Humpback
Whale by Powell River was also seen in Hotham Sound. Unidentified
Orca and Porpoise or Dolphin were reported, and the Northern Resident
Orca known as G-Pod were uncharacteristically visiting the Victoria,
BC area. A Grey Whale report, Dall's Porpoise and Links in the News
rounds out this Remembrance Day Sightings update.
Susan
MacKay, Whales
and Dolphins BC
Have
you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise?
Every
sighting report is valuable
Humpback
Whale 'Crescent' BCX1258
Grief
Point, Powell River November 11, 2013
Susan MacKay, SG Images
Unidentified
Orca
November 10:
11:46 am Large number 20+ of Orca
spread out between Mitlenatch and Shelter Point, on Vancouver Island.
Southbound?
Jack Springer, Campbell River Whale
Watching
November 10:
1 pm Number of splashes close to the
Comox ferry terminal – based on the above report, there is a chance
that it's the whales, but too far away to tell for sure.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC
November 10:
1:26 pm There's a number of Orca blows
at Shelter Point....heading towards the fishing hump.
Radio
Northern
Resident Killer Whales
November 8:
No time given: Northern Resident Killer
Whales were seen by Sooke off Vancouver Island. They were later
identified as G-Pod. Information forwarded by;
Alison Barratt, Victoria
Humpback
Whale 'Crescent' BCX1258
by
the Hulks, Powell River November 11, 2013
Susan MacKay, SG Images
Humpback
Whales
November 11:
8:30-ish (rec'd 9:48 am) Breaching
Humpback Whale at Sonora Point, Nodales Channel approximately an hour
ago from a tugboat.
Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions
November 11:
10:30 am A very big Humpback Whale is
heading towards Westview from Myrtle Rocks area of Powell River. It's
quite close to the mainland shore, surfacing for three breaths then
down for a bit.
10:55 am It just rounded the Grief
Point breakwater and may be moving out into Malaspina Strait a bit or
more towards Texada Island.
Jim Southern, Powell River
November 11:
10:51 am We just saw a Humpback Whale
going toward Powell River just past Myrtle Rocks.
Bob Brooks, Powell River
November 11:
11:15 am Easily picked up the Humpback
Whale in the flat calm waters by the Grief Point marina shortly after
getting out of Westview Harbour. The whale known as 'Crescent' or
officially BCX1258 was doing the usual, not fluking (lifting the tail
so a good ID photo could be taken) as it rounded Grief Point. With
the ferry preparing to leave Powell River I tried to notify them to
take care departing. They spotted the whale and took a wide, slow
12:15 pm departure. Crescent made his/her way to the Powell River
Mill where a Sea Lion joined up around 1:30 pm as they worked some
food. They travelled close together and maybe even a bit of play as
they foraged Southbound close to the hulk breakwater and in towards
Willingdon Beach. A number of people watched from shore. Once the Sea
Lion was around, Crescent fluked a few times permitting the
confirmation of identification.
2:40 pm Humpback 'Crescent' was angling
towards Rebecca Rocks or the NW tip of Texada as we, my friend and
member of Wild Ocean Whale Society, Judy and I, headed back to the
harbour.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC
November 11:
10:25 am (rec'd call 12 pm) A Humpback
Whale was tight into shore by Myrtle Rocks. Took a few breaths then
disappeared. It was a big whale heading North.
Liz Kennedy, Powell River
November 11:
12:28 pm Just saw a Humpback Whale
surface right out in front of Powell River. There's a boat out there
and it surfaced a ways in front of it. (The boat was us – SM).
Unfortunately a tree got in the way of my view, but what a great
sight!
Leigha Stewart, Powell River
Humpback
Whale 'Crescent' BCX1258 with Sea Lion
Powell
River November 11, 2013
Susan MacKay, SG Images
November 11:
Approx. 1:30 pm (rec'd call 2:30 pm) We
were out walking on the beach and saw what looked like possibly a mom
and calf Humpback Whale just off the hulks and the Powell River mill.
Definitely one Humpback. We watched from shore – pretty amazing.
(The 'calf' was the sea lion surfacing which can look like a very
small blow, in particular when it's very calm – SM)
Audrey Sullivan, Powell River
November 7:
4 pm Possible Humpback Whale at Willow
Point, the end of Discovery Passage. It's close to shore. From my
brother-in-law again. I may head down to shoot it (photograph it,
in case there's any doubt – SM).
Few minutes later: Humpback for sure,
smallish and non-fluker. Just passed the Pier Northbound mid channel.
Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions
November 5: (rec'd Nov. 6)
The MNats ran a trip from Saltery Bay
up Jervis to Princess Louisa Inlet yesterday, Nov.5. Almost
immediately, we saw a humpback whale at the mouth of Hotham Sound and
watched it surface and dive for about an hour. However, we wondered
if there were in fact two animals as they seemed to surface in
different places. What do you think? (There is a possibility there
were two or more, but the photos submitted were all of 'Crescent' the
whale seen in Powell River November 11th – SM)
Heather Harbord, Powell River
Humpback Whale 'Crescent' BCX1258
Hotham
Sound November 5, 2013
Heather Harbord, Powell River
Grey
Whale
(from description)
November 5: (rec'd Nov. 7)
7:30 – 8 am a large baleen whale
surfaced very close to shore. We are one kilometre South of Royston
on Vancouver Island. It's back was light grey with white blotches
(this identifying feature is that of a Grey Whale – SM). I
didn't see a dorsal or tail flukes and when it surfaced so slowly, it
looked just like a rock. It moved very slowly Southward. Such a treat
to look out the window and spot this whale. We regularly see Harbour
Porpoise in the area, but not whales.
Julie Andrew, Royston
Unidentified
Porpoise
(possibly Pacific White
Sided Dolphins from numbers)
Saturday,
November 9, 12:30 pm. There was an extraordinary large group of
porpoise moving south just north-east (perhaps 1 Km) of Morseby
Island. Unfortunately I could not make a count and was too far away
(On North Pender) to take any photos. My guess is that there were 50
or more. I have not witness such a large group before although we do
occasionally see small groups of 4 – 6 in front of the Magic Lakes
estates on North Pender.
Dean
Mills, Pender Island
Dall's
Porpoise
1:30 pm 3 Dall's Porpoise were heading
from Atrevida Reef towards the Harwood spit just North of Powell
River. I spotted them, and their distinctive white patch on their
dorsals, while waiting for the Humpback Whale to resurface.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC
Links
in the News
Transient Bigg's
Killer Whale attacks Dolphin;
Photographers
capture rare footage of killer whales in Hawaiian waters;
Humpback dolphins discovered off
Australia are new species;
Have
you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise?
Every
sighting report is valuable!
