Another delayed Sightings report to
catch up including a few texted reports that I missed. Plenty of
Cetacean activity out there, so a lot to cover.
Susan MacKay, Whales
and Dolphins BC
Humpback Tail Flukes
2012
Garry Henkel,
Aboriginal Journeys
Transient
(Bigg's) (meat eating) Orca
September 8:
8:52 am 2 at least, Transients about 1
1/2 Km off Quadra Shore heading towards Rebecca Spit. There are more,
spread out towards Plunger Pass / Whaletown / Rebecca Spit. There are
at least two groups, one with at least 9 Orca and 1 male and 1 female
closer to Whaletown.
Scotty, Painter's Lodge
September 8:
10:10 am Left the Transients by Village
Bay – time to head for the Grizzlies at Bute.
5 pm After a great bear tour, stopped
to check out the Transients again and left Orca by Hoskyn Rock
Southbound.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys
September 8:
11:30 am Transients spread out between
Hoskyn Rock and Breton Islands including a sprouter (young male who's
dorsal is sprouting) and a calf. Not sure who.
6 pm They're still around the Breton
Islands.
Aaron Webber, Campbell River Whale
Watching
September 8:
1:30 – 2 pm Transient Orca are still
between Read Island and Hill Island – not going anywhere fast.
Elvis, Eagle Eye Adventures
September 7:
2:45 pm Just passing along a report
from others who were fortunate enough to see them. 3 Orca northbound
between Denman and Hornby Islands, "two with
large dorsal fins and one with medium sized".
large dorsal fins and one with medium sized".
Graham Blake
September 6:
11:30 am 5 – 6 Orca including 1 Male
and 1 calf looking like they're hunting in the narrow part of the
Copeland Islands – just back and forth.
Vessel Moondance
September 6:
12 to 12:30 pm 4 Transients did a loop
around the Copeland Islands checking out rocks along the way. I
picked up on them as they came between Major Rock and the Raggeds (a
local name for the Copelands). I never saw a mom and calf and left
the 4 headed towards Powell Islets above the Copeland Islands.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC
September 6:
6:45 pm 4 Transients Southbound towards
Campbell River from Chatham Point.
September 4:
4:30 pm Some Orca Northbound by Cape
Mudge.
September 3:
7:30 am Late Report of Transients last
night by Copeland Islands.
September 3:
10:36 am As I rounded Raza Island, I
picked up on at least 3 blows and when I got closer found 4 Transient
Orca 1 adult male, 1 sprouter and 2 females. They headed, quite
cooperatively in my direction, so I could enjoy watching as we
transited down along the Cortez side towards Quadra Island. I left
them around 1:45 pm close to Whaletown and Marina Island without ever
getting a chance to actually ID them.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC
September 3:
2:30 pm the 4 Transients were by Marina
Reef and by 3:15 pm had picked up the pace to between Hernando and
Mitlenatch Islands.
Joss Krijnen, Eagle Eye Adventures
September 2:
Day: Some Transients Westbound by Izumi
Rock at the West end of Robson Bight.
Northern
Resident (fish eating) Killer Whales
NRKW Calf Spyhop
2012
Susan MacKay, SG Images
September 7:
10:30 am Resident Orca Westbound by Eve
River, Johnstone Strait
Found at least 20 Resident Orca from
I-Pod by Broken Islands, by Port Harvey (Bill on the Naiad ID'd them
as the I's). Left them around 1:50 pm still by the Broken group.
Scotty, Painter's Lodge
September 6:
1 pm 2 – 4 Orca Westbound in Nodales
Channel from Sonora Point down to Davis Point.
6:30 pm 2 Orca Westbound in Calm
Channel – someone said they were the A25's
September 6:
2:38 pm I left the Orca at Bear Bay on
the Thurlow side Westing in slow motion. 1 male 1 femal and 1 smaller
one.
Joss Krijnen, Eagle Eye Adventures
September 5:
8 am Orca heading into Nodales Channel.
10:14 Left the A25's in Frederick Arm
foraging.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys
September 5:
8:45 am 6 Orca at the top of Nodales
and by 10 am were in Frederick Arm foraging – someone said that it
was the A25's
September 5:
9:50 am At least 4 Orca Eastbound into
Chancellor Channel. A25's?
12:20 pm The Orca still Eastbound by
Greene Point Rapids.
1:25 pm Resident Orca now Westbound by
Howe Island into Johnstone Strait.
