Wishing
you all a very Happy New Year! Finally, some whale, dolphin and
porpoise sightings to report. Our report is up to date (January 2,
2014). This new year hasn't provided any actual sightings reports in
the first two days; the reports are catching up over the holidays. We
have heard that the Southern Resident Orca pods were, once again,
back down in the Puget Sound area, while the Northern Residents and
Transient Bigg's Killer whales are somewhere in this big ocean of
ours. We haven't heard of any Humpback Whales staying in our coverage
area this year and the Pacific White Sided Dolphins we usually have
throughout the winter in the upper Georgia Strait seem to be hanging
around the Horseshoe Bay to Victoria area mostly. Keep looking, they
need to pop up somewhere.
Susan
MacKay, Whales
and Dolphins BC
Every
sighting report is valuable
Have
you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise?
Orca
by Cape Lazo
December
28, 2013
Malcolm
Jolly, Comox
ORCA
/ KILLER WHALES
December
31:
2
pm There are 3 Orca
between Savary Island and Harwood – heading in a sort of southbound
direction. They ran over the shoals of Mystery Reef on the SE side of
Savary. Will call if they we see them heading towards Powell River,
but they are almost out of sight from our vantage point. (These
3 Orca may be the unidentified ones spotted a few days earlier at the
top of Johnstone Strait - SM)
John
and Joan Treen, Savary Island
December 29:
11 am Southern Resident
Orca were just off Jervis Inlet. No numbers or direction known.
Simon
Piddock, Cowichan Bay
December
28:
4:00
pm: A pod of at least 8 Orca came by about 1-2 km.
off-shore - one (large male) appeared to like to swim upside-down
often. Taken from our home 4pm Dec. 28 off Cape Lazo, Comox.
Malcolm
Jolly, Comox
Orca
by Cape Lazo
December
28, 2013
Malcolm
Jolly, Comox
December
28:
9:54
am: You should be seeing the Southern Resident J pod up your way
today, (around Powell River). They were last seen between Lasquetti
and Texada Islands.
Simon
Piddock, Cowichan Bay
December 25:
On Xmas day, early
afternoon we spotted what appeared to be a large (female?) Orca and
two smaller juvenile Orca swimming south, offshore at Bonnybrook
Beach, Sunshine Coast. We viewed the whales for about 10 minutes as
they went further from shore and towards Gibsons. It was an amazing
Xmas day treat. I made some pics (none submitted) with a wide angle
camera, but I can clearly make out two dorsal fins in one of the
shots (on super zoom on the computer that is). Thanks for your good
work!
David Niddrie
David Niddrie
December
25:
12:30
pm: Three Orca have been sighted very close to shore off Gower Point
(Salish Sea, Sunshine Coast - just
North-West off Horseshoe Bay). They seemed to be more or less just
following the shoreline and heading towards Gibsons. One large whale
had a straight, very large, prominent dorsal fin. The second whale
was slightly smaller with a smaller, slightly curved, (but not
flopped or curled) dorsal, and the third was a smaller one, maybe a
baby? with a small straight dorsal.
(Possibly the same group by Powell River on the 24th
- SM)
Kerry
Mahlman.
Orca
by Powell River
December
24, 2013
Steve
Grover
December 24:
4:20-ish pm Went down
to see about getting a few photos of the Orca as they passed by Grief
Point, Powell River. I've worked on one of the photos I can see 6
animals in the pod including the calf.
Steve
Grover, Powell River
December
24:
4:15
pm A pod of at least 1 large male and 3 smaller Orca seen heading
south in front of Beacon By the Sea Bed and Breakfast, Penticton
Street, Powell River.
Shirley
Randall, Powell River
Orca
close to shore Powell River
December
24, 2013
Shirley
Randall
December
24:
We
watched a small pod of 4 killer whales (1 big one, 2 medium size ones
and a small one) pass by in front of the house here in Westview just
off the ferry terminal. They were slowly heading southbound.
Julie
Leon, Powell River
December 24:
4:00 pm: There are four
Orca southbound and moving slowly in front of Powell River. Darn, too
bad it's too late to head out!
5:30
pm: Five Orca have now been confirmed, and photos submitted. There
is a possible 6th,
looking at one of Steve Grover's photos, including a calf. Possibly
these are the Northern Resident Killer Whales known as the A8's.
Susan
MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC
Orca
by Powell River
December
24, 2013
Steve
Grover
December 24:
2:39 pm: I have a
second hand report that there were Orca between Lund and Savary
Island this morning. No indication of numbers or direction or
behaviour. Sorry for the scant details.
4:15 pm There are 3 or
4 Orca just passing our place in Powell River. So glad the earlier
report was for real!
Grant
Rainsley, Powell River
December
24:
8:00
am: Orca have been reported between Lund and Savary Island. No
numbers or travel direction given. Will
call again if I find out more.
Rick
Thaddeus, Savary Island
Orca
by Cape Lazo
December
28, 2013
Malcolm
Jolly, Comox
December
17:
Just heard there were 7
or 8 Orca in Howe Sound that were spotted from the ferry.
Michael
Stewart, Powell River
PACIFIC
WHITE SIDED DOLPHINS
December 22:
4 pm Some friends were
on the Nanaimo to Horseshoe Bay ferry just now and the Captain
announced that dolphins could be seen on all sides of the ferry.
There were hundreds, they said! The ferry was midway to Horseshoe Bay
at the time. My Grandson says they were travelling in an easterly
direction.
Michael
Stewart, Powell River
HARBOUR
PORPOISE
December
30:
We
took a picnic down to the small beach/rock bluffs just to the east of
the lighthouse at Lighthouse Park in West Van this afternoon
(Monday,December 30, 2013) and had the luck to spot a few small
porpoises repeatedly surfacing for air, then diving under and,
presumably, fishing in the waters about a half mile to a mile
offshore. We were looking over towards UBC. They stayed in the area
for at least 30 minutes while we watched. My guess would be
harbour porpoises based on the little I know about the different
species in the area; they were certainly rather small looking, dark,
with a triangular dorsal fin. They weren't splashing or moving fast
so we just saw the top of the head, the back and the fin as they took
air and went under again. It was hard to know how many but perhaps 4
or 5 were in the group. Eventually, they headed around the corner
(towards Bowen) and out of our sight lines. Made 3 little kids (and 4
adults) very happy to have seen such a rare treat!
J
Henry & Family
Orca
by Powell River
December
24, 2013
Steve
Grover
LINKS
VICTORIA
- Record numbers of transient orcas and humpbacks have been sighted
in Island waters.
Whale
'Traffic Jam' In Southern California Clogs Port; Scientists Can't
Figure Out Mass Gathering
Have
you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise?
Every
sighting report is valuable!
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