Very
active few days with both Southern Resident Orca, Transient Bigg's
Killer Whales, Humpback Whales, Pacific White Sided Dolphins and both
Dall's and Harbour Porpoise showing up. Transient Bigg's were seen in
close proximity to both Dolphins and Humpbacks in Discovery Passage.
Wonder if the Dolphins used the larger Humpbacks as
shields...interesting.
Susan
MacKay & Lynne Cracknell, Whalesand Dolphins BC
Fundraising
2014: Our main web site is updated and tickets for our Two Huge
Raffles are available for sale on line. Please check out the details
link: http://whalesanddolphinsbc.com/win-at-sea-fair-2014/
Stop
by and say hello at the Spot Prawn Festival at Powell River's
Westview Harbour on Saturday, June 7th.
We will have an information table and raffle tickets will be
available.
2
GREAT RAFFLES FOR A TOTAL OF 6 TOURS TO BE DRAWN!
RAFFLE
#1:
- Aboriginal Journeys Whales and Grizzly Bear Tours – Whale Watching for Two
- Discovery Marine Safaris – Whale Watching for Two
- Stubbs Island Whale Watching – Whale Watching for Two
RAFFLE
#2:
- Adventure Quest Tours (Kayak Tour for Two)
- Eagle Eye Adventures (Whale Watching for Two)
- Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions (Whale Watching for Two)
Tickets
are 5 for $10 – Please make sure you specify what Raffle you'd like
in the notes.
Both
raffles will be drawn at 5 pm on July 27, 2014 at Powell River Sea
Fair
Thank
you all for your ongoing enthusiasm and support!
All
of us at Wild Ocean Whale Society (WOWs)
Every
sighting report is valuable!
Have
you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise?
TRANSIENT
BIGG'S KILLER WHALES
Big
Spy Hop
June
2, 2014
Jos
Kryjnen, Eagle Eye Adventures
June
3:
12:50
pm: Large pod of Orcas heading east, 3 kilometres northeast of Cape
Lazo. I didn't see them, but heard that there were maybe 8 to 10
Orca.
Peter
Harris, Comox
June
3:
1:18
pm: T137's are heading north off Darcy Island near the San Juans. We
are with them now.
Josh
McInnes
June
2:
12:30
pm: Jos has Orca near Mary Point, Cortez Island, now.
Relaying...Sounds like yesterday's gang.
4:25
pm T87 and T90's are Westbound (Southwest) by Mystery Reef, Savary
Island.
Garry
Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whales and Grizzly Bear Tours.
June
2:
1:36
pm: Killer Whales at the west end of Copeland Islands off Lund and
moving south. Leaving the scene.
Geord,
Discovery Marine Safaris.
June
2:
2:57
pm: 4 Orca just by Lund – the same group as this morning.
Jos
Krijnen, Eagle Eye Adventures.
June
2:
4:36
pm Leaving the Orca, T87/T90's off Mystery Reef, heading towards
Grant's Reef, off Savary Island.
Leigh
Nelson, Adventure Quest Tours
June
2:
Day:
2 Orca looked like a mom and calf out in front of the Saltery Bay
ferry terminal Northbound.
Lucas
Anaka
June
2:
Day:
Orca around the Sechelt Inlet area. Second hand report with no other
details forwarded to us by;
Michael
Stewart, Powell River
June
1:
8:00
am: Orcas at Cortez Bay, Cortez Island, heading north towards Lewis
Channel.
Jack
Springer, Campbell River Whale Watching.
June
1:
10:31
am: Breaching Orca by Kinghorn Island, between Cortez and Mink
islands.
(via
radio)
Breaching
Orca Desolation Sound
June
2, 2014
Jos
Kryjnen, Eagle Eye Adventures
June
1
12:04
pm
I have Orca, T86 and T87 for sure, they are heading towards Homfray
Channel, near Foster Point in Desolation Sound.
12:44
pm: I have to leave now, the Orca are in Waddington Channel moving
towards Pryce Channel.
1:00
pm: They are now between Shirley Point and Dunham Point on the East
Redonda Island side.
Jos
Krijnen, Eagle Eye Adventures.
June
1:
1:15
pm: With Orca, still at Dunham Point, Desolation Sound. They're still
breaching and active.
Leigh
Nelson, Adventure Quest Tours.
June
1:
2:07
pm: The Orca have come back out of Waddington Channel and are now
headed north east up into Homfray Channel by Horace Head, Desolation
Sound.
