Cetacean Sightings Update to November 14, 2014

Few reports have come in since our last report. This leaves huge gaps in knowing where the whales, dolphins and porpoise are. Or where they went to. It is a big ocean out there and we rely mostly on your land based reports. We track and monitor all year round and land based sightings reports during the cooler, non-boating months is ever more crucial to establishing where these animals go. They are out there, so keep your eyes open and remember to call or email your sightings in. The information we'd like is: date, time, number, species, location, direction of travel, and any other bit of information about what they were doing. But even if you don't have all the information, we'd love to hear about it, as quite often we can piece together bits of information, if we hear about it. Photos too can be helpful in identification, but if you're on a boat, please use caution and follow the whale watching guidelines.

Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC

Have you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise?

Call 1-877-323-9776 or Email your report.

Every sighting report is valuable!

TRANSIENT BIGG'S KILLER WHALES

November 13:

1:18 pm One Orca (presumed Transient Bigg's) popped up, or should I say it was just diving in the Brown's Bay, Discovery Passage, fishing pier web camera when I did a quick scan. Once again, (see also November 10 report below) a lucky view.

Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC

Although tough to see clearly in the saved web cam photo grab,

the white spot farthest to the left is the saddle patch of the Orca

Zoomed in cropped version

November 11:

9:57 am A number of Orca (presumed Transient Bigg's) off the red can buoy by Cape Mudge.

10:30 am There's between 10-12 Orca. It looks like they're headed in the direction of Marina Island now. Can see their blows really well.

12:30 pm Guess the Orca changed their minds. The 12 or so Orca are now headed to Shelter Point, below Campbell River.

Elvis, Eagle Eye Adventures

November 10:

1:28 pm 4 Transient Bigg's Killer Whales by Kelsey Bay were throwing around a seal then played with it for about 45 minutes, but did not eat it. There was one very large one and a couple of calves. Perhaps they were showing the little ones how to hunt. After asking for some more details, we were told they did continue South; see next report below.

Gordon Briggs, Sayward.

November 10:

4 pm An Orca was just surfacing in the Brown's Bay fishing pier web camera as I wondered where the Orca above had gone. It was pure luck that by chance I looked at the photo style web camera right at that time. See the link below to access the camera which has been posted by North Island Communication.

Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC

November 8:

10:18 am 2 Orca northbound Malaspina Strait, 1/4 mi off Anderson Bay, breached 4 times on way by tug then disappeared.

Bruce Simonar, Powell River

Orca surfacing center frame,

Brown's Bay saved web cam photo grab

Zoomed in cropped version

 

HUMPBACK WHALES

November 10:

1 pm A large Humpback whale was also feeding, about 2 km in the rear of the pod of 500 plus Dophins (suspect white sided). Was a spectacular sight never seen this before from the air in 30 plus years on the coast.

Murray J Welte, Ladysmith BC

November 11:

There's been a Humpback Whale back and forth in the Lund area over the past couple of days.

Raphael & Nancy Merkosky, Lund

PACIFIC WHITE SIDED DOLPHINS

November 10:

1 pm Flying past the southern tip of Texada today around 1300 hrs saw a group of 500 plus Dophins (suspect white sided ) feeding and transiting. In the rear of the pod by about 2 km a large Humpback whale also feeding. Was a spectacular sight never seen this before from the air in 30 plus years on the coast.

Murray J Welte, Ladysmith BC

DALL'S PORPOISE

November 8:

Number of Dall's Porpoise in Blind Channel for the past few days. (no times, numbers or direction given)

Fabien Minfray, Eagle Eye Adventures

LINKS

Norwegian men record close encounter with group of Humpback Whales:

A group of Norwegian men were trolling the fjords near Troms county, Norway, trying to spot feeding humpback whales when they got a much closer look than they had bargained for!

http://globalnews.ca/video/1671773/norwegian-men-record-close-encounter-with-group-of-humpback-whales

Web cameras set up at Brown's Bay, Discovery Passage by North Island Communications:

These two cameras show photos that automatically update every few minutes:

http://www.nicomm.com/brownsbay/brownsbay.html

http://nicomm.com/brownsbay/brownsbaypier.html

Caught on video; a Beluga whale birth:

http://www.itv.com/news/2014-10-30/rare-footage-captures-the-moment-a-whale-gave-birth-to-her-first-offspring/

Have you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise?

