys...they were
going quite slow.
Laura and Bob Johnson, Donkersley
Beach, Powell River
May 2:
Around 6:20 pm 3 or 4 Orca Eastbound
angling towards Texada from Comox ferry just before docking.
Sylvie Paquette, Powell River
Humpback
Whales
Humpback Whale BCY0291
'KC'
Seriously damaged
dorsal from boat strike
May 5, 2014
Garry
Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
May 7:
6:30 am Report of a Humpback Whale off
Salmon Point, south of Campbell River. No direction given.
Geord Dunstan, Discovery Marine
Safaris
May 7:
10:13 am Humpback mid-channel between
Painter's Lodge and April Point Northbound.
12 pm Humpback Northbound at Race Point
now.
Jack Springer, Campbell River Whale
Watching
May 7:
4:47 pm At least one Humpback Whale,
maybe more by Campbell River mill, Northbound.
Leif Nordman, Campbell River Whale
Watching
May 5:
3:15 pm Humpback Whale just above
Brown's Bay, Discovery Passage. Photos confirmed later as BCY0291 or
'KC' short for Kelp Creature.
Garry
Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
Pacific
White Sided Dolphins
May 7:
11:36 am 20 – 30 PWS Dolphins by
Kanish Bay. No direction. From Oak Bay Hurricane.
Jack Springer, Campbell River Whale
Watching
May 6: (rec'd 7th)
12 pm 50 PWS Dolphins just North of the
Orford River in Bute Inlet.
Aaron Nagler, Sonora Resort
May 6:
12:16 pm 4 PWS Dolphins by Kelsey
Point, Stuart Island.
Garry
Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
May 5:
10:30 am Report of a dozen PWS Dolphins
Southbound by Whiskey Point, from ferry worker.
Garry
Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
May 5:
12:15 pm Leif is with the PWS Dolphins
Southbound by the Cape Mudge Village.
Jack Springer, Campbell River Whale
Watching
May 3:
10:30 am 100 PWS Dolphins milling about
by Deepwater Bay.
Leif Nordman, Campbell River Whale
Watching relayed by:
Elvis, Eagle Eye Adventures
Dall's
Porpoise
May 6:
11:02 am a couple of Dall's Porpoise by
April Point milling.
Garry
Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
Branded
Sea Lions
May 9:
2:36 pm Steller Sea Lion on Mitlenatch:
#2513 (no photo confirmation and this is an unusual number since most
have a letter)
Leif Nordman, Campbell River Whale
Watching
May 6:
time not noted: Steller Sea Lion on
Mitlenatch #952R
Jos Krijnen, Eagle Eye Adventures
Branded
Sea Lion #952R from Rouge Reef Oregon
Jos
Krijnen, Eagle Eye Adventures
Links
Email received from Alexandra
Morton, who has been fighting hard to raise awareness about the
pitfalls and problems of salmon farming in our BC waters.
Congratulations that the program 60 Minutes is investigating and
broadcasting this! Please pass it on:
The
TV program 60 Minutes is running their investigation
into salmon farming in British Columbia this Sunday night, May 11,
2014. Please check local listings to find out exactly what time it
will air in your region.
It was a great honour to meet Dr.
Sanjay Gupta, a remarkable man.
I hope this international spotlight allows Americans to better understand the consequences of the farmed salmon sushi on their plates. The reason companies from Norway are using the BC coast to raise Norwegian salmon is inexpensive access to the American consumer.
I hope this international spotlight allows Americans to better understand the consequences of the farmed salmon sushi on their plates. The reason companies from Norway are using the BC coast to raise Norwegian salmon is inexpensive access to the American consumer.
Please watch with me on Sunday. You can
view the trailer and comment on the CBS website I have provided links
on my blog. Alexandra Morton
http://alexandramorton.typepad.com/alexandra_morton/
Humpback Whale disentanglement in
Washington State caught on camera. Looked like the gear was from crab
pots set in Oregon. Long way to travel hauling the gear!
North Shore News article: This summer
marks the 50th anniversary of the first capture of a live killer
whale for the purpose of displaying as public spectacle. During the
first week of his life in captivity Moby Doll swam continually
counterclockwise in a flooded dock at the foot of Lonsdale in North
Vancouver. - Full article at:
http://www.nsnews.com/moby-doll-of-the-salish-sea-1.1020442
Humpback Whale BCY0291
'KC' Tail Flukes
May 5, 2014
Garry
Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
Have
you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise?
Every
sighting report is valuable!
We
are the non-profit Wild Ocean Whale Society