Leigh
Nelson, Adventure Quest Tours.
John,
Discovery Marine Safaris.
June
1:
3:40
pm: Left the 4 Orca northbound at Booker Point in Homfray Channel,
Desolation Sound.
Garry
Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whales and Grizzly Bear Tours.
June
1:
5:14
pm: Transients southbound in Lambert Channel, by Denman/Hornby
Islands.
(from
Radio)
June
1:
8:48
pm: 6-8 Orca just south of the Cape Mudge Lighthouse, heading north.
Jack
Springer, Campbell River Whale Watching.
May
31:
7:30
am Killer Whales off Twin Islands, just above Lund, heading towards
Baker Pass, between Hernando and Cortez Islands.
Geord
Dunstan, Discovery Marine Safaris
May
31:
11:10
am: 5 – 6 Orca, one big fin, between Mitlenatch and Marina Island,
heading towards Marina Island. Make that one male, two females and
one calf.
Brad,
Painter's Lodge.
Transient
Bigg's Orca
June
1, 2014
Garry
Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whales and Grizzly Bear Tours.
May
31:
11:50
am: I have the T002cs heading straight for the red can buoy by Baker
Passage, between Cortez and Hernando Islands.
Garry
Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whales and Grizzly Bear Tours.
May
31:
3:11
pm: Leaving 4 Orca at Mary Point, Cortez Island, heading east.
Leigh
Nelson, Adventure Quest Tours.
May
31:
7:00
pm: Around 7 Orca all Northbound by Cape Mudge Village and there's at
least one Humpback there too!
Really
interesting, Pacific White Sided Dolphins and Humpback Whales on the
Vancouver Island side and Transient Bigg's Orca in the middle of the
passage.
8:38
pm Leaving the Transient Bigg's Orca gang, T049A's and T077's,
heading north in Discovery Passage still. Just coming up to April
Point.
Nick
Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions.
SOUTHERN
RESIDENT KILLER WHALES
May
31 (rec'd June 1):
1
pm J Pod came in from the west overnight Friday/Saturday so we were
delighted to catch up with the trailers, the J22 family group, the
“Cookie group” around 1pm Saturday
afternoon. The rest of J Pod were well spread apart but were heading
north toward Turn Point, Stuart Island, San Juans. We watched this
family group travelling together along the shoreline of San Juan
Island, with a little foraging at times. Great to see them back in
town, so to speak. Will they find enough Chinook salmon to stick
around. That is the question we all ask!
Marie
O'Shaugnessy, Orca-Magic
Breach
by either J 42 who is 7 now or her mom J 16 Slick
June
1, 2014
Marie
O'Shaugnessy, Orca-Magic
June
1 (rec'd June 2):
Yesterday,
June 1, was lovely once again, with the J Pod whales that we
encountered. Initially we had J2 “Granny” the 103 yr. approx aged
matriarch of J Pod, foraging alone along the shoreline of San Juan
Island. Soon after several noisy tail slaps of hers a few more
members of the pod showed up. Onyx, L87 wasn't far away. He likes to
be near by Granny these days, since Spieden, J8, passed away last
year. He has been swimming with J pod ever since Aug 2010. Prior to
that he swam with a couple of older K Pod females after his own
mother died. An interesting whale. The attached breach appears to be
one of the J16 family group, most likely J42, Echo, the 7 yr old
female, with an open saddle patch, who just happens to be one of my
adopted Orca. J 41, Eclipse, is my other adopted Southern resident
Orca. And today is another wonderful day to go seek the whales.
Marie
O'Shaugnessy, Orca-Magic
SRKW
J2 'Granny'
June
1, 2014
Marie
O'Shaugnessy, Orca-Magic
HUMPBACK
WHALES
June
3:
11:00
am: Humpback whale at the north end of We Wai Kai Village (Cape
Mudge), southbound.
11:28
am: Left Humpback Whale still southbound, just south of the Cape
Mudge village.
5:08
pm: Left Humpback northbound at the Village.
Garry
Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whales and Grizzly Bear Tours.
June
3:
11:16
am: 'KC' (Humpback whale aka Kelp Creature) is northbound off
Quathiaski Cove, Quadra Island.
12:30
pm: Just leaving the Humpback in the same spot off the south end of
the Cape Mudge Village.
Geord
Dunstan, Discovery Marine Safaris.
June
3:
3:04
pm: Humpback still at Cape Mudge Village, pointed south.