1-877-323-9776 or Email your report.

Every sighting report is valuable!

We are the non-profit Wild Ocean Whale Society

Orca, Humpback Whale, Pacific White Sided Dolphins and Many Harbour Porpoise

Sneaky Transient Bigg's Orca were popping up all over the place then disappeared, as did most of the animals during the windy Friday the 13^th, but they all made a sudden reappearance today. Lone Humpback Whales were spotted as were a huge group of Harbour Porpoise and Pacific White Sided Dolphins. The Porpoise are of great interest since they don't usually show up in these numbers together. Possibly a sign of gene pool mixing. There were no Dall's Porpoise in the mix, so no chance of more hybrid porpoise from that lot. These two are the only ones we know of that cross breed on occasion.

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/ Tickets will also be available at the Powell River Town Centre Mall on Thursdays and Fridays for the rest of June and we are working on having them available in Campbell River soon.

2 GREAT RAFFLES FOR A TOTAL OF 6 TOURS TO BE DRAWN!

RAFFLE #1:

1. Aboriginal Journeys Whales and Grizzly Bear Tours – Whale Watching for Two
2. Discovery Marine Safaris – Whale Watching for Two
3. Stubbs Island Whale Watching – Whale Watching for Two

RAFFLE #2:

1. Adventure Quest Tours (Kayak Tour for Two)
2. Eagle Eye Adventures (Whale Watching for Two)
3. 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

Jump directly to On-line Entries: http://whalesanddolphinsbc.com/donate/

Thank you all for your ongoing enthusiasm and support!

From all of us at Wild Ocean Whale Society (WOWs)

Call 1-877-323-9776 or Emailyour report.

Every sighting report is valuable!

Have you seen a whale,

TRANSIENT BIGG'S KILLER WHALES

Orca Family T124's

June 14, 2014

Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions.

June 14:

1:54 pm: Orca southbound at Francisco Point, (Quadra Island)

(from Radio.)

June 14:

2:12 pm: With the Orca. It looks like three animals. They are westing between the red and green can buoys. (Off Quadra Island.)

Leif Nordman,Campbell River Whale Watching.

June 14:

4:04 pm: Orca close to Vancouver Island side, across from Sentry Shoal around Salmon Point area, about 2.2 nautical miles off Salmon Point. They cruised past some Harbour Porpoise.

Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whales and Grizzly Bear Tours.

June 14:

5:20 pm: Leaving the 3 Transient Bigg's almost directly eastbound down the Vancouver Island shoreline, course bearing 100 degrees, speed 3-4 knots. Lots of surface swimming, some zigzagging but kept speed up mostly the whole time. They were about 1.5 miles offshore 3 miles northwest from the Comox Ferry Terminal. On scene at 16:30 pm and left at 17:15 pm. I.D's to follow:

Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions.

June 14:

6:30 pm Report of Orca Northbound between Hornby and Denman Islands. The report came from a friend who saw about 10 Orca for about 10 minutes.

Brad, Painter's Lodge

June 12:

8:45 am: Two Orca, a mom and calf, spotted between Rebecca Rocks and Texada Island. This is from the Comox ferry.

Liz Kennedy, Powell River

June 12:

9:00 am: There are some reports coming in from Laura of Orca blows by Wei Wai Kai village.(Quadra Island) She saw one fin, sounds like it is northbound. She can see some more whales mid channel.

9:49 am: At Race Point with one group of Orca.

10:20 am: The T101's and T102 are all I've seen, they are still northbound and almost at Brown's Bay.

(There were other Orca reportedly spread out, reports below are a bit confusing, but there were two or three groups of them – SM) My father in law had called me earlier and said that 6 or 7 Orca went by which makes more sense with other sightings.