Scotty, Painter's Lodge
September 4:
10:15 am 4 Orca Loughborough -
Chancellor Channel area. On way back from Grizzly Bear tour we left
the Resident Orca Westbound by Davis Point.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys
September 4:
3:30 pm Orca between Phillips Arm and
Frederick Arm in Channe Pass heading East.
September 3:
During the day: Orca in Robson Bight
and Weynton Passage at the top of Johnstone Strait.
September 2:
8:20 am The 2 Resident A36 brothers are
Easting by Howe Island heading into Nodales Channel.
10:53 am A36 boys still foraging around
Davis Point. Must've found some good eats!
Scotty, Painter's Lodge
September 2:
10 am A36's Eastbound at Harding
Island.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys
September 2:
12:30 pm A36's heading West, down
Nodales by Sonora Point.
Elvis, Eagle Eye Adventures
September 2:
1:30 pm A36's now Eastbound up Nodales
to Hall Point.
3 to 3:30 pm A36's were now down by
Davis Point again and Westing; sort of!
September 2:
Day: Rest of the Resident Orca have
exited out of Johnstone Strait to the West.
Humpback
Whales
September 8:
7 am Humpback at Cape Mudge – just
gave me a tail fluke wave :) First headed South then North and back
again.
10:30 am Humpback was extremely tight
into shore in and almost behind a large kelp patch in front of Simm's
Creek then continued along the Vancouver Island shore Northbound.
1:20 pm Humpy is back!! Now headed
South doing long dives. Big animal. Foraging towards Mitlenatch now.
Tara Bladon, Campbell River
September 8:
12:20 pm Never saw the Humpback on the
early run, but having lunch at the dock, he / she popped up just in
front!
3:18 pm Left Humpback Northbound by
Chatham Point.
4:30 pm (on third tour of the day)
Humpback back 2 Km from green can buoy off of Cape Mudge resting and
spyhopping!
Scotty, Painter's Lodge
September 8:
8:30 am Humpback blow SE from Whilby
Shoal.
11 am Humpback by the fishing pier in
Campbell River.
2 pm Whales off Elk Bay – 2 Humpbacks
mid-channel Northbound by Eagle's Cove.
2:30 pm Humpback (originally sighted
one of three today) still just off the fishing hump out from Cape
Mudge.
5:40 pm 2 Humpbacks still or again back
to Eagle's Cove.
September 7:
4:30 pm Humpback at Cape Mudge milling.
From Garry, Aboriginal Journeys.
Scotty, Painter's Lodge
September 6:
8:10 am Humpback Whale Southbound by
Armour Road, Myrtle Rocks/Albion Pt. area of Powell River.
Nina Falls, Powell River
September 6:
9:15 am Big blow off the green can buoy
at Francisco Point, Cape Mudge.
7:30 pm Humpback Whale back and forth
by the Cape Mudge Village.
September 5:
7 am One of the ferry guys said there's
a Humpback Whale by Grouse Island near Quathiaski Cove.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys
September 5:
2:50 pm Humpback off of Maude Island,
Discovery Pass.
September 2:
1:05 pm Humpback Northbound by Old
Churchhouse.
1:30 pm Humpback made it by Sonora and
headed right into Gillard Pass.
3:45 pm Large Humpback by the East side
of Hole in the Wall heading South into Calm Channel. This Humpback
stayed milling outside of Whiterock Passage looking as if it was
trying to figure out whether it could go through the narrow passage
till at least 5:30 pm
September 2:
6 pm Found the Humpback tight by
Rendezvous Island heading South – possibly towards Whale Passage.
Scotty, Painter's Lodge
September 1:
7:10 am Humpback Whale Northbound past
Painter's Lodge in Campbell River.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys
September 1:
8:15 am Humpback out by Brown's Bay in
the passage heading West, up island. My husband watched her do three
shallow dives so we knew there was a chance we would not see her
surface, and we didn't. Actually, he heard the Humpback before he saw
it. Very loud (blow). That is so cool. We heard she came up on the
other side of the canyon wall. Could be he.
Jacquie Nevinger, Brown's Bay
August 30:
3 pm Humpback Southbound at Salmon
Point.
Tara Bladon, Campbell River
August 30:
3:30 pm 2 Humpback Whales by Hoskyn
Rock.