3:39
pm: Humpback now passing Cape Mudge Lighthouse heading south. I'm
leaving the scene in 5 minutes.
Leif
Nordman,Campbell River Whale Watching.
Humpback
(believe it's 'Arial'- SM)
June
2, 2014
Garry
Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whales and Grizzly Bear Tours.
June
2:
7:30
am: On 2nd
Street in Campbell River, on my way to the office – saw 2 Humpback
blows mid Strait right between Cape Mudge and the Village.
9:15
am: Humpback breaching at Whiskey Point.
5:29
pm: Humpback Whale off red can buoy by Cape Mudge.
Leigh
Nelson, Adventure Quest Tours.
June
2:
8:40
am: Two or more Humpbacks at green can buoy off Cape Mudge early this
morning.
Jack
Springer, Campbell River Whale Watching.
June
2:
10:00
am: 2 Humpback Whales, 'KC' (Kelp Creature) and friend are slowly
working their way over to the Village on the Quadra Island side.
1:47
pm: Leaving Humpbacks south end of We Wai Kai village, (Cape Mudge)
southbound.
Garry
Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whales and Grizzly Bear Tours.
June
2:
12:40
pm: Humpbacks off Cape Mudge Village. Leaving the scene now.
Geord,
Discovery Marine Safaris.
June
2:
1:12
pm: Humpback Whales at Village (Cape Mudge) southbound.
Leif
Nordman,Campbell River Whale Watching.
June
2:
2:57
pm: Two Humpbacks west of the “hump” south end of Quadra island
going back and forth probably feeding.
5:32
pm: I think they may be the same Humpbacks that hung around here last
year. I saw them yesterday morning and another one. A friend saw some
blows at 8:00 am this morning near Quathiaski Cove but didn't have
binocs so wasn't sure if it was them or not. I'll keep my eyes open
and let you know if I see them again.
7:33
pm: They're out there now but we're right in front of tugboat DC
Catherwood and have disappeared, hopefully they will surface soon.
8:05
pm: They're doing some tail flukes but have disappeared again.
Jeanne
Ralston, Campbell River
Humpback
'KC' and possibly 'Arial'
June
2, 2014
Garry
Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whales and Grizzly Bear Tours.
June
2:
5:29
pm:
Humpbacks
off the red can buoy by Cape Mudge, Quadra Island.
Leigh
Nelson, Adventure Quest Tours.
June
1:
9:00
am: Two Humpbacks off Cape Mudge Lighthouse.
9:30
am: One Humpback off Cape Mudge. All slowly southbound.
Jeanne
Ralston, Campbell River
June
1:
2:00
pm: Report of a couple of Humpbacks by Campbell River.
(Radio)
June
1:
3:03
pm: Humpback at Steep island, Discovery Passage.
Brad,
Painter's Lodge.
June
1:
4:25
pm: Three Humpbacks between the red can buoy off Cape Mudge and
Willow Point. Two are southbound and one is heading north.
This
was the only fluke shot I managed to get of one of the 3 Humpbacks
that were between the red can and shelter point at about 4:30 pm this
afternoon. This one was traveling with another, and then there was a
lone one a little farther away. I wanna say K.C. but haven't compared
it with the pic I got of him the other day yet, this one might have a
little more white on his tail. (yes, 'KC' - SM)
Leigh
Nelson, Adventure Quest Tours.
Humpback
Whale known as 'KC'
June
1, 2014
Leigh
Nelson, Adventure Quest Tours.
May
31:
7:45
am: Humpback Whale southbound at April Point.
Jack
Springer, Campbell River Whale Watching.
May
31:
8:00
am: Humpback update – it is mid channel near Steep Island –
possibly with a calf.
9:31
am Humpback at Race Point Northbound.
Brad,
Painter's Lodge.
May
31:
8:15
am: There are two Humpbacks by Race Point on the Quadra Island side
of Discovery Pass.
9:48
am: Leaving Humpbacks at Yellow Island, Seymour Narrows, southbound.
Jos
Krijnen, Eagle Eye Adventures.
May
31:
10:45
am: Humpbacks are still milling in the Yellow Island area of
Discovery Passage.
Leigh
Nelson, Adventure Quest Tours.
May
31:
1:18
pm: Humpback breaching by Menzies Bay, Seymour Narrows. Quite a show!
From
Radio.
May
31:
3:20
pm: Two Humpbacks southbound at Cape Mudge.
Garry
Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whales and Grizzly Bear Tours.