1:39 pm: Sounds like the Orca have turned now – the ones by Chatham Point.

4:20 pm Orca T101's and T102 are at April Point, southbound.

5:00 pm: Left the 4 Orca southbound at Cape Mudge , going 10 knots.

Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whales and Grizzly Bear Tours.

Transient Bigg's Orca T124's

June 14, 2014

Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whales and Grizzly Bear Tours.

June 12:

9:05 am: Killer whales northbound off Discovery Pier in Campbell River. They are moving quickly northbound with the ebb.

Geord, Discovery Marine Safaris.

June 12:

10:50 am:There are two Orca in the Kanish Bay area, following around 50 Pacific White Sided Dolphins.

Jen Furst, Campbell River Whale Watching.

June 12:

1:25 pm: Tenacious 3, a Discovery Marine Safaris boat, has more Orca – a male and two females, near the Sonora shoreline between Thurston Bay and Sonora Point, in Nodales Channel, easting.

Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions.

June 12:

1:40 pm: 4 Orca southbound by Chatham Point, closer to the Vancouver Island side, almost to Greensea Bay, just above Campbell River. These are another group than the 3 Orca that were with Tenacious 3.

Leigh Nelson, Adventure Quest Tours.

June 12:

1:45 pm: 3 Orca eastbound 2 cables (a cable is 1/10^th of a nautical mile) off the beach of Sonora Island, between Thurston Bay and Sonora Point, eastbound.

John Lewis, Discovery Marine Safaris.

June 12:

2:15 pm: There are 4 Orca at Chatham Point southbound. The whale watching vessel Tenacious 3 reports another 3 Orca between Thurston Bay and Sonora Point.

Leigh Nelson, Adventure Quest Tours.

June 12:

2:45 pm: Leaving 4 Orca going south on the Vancouver Island shore, passing Eagle's Cove, Campbell River.

Leif Nordman,Campbell River Whale Watching.

June 12:

4:00 pm: The Orca have reversed course and are now coming out of Frederick Arm. (I believe these are the whales John Lewis, Discovery Marine Safaris had that were in Nodales Channel. One was photo identified by Jared Towers, DFO as T100C - SM)

Aaron Nagler, Sonora Lodge.

HUMPBACK WHALES

Humpback Tail Flukes

June 14, 2014

Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions.

June 14:

12:29 pm: Report of a Humpback southbound at April Point.

(from radio)

June 14:

6:07 pm: I have a Humpback right off Cape Mudge Lighthouse, Quadra Island. Has a fair bit of white on the tail flukes and has now managed to totally disappear in the tide rip (6:30 pm). We had been waiting for 20+ minutes to see it again.

Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions.

June 12:

9:12 am: 'KC' is now up in Blackfish Sound, westbound. ('KC' or 'Kelp Creature' is BCY0291 born 2002. This is the whale that had been struck by a boat last year. See other reports with photos - SM)

Roger McDonell, Stubbs Island Whale Watching.

June 12:

1: 15 pm: One Humpback at Race Point. Just milling.

2:00 pm: Have left the Humpback at Race Point slowly bucking the tide on the Vancouver

Island side, northbound. It had white on it's flukes and was a smaller animal.

Leif Nordman,Campbell River Whale Watching.

PACIFIC WHITE SIDED DOLPHINS

Pacific White Sided Dolphins

June 14, 2014

Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions.

June 14:

9:34 am: Pacific White Sided Dolphins above Brown's Bay, Discovery Passage.

(from Radio)

June 14:

3:24 pm: 100-150 Pacific White Sided Dolphins in Kanish Bay, Discovery Passage, southbound.

Leigh Nelson,Adventure Quest Tours.

June 13:

9:30 am: Pacific White Sided Dolphins above Brown's Bay. Can't tell how many, too choppy!

Brad, Painter's Lodge.

June 13:

2:31 pm: A dozen Pacific White Sided Dolphins by the Walcan Seafoods building, Campbell River, heading south.

