At
least one Humpback Whale is in the Powell River to Lund and
Desolation Sound area still. We had been hoping to receive further
reports, but most have been vague second hand sightings with only one
video clip of the whale being submitted, although at least one other
clip and photos were to have come in to us. No Orca sightings to
report this time, but we do have a few Pacific White Sided Dolphins
and Dall's Porpoise in the inlets.
Susan
MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC
Have
you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise?
Every
sighting report is valuable!
HUMPBACK
WHALE(S?)
Nov
25 (Received Email):
For
about the last week there has been a Humpback Whale hanging around
Lund Harbour. Apparently blocked The Water Taxi from entering the
harbour, as it was having a scratch on the cement float, a couple of
days ago. I of course just miss it every time.
Rick
Thaddeus, Savary Island
Nov
19:
10:30
pm: For the last several days I have been hearing whales passing by
quite close to the shore at around this time of night. They would
probably be about 50 or 75 yards off shore, and it seems to me that
there are maybe two of them. Hard to tell because they don't come up
and breathe at the same time. I am just north of Powell River and the
whales are traveling in a north to south direction.
Gillian
Andrews, Powell River.
Nov
17:
1:30
pm: I'm sure you've heard of the Humpback whale hanging out and
feeding by Lund, but here's my experience today. Breaching and tail
lobbing was about 1:30 pm just outside Lund Harbour. I have video of
paddling near the whale but it's from an extreme wide angle POV
camera I was wearing so it's not great. No good back of tail shots. I
actually saw the whale breaching and tail lobbing just outside the
Lund Harbour as I was getting my kayak ready on the beach! He headed
out further when I was on the water and went down to the tip of
Savary Island and beyond. A couple of hours later I saw him again and
got to paddle parallel with him coming up a few times about 30-40-
meters away!
PS:
Apparently people in Lund heard the whale breathing for a few nights
before they saw him in the daytime on Sunday, so he's been hanging
around feeding. He makes long, deep dives.
Terry
Brown, Thrilled in Powell River. (via email)
Nov
17:
Just
off Lund we saw a Humpback Whale breach, and doing numerous tail
lobs. It was back and forth for quite a while. We managed to get some
video clips and photos before we continued on our way. (Video was
shown, but being on a small screen, it was impossible to identify the
individual whale - SM).
Frank,
visiting boat at Westview Harbour
Nov
16:
My
family witnessed an incredible sighting over many hours of a Humpback
whale from our property on the tip of Sevilla Island BC just off from
Lund. The whale could be heard from about 5:00 am and we watched it
in the Lund Harbour and just off from our property on the
southwestern point of Sevilla island about 100 feet away. The whale
stayed most of the day. We saw the back and stubby dorsal fin and
extremely long flipper held high out of the water and of course lots
of blowing. We feel extremely lucky to have seen this beautiful
creature just off from our home.
Ann
Gardner-Vigh, Sevilla Island.(via email).
Nov
14/15:
We
saw a Humpback whale while kayaking on the 14th
and 15th
of November southeast of Cortes Island. May be the same one reported
around Lund on the 11th? This one was just cruising around between
Twin Island, Hernando Island and the Copeland Islands area on both
afternoons. Last saw it heading around the north tip of Malaspina
Peninsula towards Mink Island. Sorry didn't get any decent photos.
The
first time I saw it, it surfaced about 20 meters in front of the
kayak and I was too surprised to get the camera out in time! After
that it was too far away each time.
Ben
& Katie (Via email )
PACIFIC
WHITE SIDED DOLPHINS
Nov
11:
Approximately
50 Pacific White Sided Dolphins spent some time bow riding with us as
we transitted Cordero Channel.
Frank,
visiting boat at Westview Harbour
DALL'S
PORPOISE
Nov
11 or 12:
Approximately
30 Dall's Porpoise were playfully bow riding with us passing Shoal
Bay.
Frank,
visiting boat at Westview Harbour
LINKS
Some
Orca more commonly seen in California have been spending time in the
Salish Sea. Federal Fisheries believe that our thriving seal
population may be the draw!
Some
possible reasons for the massive die off of Sea stars on our coasts:
Have
you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise?
Every
sighting report is valuable!
We
are the non-profit Wild Ocean Whale Society