Transient Bigg's Orca, Humpback Whale,
Pacific White Sided Dolphins and Dall's Porpoise reappearing after
the earthquake which was felt throughout the Georgia Strait and even
inland.
Things have been hectic with much
organizing and preparation happening behind the scenes for us and our
governing WOWsociety. We are working on scheduling a brief Powell
River meeting in the next two weeks with some volunteers to help with
our Sea Fair booth, fundraising draw for at least one whale watching
tour, and other necessary tasks. If you are interested in helping,
please drop us an email or call. All donations in $5 increments we
receive effective May 1 till the draw, will qualify as an entry to
the draw to be held at Sea Fair in July. Further details are being
worked on and will be posted as soon as possible. Lynne is returning
soon and we look forward to her help in getting our reports out in a
more timely manner.
Susan
MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC
Every
sighting report is valuable!
Have
you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise?
Transient Bigg's Orca
T087 by Harwood Island
April 30, 2014
Susan
MacKay, SG Images
Transient
Bigg's Killer Whales
May 2:
4:30 pm 3 Orca milling out in front of
Westview, Powell River. Later report: They were doing long dives then
there was some feeding style behaviour, then down again. Looked like
a larger floppy dorsal, but never got a good look. They seemed to
pick up the pace heading South down Malaspina Strait.
Steve Grover, Powell River
May 1: (rec'd May 2nd)
No time given: 3 Orca were almost
inside Lund Harbour. One big fin a calf or juvenile and a female. The
male seemed to push the calf up. Report came from another boater we
spoke with.
Elizabeth Tenhoeve, Powell River
May 1: (rec'd May 2nd)
Around Midday: I have belated learned
that about 8 Orca passed through Whiterock Passage, by Surge Narrows,
Southbound at low tide.
Aaron Nagler, Sonora Resort
April 30:
6 pm Went out to search for the
Northbound Humpback Whale reported below. Like looking for a needle
in a haystack! Thanks to Holly Roy, a regular reporter. She spotted a
couple of blows, just below VanAnda, Texada, and helped me find the
splash she was watching from the mainland shore. What a surprise when
suddenly 15 + Orca popped up! The Orca moved steadily in three groups
up the Texada shore. The sun's glare proved a challenge for good
photos and identification, but spotted T087 and looks like possibly
T090's(?).
7:28 pm Leaving the Orca. One small
group of 3 or 4 went towards Comox, the second group, 9 Orca
including T087 headed towards Vivian Island while the third group, 6
Orca headed North-West towards the center of Georgia Strait angling
towards Vancouver Island.
Never did see or receive more reports
on the Humpback Whale, but the reporter is knowledgeable about whale
differences, in particular Humpbacks and Orca and his report is a
trusted one.
Susan
MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC
Transient Bigg's Orca
Powell River
April 30, 2014
Susan
MacKay, SG Images
April 30: (rec'd May 2nd)
Late evening: Orca were seen between
Hernando Island and Mitlenatch Island by some visitors from Williams
Lake fishing.
Eric & Anna Bircher, Savary
Island
April 30:
4:30 pm Wed Apr 30......Orca (2?)
heading west below Whalen/Fleury Rds. (Powell River) Lonnnng dives.
One sighting, five "hearings"
Perk Percy, PerSeas Dive, Powell
River
April 30:
10:35 am Orca in Drew Passage between
Rendezvous and Reid Islands (above Desolation Sound). No direction or
numbers reported by fishing guide.
Aaron Nagler, Sonora Resort
April 29:
11:34 am 3 Orca (small fins) heading
South, half way between Marina Island and the scallop farm off Quadra
island. They're looking directly at Mitlenatch Island.
Jack Springer, Campbell River Whale
Watching
April 28:
5:40 pm 3 or more Orca West of Rebecca
Rocks, Powell River. Maybe a mile off and appeared to be heading
towards the Powell River Mill. Seen from the Comox ferry.
Geoff Dunstan, Discovery Marine
Safaris
April 28: (rec'd 29th)
There were 5 Orca yesterday (28th)
in Whale Pass including 1 big fin (male). Late report from water
taxi.
Garry
Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
Transient Bigg's Orca
T102 Dent Rapids
Garry
Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
April 27:
6:13 pm Killer Whales just now coming
out of Teakerne Arm, Lewis Channel. Info came from tugboat.