John Lewis, Discovery Marine Safaris

June 13:

3:30 pm: 20 – 40 Pacific White Sided Dolphins off Walcan Bay, near Campbell River.

(from radio)

June 13:

4:00 pm: 20-30 Pacific White Sided Dolphins foraging in the current mid channel off Orange Point, Campbell River.

Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions.

June 12:

10:50 am: 50 Pacific White Sided Dolphins being followed by two Orca in the Kanish Bay, Discovery Passage, area.

Jen Furst, Campbell River Whale Watching.

June 12:

2:41 pm: About 10 Pacific White Sided Dolphins southbound slowly by Cinque Islands, by Okisollo Channel, Discovery Passage.

Leigh Nelson, Adventure Quest Tours.

June 12:

4:00 pm: About 50 Pacific White Sided Dolphins at Sonora Point, milling.

Aaron Nagler, Sonora Lodge.

HARBOUR PORPOISE

Harbour Porpoise

June 14, 2014

Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions.

June 14:

5:43 pm: Over 50 Harbour Porpoise just south of Cape Mudge, Quadra Island. Never seen so many of them together. There may even be up to 100 of them....amazing!

Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions.

June 14:

4:04 pm: Couple of Harbour Porpoise out by the Orca close to the Vancouver Island side in line between Sentry Shoal, off Savary Island and Salmon Point, on Vancouver Island. They're about 2.2 nautical miles off Salmon Point.

Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whales and Grizzly Bear Tours.

June 13:

2: 42 pm: Two Harbour Porpoise at Horn Point near Dent Rapids.

Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whales and Grizzly Bear Tours.

LINKS

Some interesting news stories to share with you this report! Great to know that Springer and her calf continue to do well, and that both are thriving:

http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/Killer+whale+Springer+calf+spotted+Inside+Passage/9930154/story.html

In this story, Whale watchers take part in an ocean rescue and get more of an adventure than they bargained for:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/whale-watcher-saves-2-people-and-dog-from-boat-fire-1.2672800

And the Vancouver Aquarium responds to critics by saying that the cetaceans in their captivity create funding for Arctic research:

http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/Whale+research+risk+Vancouver+Aquarium+loses+cetaceans+aquarium+heads/9933696/story.html

Vancouver Aquarium CEO John Nightingale says that if the park board restricts the keeping of whales, it would destroy research and even become a ‘life-and-death matter’ for the aquarium’s continued existence:

http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/Vancouver+Aquarium+could+fighting+life/9930484/story.html

Have you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise?

Call 1-877-323-9776 or Email your report.

Every sighting report is valuable!

We are the non-profit Wild Ocean Whale Society

Gaming Licence for Raffle #1 is 65278 Raffle #2 is 65280 – Know your limit, play within it.

Northern Resident Killer Whales, Humpbacks, Pacific White Sided Dolphins and Harbour Porpoise

Nice to see the Northern Resident Orca back in our monitoring area. The Transient Bigg's are conspicuous by their absence, but were reported in Queen Charlotte Strait, so not totally gone from the lower coast. The other main reports are of Pacific White Sided Dolphins and some Harbour Porpoise in large numbers. The surprise is that there are few Humpback reports with sightings only during one day. Apologies for the few reports that were missed from the last posting; they're included here.

Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC

Powell River Sea Fair July 26 to July 28, 2013:

Our NEW fundraising DRAW for Two 6 hour whale watching tours donated by one of our regular reporters, Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours

Tickets are available on line until July 25^th

and throughout Sea Fair – come visit our table

Winner will be drawn at the closing ceremonies July 28^th.

Click Here for more information and Enter to WIN!

Have you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise?

Call 1-877-323-9776 or Email your report.

Every sighting report is valuable!

Northern Resident Killer Whales

Northern Resident Orca (A36's)

July 11, 2013

Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours

July 12:

8:36 am report through Coast Guard cutter Bartlett that the A36's were Westbound by Chatham Point around 6 am.

Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours

July 12:

9:55 am A36 NRKW brothers reported at Kelsey Bay. Actually 5 miles west of Kelsey Bay, almost at Port Neville doing 8 knots.