May
31:
7:08
pm: Two Humpbacks southbound by the red can buoy off Francisco Point
at the bottom of Quadra island..
Fabian,
Way West Water Taxi.
May
31:.
7:20
pm: Humpbacks, possibly northbound in Discovery Passage, will keep
you posted
7:30
pm: Definitely one Humpback with possibly Orca By Cape Mudge Village.
7:35
pm: Around 7 Orca altogether all northbound by the village. There are
Pacific White Sided Dolphins on the Vancouver Island side, Orca in
the middle, and Humpbacks also on the Vancouver Island side.
Interesting!
Nick
Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions.
May
31:
9:00
pm:Humpback whale sighted south point of Quadra Island to Shelter Pt.
One large Humpback with black tail, with at least one smaller
Humpback alongside heading north.
See
also Pacific White Sided Dolphin report below.
Lance
Lapointe, Willow Point, Campbell River.(via email)
May
31:
9:45
pm: Have had 2 whales in the waters off Campbell River, south of “red
can buoy” and up towards Tsakwaluten, Quadra Island for the past 3
hours or so (first noticed about 3 hours ago and are still around.)
They are surfacing rarely, and I have finally seen a tail fluke.
Looks like these are Humpbacks to me. Looks like one smaller and one
larger.
See
also Pacific White Sided Dolphin report below.
Has
been a great night for sighting from shore!
Bronwen
Moeller, Campbell River
Humpback
Whale known as 'KC'
May
31, 2014
Leigh
Nelson, Adventure Quest Tours
PACIFIC
WHITE SIDED DOLPHINS
May
31:
6:57
pm: About 20 Pacific White Sided Dolphins off Whilby Shoals towards
Francisco Point, south end of Quadra island.
7:30
pm: Really
interesting, Pacific White Sided Dolphins and Humpback Whales on the
Vancouver Island side and Transient Bigg's Orca in the middle of the
passage.
Nick
Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions.
May
31:
7:20
pm: About half a dozen Pacific White Sided Dolphins at Shelter Point,
just below Campbell River, northbound.
Fabian,
Way West Water Taxi.
May
31:
7
pm Had a large group (20 – 50+) of Porpoises pass close to shore,
Ocean Grove area, Campbell River at about 7 pm, first travelling
south and then turning and heading back up north. Travelling on the
surface primarily (squalling?)
Has
been a great night for sighting from shore! See also Humpback Whale
report.
Bronwen
Moeller, Campbell River
(I
do believe you may have seen Dolphins, based on another report we
received. They have more curve in their dorsal fin and are usually
the ones in larger groups, frequently leaping and what we call “fast
foraging” as they chase and corral their food.
Thank
you again for your report – every report is valuable and
appreciated. We look forward to hearing from you again, Susan MacKay,
Whales and Dolphins BC)
May
31:
8:00
pm: Large pod (25-30) Pacific White Sided Dolphin spotted at Shelter
Point headed south.
Lance,
Willow Point, Campbell River.
DALL'S
PORPOISE, HARBOUR
PORPOISE
Dall's
Porpoise
May
30, 2014
Marie
O'Shaugnessy, Orca-Magic
June
3:
1:37
pm: 6 Harbour Porpoise milling near Arran Point, near Bute Inlet.
Garry
Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whales and Grizzly Bear Tours.
June
2:
On
May 31st
2014 – Group of Dall's bow riding and stern riding off my sailboat.
8 nautical miles East off Thrasher Rock. They were moving so fast it
was impossible to tell how many ( at least 4 definitely less than
10) Stayed with us about 5 minutes. We were under sail, travelling
west towards Thrasher Rock, off Nanaimo.
Greg
Hamilton. (via email)
June
1:
5
pm 3 Harbour Porpoise Northbound 3 cables (a cable is one tenth of
a nautical mile – SM) South of the Cape Mudge Lighthouse.
John
Lewis, Discovery Marine Safaris
May
30:
Hi
Susan Both species of Porpoise were seen today, May 30th,
south of Race Rocks. I only counted 4 Dall's and 4 Harbour Porpoise
in ideal conditions. Calm conditions prevailed which were most
welcome. We didn't find any whales today but there have been many
sightings of Bigg's Transient Orca over the past few weeks. Tomorrow
is a new day so hopefully more Transients!
Marie
O'Shaugnessy, Orca-Magic
Harbour
Porpoise
May
30, 2014
Marie
O'Shaugnessy, Orca-Magic
LINKS
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