Aaron Webber, Campbell River Whale
Watching
Minke
Whale
September 8:
2:30 pm Minke Whale in Seymour Narrows
Southbound.
5:30 pm Minke must have turned North.
Scotty, Painter's Lodge
Pacific
White Sided Dolphins
Pacific White Sided
Dolphin
Wave Riding – 2012
Tara Bladon, Campbell
River
September 8:
9:30 – 10 am 150+ PWS Dolphins from
Deepwater Bay to Kanish Bay.
3:18 pm Dolphins still at Deepwater
Bay.
Scotty, Painter's Lodge
September 8:
1:30 pm and 2:30 pm and 5:40 pm 150 or
so PWS Dolphins still foraging and playing around Deepwater Bay.
September 8:
6 pm Just spotted half a dozen dolphins
off the west end of the Trail islands here in Sechelt. It’s 6pm,
water is flat; there have been tons of seabirds collecting here since
yesterday, as I see lots of shiners glimmering in the sunlight,
jumping and swarming in mass.
Judy Marusiak, Sechelt
September 7:
8:30 am Some Dolphins reported around
Horne Point, but en route:
9 am 300 or so PWS Dolphins were spread
out by Edith Point, Walkem Islands area. At first it looked like a
tide rip with all the boiling water.
Later: 300 PWS Dolphins Westbound at
Vansitaart Light with another 300 MORE fishing at Earl's Ledge across
from Kelsey Bay.
Scotty, Painter's Lodge
September 6:
9 am 150+ PWS Dolphins by Turn Island
headed towards Howe Island and Nodales Channel.
Scotty, Painter's Lodge
September 6:
9 am Around 200 PWS Dolphins heading
East by Chatham Point....bit later; More like 300!! They're heading
East in Nodales Channel.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys
September 4:
8:45 am Small group of PWS Dolphins by
Horn Point, Dent Rapids area.
12:18 pm 30 to 40 PWS Dolphins in
Denham Bay, then on the way out to Discovery Pass:
1 pm 200+ PWS Dolphins spread out from
Chatham Point to Turn Island putting on a good show.
Scotty, Painter's Lodge
September 3:
8:20 to 9:35 am 50 to 100 PWS Dolphins
by Frederick Arm with 1 or 2 by Thurston Bay, Nodales Channel.
Scotty, Painter's Lodge
September 3:
10:27 am Around 15 PWS Dolphins by Turn
Island foraging.
11:30 am Larger group of PWS Dolphins
went all the way to the head of Frederick Arm and were now coming
out.
4:35 pm Smaller group of PWS Dolphins
by Horn Point, Dent Rapids area.
September 2:
9:30 am PWS Dolphins by Copper Bluffs.
11:30 am PWS Dolphins in Brown's Bay,
Northbound.
September 2:
5 pm Around 300 PWS Dolphins right
across the channel from Chatham Point to Greensea and toward Elk Bay
. They're going off like popcorn!! Left them around Cinque Islands
5:30 pm.
Scotty, Painter's Lodge
Dall's
and Harbour Porpoise
September 8:
7:30 am 2 Harbour Porpoise mid strait
foraging close behind Humpback Whale. A second group of 3 or 4
Porpoise headed South.
Tara Bladon, Campbell River
September 8:
3 pm 4 Dall's Porpoise by Clipper Point
in Bute Inlet foraging.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys
September 7:
3 pm or so A few small groups of Dall's
Porpoise in Bute Inlet; 3 or 4 in each group.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys
September 6:
9:14 am 2 Harbour Porpoise foraging in
Sutil Channel heading towards the Breton Islands.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC
September 6:
9:40 am 6 Dall's Porpoise foraging off
Denham Island, Dent Rapids.
Scotty, Painter's Lodge
September 6:
5:30 pm 1 lonesome Harbour Porpoise
cruising by Simm's Creek.
Tara Bladon, Campbell River
September 5:
10 am Some Dall's Porpoise foraging by
Jimmy Judd Island, Gillard Pass.
September 5:
3:15 pm About 6 Dall's Porpoise on the
way out of Bute from Bear Tour.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys
September 3:
9:30 am 6 or so Dall's Porpoise off
Rock Bay heading towards Nodales Channel.
4:35 pm Some Dall's Porpoise at Hall
Point, Nodales Ch.
September 2:
8:20 am Group of active Dall's Porpoise
back and forth by Rock Point. From Seaspan Commodore.
Scotty, Painter's Lodge