Jos Krijnen, Eagle Eye Adventures

July 11:

8:30 am 4 – 5 Orca (NRKWs) with 2 big males Southbound at Ripple Point close to the Vancouver Island side.

Larry, Nootka Queen

July 11:

9:30 am Orca at Rock Point inbound.

Broken Radio

July 11:

10:20 am A36's (2 brother NRKWs) are by Chatham Point; 1 close to the light, and the other closer to Thurlow Island inbound to Nodales Channel. There's a group of PWS Dolphins coming to harass them. 10:24 am In Nodales now from Kurt.

Leif, Campbell River Whale Watching

July 11:

1:48 pm Left one of the A36 brothers foraging by Davis Point, Nodales Channel. Think he was having some good Chinook feeding.

Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours

July 11:

2:30 pm Left the A36 Orca brothers Westbound by Harding Island with Jos.

Jen Furst, Campbell River Whale Watching

July 11:

6 pm The Orca (A36's) must've turned twice since we found them Westbound again by Harding Island.

7 pm They turned again heading back into Nodales Channel. Left the A36 brothers Easting into Nodales being harassed by 12 pesky Whitesided Dolphins.

Mark, Discovery Marine Safaris

July 10:

2:02 pm Northern Resident Orca A36 brothers foraging with Leif and Kurt in Blackfish Sound.

Jack Springer, Campbell River Whale Watching

July 7:

3 pm A30's in Robson Bight, Johnstone Strait. They headed past Cracroft Point Westbound.

Jack Springer, Campbell River Whale Watching

Humpback Whales

Humpback Whale

July 9, 2013

Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours

July 9:

8:24 am Humpback at Rock Bay Southbound.

Radio

July 9:

9:53 am Humpbacks, possibly a Mom and calf?, mid-channel Discovery Passage between Okisollo Channel and Elk Bay. They're travelling with a pod of Dolphins as well. Jen

10:42 am Jen and Leif departing Humpback and calf plus 12 Dolphins playing mid strait between Granite point and Bodega point.

Jack Springer, Campbell River Whale Watching

July 9:

1:32 pm 2 Humpbacks Southbound now in Seymour Narrows.

Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours

July 9:

3:21 pm The Humpbacks are off the Cape Mudge lighthouse, Southbound.

4:18 pm They are both pretty large, so unless these are different ones, not Mom and calf. We're South-West of Mitlenatch aiming for Sentry Shoal now.

Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions

July 7:

2:30 pm 2 Humpback Whales by Cracroft Point, top of Johnstone Strait.

Jack Springer, Campbell River Whale Watching

Pacific White Sided Dolphins

Pacific White Sided Dolphin

July 12, 2013

Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours

July 12:

9:53 am 50 PWS Dolphins socializing and cavorting between Horn Bay and Little Dent Island (Yuculta Rapids area).

Aaron Nagler, Sonora Lodge

July 12:

11:05 am PWS Dolphins by Sonora Point, Nodales Channel.

Radio

July 12:

11:09 am About 80 PWS Dolphins at Thurlow Point (across from Sonora Point) in Nodales Channel foraging. There's also another group with a number of babies at Horn Point, farther up the channel.

Jos Krijnen, Eagle Eye Adventures

July 12:

11:57 am 60 PWS Dolphins Westbound at Chatham Point doing 10 knots.

4:11 pm 100 PWS Dolphins Southbound at No Name Creek; few minutes later they're Northbound now! Foraging.

Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours

July 12:

4:23 pm 12 PWS Dolphins Southbound off Dolphins Resort, just North of the Campbell River Estuary.

7:30 pm Left the big group just South of Bodega Point.

Geord, Discovery Marine Safaris

July 11:

9:30 am PWS Dolphins spread out....somewhere?

Broken Radio

July 11:

10:50 am 30 to 40 PWS Dolphins coming out from Nodales Channel to harass the 2 Orca (A36's).