Simon Piddock, Eco Adventures
April 25:
Morning: 15 Transient Bigg's Killer
Whales were by Alert Bay apparently Southbound.
Garry
Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
April 22:
6:30 pm 2 Killer Whales Westbound at
the East end of Hole in the Wall, Calm Channel side.
Fabian, Way West Water Taxi
April 22: (rec'd 30th)
Around 5 pm while crossing from Earl's
Cove to Saltery Bay on the ferry, the Captain announced that some
Orca were heading up into Jervis Inlet. We could only see the distant
blows.
Holly Roy, Powell River
April 22:
9:30 am Report of Orca near Subtle
Island, no number or direction.
3:39 pm Orca near Penn Islands doing
long dives. Looks like all small fins. Had two small groups. After
sorting through the photos, it looks like we had two groups of 3
Orca. They spread out and at the end only saw a female and a
juvenile. So looks like the total was 6 Orca. T023's were some of the
Orca.
Garry
Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
April 20:
6:25 pm Orca by Race Point, Seymour
Narrows. 4 small fins (females) for sure; still counting.
Left 5 Orca Southbound by Race Point.
One female has a notch half way down her dorsal.
Jos Krijnen & Elvis, Eagle Eye
Adventures
Transient Bigg's Orca
Texada
April 30, 2014
Susan
MacKay, SG Images
Humpback
Whale
April 30:
4:30 pm 1 Humpback Whale Northbound by
Albion (Black) Point, Powell River.
Bill Taylor, Powell River
Pacific
White Sided Dolphins
May 2:
2:39 pm 100 PWS Dolphins by Humpback
Bay, Johnstone Strait, milling.
Elvis, Eagle Eye Adventures
April 30:
5:30 pm 12 Playful PWS Dolphins by Turn
Island, at the junction of Nodales Channel, Johnstone Strait and
Discovery Passage.
Aaron Nagler, Sonora Resort
April 30:
4:30 pm 15 PWS Dolphins just milling
about by Deepwater Bay, Discovery Passage. Just leaving them.
Garry
Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
April 28:
8 am Dolphins on North side of Savary
Island. Just saw a lot of bow waves and a couple of shy ones.
Gordie Coles, Savary Island / Lund
April 23:
2:30 pm (or so) 20 PWS Dolphins were
with Elvis in Seymour Narrows. He called on VHF radio.
Garry
Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
April 22:
1:03 pm Small group of Pacific White
Sided Dolphins across from Painter's Lodge in Discovery Passage.
Fabien, Way West Water Taxi
April 21:
5 pm 30 PWS Dolphins milling by Granite
Point, Seymour Narrows. A couple of young baby Dolphins in the group
feeding and not in playful mood. That was all the Cetacean life
today. Had a nice big black bear near Bute Inlet and lots of Eagles
and Sea Lions.
Garry
Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
Pacific
White Sided Dolphins
April
21, 2014
Garry
Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
April 19:
11:14 am 20 PWS Dolphins mid-channel
off Gowland Harbour in front of Tyee Spit, Campbell River.
Fish boat on Radio
Possible
Dolphins or Dall's Porpoise
April 30:
There is a pod of either dolphins or
porpoises hunting around April Point resort. They have been out here
on and off since 10:00 AM. I just saw them on my lunch break. My
apologies for not being specific. I've never seen either of those in
the wild. From what I was able to see, the dorsal fins were blackish
and only slightly curved, so I'd say triangular. There was about 5 or
6 of them the first time. The second time I was only able to see 2 or
3 before a small aluminum boat drove past them, after that I wasn't
able to see them again. The fist time though, a fishing boat drove by
and they all started surfing on the waves it made.
Shayla, Campbell River
Dall's
Porpoise
April 22:
5:11 pm 8 to 10 Dall's Porpoise by
Deepwater Bay, Discovery Passage.
Aaron Webber, Campbell River Whale
Watching
Links
Pod of Dolphins ride wakeboard waves:
Humpback Whales being removed off the
Species at Risk threatened list:
Dolphins swim with long distance
swimmer:
Mystery of 'ocean quack sound' solved:
Humorous look about the
octopus:
http://blog.petflow.com/im-dying-this-video-about-the-octopus-is-hilarious/
http://blog.petflow.com/im-dying-this-video-about-the-octopus-is-hilarious/
Have
you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise?
Every
sighting report is valuable!
We
are the non-profit Wild Ocean Whale Society