Leif, Campbell River Whale Watching

July 11:

11:30 am 20 PWS Dolphins Northbound at Ripple Point at 10 knots.

Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours

July 11:

5:20 pm 20 PWS Dolphins in Okisollo Channel by Lower Rapids back and forth foraging.

Jen Furst, Campbell River Whale Watching

July 11:

7 pm Left the A36 brothers Easting into Nodales being harassed by 12 pesky Whitesided Dolphins.

Mark, Discovery Marine Safaris

July 10:

9:20 am Group of PWS Dolphins at Horn Point, top of Nodales Channel, heading towards Dent Island, by Yuculta Rapids.

9:39 am 6-12 PWS Dolphins in Seymour Narrows.

Radio

July 10:

9:23 am 40+ PWS Dolphins at Horn Point, Nodales Channel foraging towards Dent Island.

Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions

July 10:

9:40 am Dozen PWS Dolphins Northbound at Seymour Narrows.

Jack Springer, Campbell River Whale Watching

July 10:

10:26 am Lots of Dolphins by Horn Point, Nodales Channel, foraging, jumping and having fun.

1:28 pm 10+ PWS Dolphins in front of Sonora Lodge foraging and milling around. One has a really long dorsal fin, looks almost a foot high and ragged.

Jos Krijnen, Eagle Eye Adventures

July 10:

2:16 pm 20 PWS Dolphins at Kanish Bay, Discovery Passage, Northbound and milling.

3:09 pm 40 PWS Dolphins back and forth at Horn Point, Nodales Channel.

Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours

July 10:

7:50 pm 12 PWS Dolphins between Brown's Bay and Seymour Narrows foraging.

Mark, Discovery Marine Safaris

July 9:

8:50 am 20 or so PWS Dolphins in or by entrance to Okisollo Channel.

Radio

July 9:

9:53 am A pod of PWS Dolphins are around a Mom and calf Humpback between Okisollo Channel and Elk Bay, Discovery Passage. From Jen.

Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions

July 4:

3:20 pm 2 groups of PWS Dolphins; about 20 Northbound by Walcan, Discovery Passage and another group of around 12 by Quathiaski Cove.

Jen Furst, Campbell River Whale Watching

Harbour Porpoise

Harbour Porpoise

July 9, 2013

Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions

July 9:

4:49 pm While watching the Humpback Whales, I stopped to count Harbour Porpoise foraging in the rip off the red can buoy, South of Cape Mudge. I started to see a few, then more....and i have lost count! I would say there are well over 30+ or more Harbour Porpoise out here. I swear, between 30-40 or maybe more! Once you stopped and looked around, there were times I would see 5-7 surface at once in a small area. They were surging all over, sometimes coming right out of the water...hard to photograph.

Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions

July 9:

4:55 pm 3 Harbour Porpoise in Bute Inlet by Aran Rapids.

Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours

Wild Ocean Whale Society (WOWs) Links:

Financial Status and accounting after initial (March 2013) Fundraising Draw: http://whalesanddolphinsbc.com/wild-ocean-whale-society-wows/

Why Report Your Sightings to Us? : http://whalesanddolphinsbc.com/wild-ocean-whale-society-wows/why-report-your-sightings/

Why Donate and Where does your money go : http://whalesanddolphinsbc.com/donate/

Support and you could WIN a Whale Watching Journey : http://whalesanddolphinsbc.com/win-at-sea-fair-2013/

More web site updates are to follow, but as the saying goes,

“Rome wasn't built in a day.”

Have you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise? Call 1-877-323-9776 or Email your report. Every sighting report is valuable!

Whales and Dolphins BC is officially the non-profit Wild Ocean Whale Society (WOWs)

Lots of Cetacean activity - Orca, Humpback, Dolphins and Porpoise

Plenty of activity with Orca, Humpback, Dolphins and Porpoise appearing, disappearing, and reappearing along the Sunshine Coast and Georgia Strait. A reminder to all to keep an eye open and please report your sightings. We'd rather hear about it twenty times than not at all. The Humpback sighting is assumed Humpback rather than Grey based on description only. Does anyone have a photo to confirm, please? We may even be able to identify the individual from a photo. Also, some more information on branded Sea Lions below.

Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC

Have you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise?

Call 1-877-323-9776 or Email your report.

Every sighting report is valuable!

Transient Bigg's Killer Whales

Young Bigg's Breaching

Grief Point, April 25, 2013

Steve Grover, Powell River

April 25:

11 am 4 Orca Northbound at Brown's Bay, above Campbell River. All small fins.

Jos Krojnen, Eagle Eye Adventures

April 25:

1:45 pm Orca, saw one for sure, right out in front of Westview.

Sherri Wretham, Powell River

April 25:

1:45 pm The call from Sherri (above) came in just as I picked up binoculars to scan the water after seeing something out of the corner of my eye. There were 4 Orca – they looked like the same 4 as last night's (I have not had enough time to review the photo's). A few breaches and a brief glimpse of the sea lion they were on, they continued towards Grief Point.

Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC

April 25:

Transient Orca. Thanks for the heads up about the pod out front today. I drove down to Grief Point as they picked up the pace since we spoke and got a few shots from the shore. At 2:30 pm. The small one was splashing around quite a bit, porpoising, tail lobbing with the occasional breach thrown in because it felt like it. Always a treat to see these beautiful animals.

Steve Grover, Powell River

April 24:

8 am 4 Orca including one calf Northbound in front of Powell River fuel dock.

Pam Iwasiuk, Powell River

April 24:

You've probably already been flooded with sightings but... (photo) Taken from my deck around 08:25 this morning at least two individuals heading north between Westview and Harwood. Wish I'd grabbed my camera sooner!

(Thanks very much Peter and no, I wasn't inundated with calls. Like you, it seems everyone figures I already know....that's why it's so important to report. Every sightings report is important! - SM)

Peter Harvey, Powell River

Orca off Powell River

April 24, 2013

Peter Harvey, Powell River

April 24:

5:10 pm 2 Orca including one large male and a small calf off Whalen Road (Myrtle Point area) heading NW towards Myrtle Rocks.

Perk Percy, Persea's Dive Services

April 24:

5:45 pm Headed out to see about the above noted whales and found them at 6:20 pm just off Grief Point. They were travelling at an easy steady pace Northbound and continued past the Powell River mill angling towards Savary Island. Left them around 7:20 pm mid-channel.

Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC

April 24:

2 pm 5-6 Orca right now off North side of Savary, mid-Island, working their way slowly towards Mace Point. Orcas at Savary.....Make it 8 at least..........

There were a couple of large fins and couple of really small ones with a total of close to 12 Orca! They headed towards Mace Point till a prawn boat ran right into the middle of the group. They turned towards Hernando and I lost sight of them.

Grant Rainsley, Powell River / Savary Island

April 23:

5:30 – 6 pm There were around 11 Orca including one very large male Southbound past Albion (Black) Point.

Bill Taylor, Powell River

Humpback Whale

(Unconfirmed but assumed rather than Grey Whale,

based on descriptions – SM)

April 23:

Sitting on the beach at Grief Pt. at sunset and a whale (grey?) surged by very close to shore. I think we were within 30 ft. of it! Saw a small dorsal fin when we first heard it, but after that he stayed just under the surface. How amazing! A student staying with us also saw it from the seawalk. Apparently, lots of people saw it. Our student also thought he saw a small dorsal fin. I really only got a flash of it. We were sitting on a log looking out at the water and we heard it first. I knew from the sound it was a whale, not a big blow but a powerful noise. We turned in time to see what I took to be a shallow hump of the back with a small dorsal fin. He was very close to shore. He moved powerfully past us but didn't completely break the surface again. From the glimpse I caught of him, my impression was of a smooth grey colour, but as I say, it was just a flash and I didn't get another chance to take note.

Madeleine Field, Powell River

April 23:

7:30 pm Noticed a huge blow tight to the breakwater at Westview's South Harbour. Possibly a Grey Whale? It headed South then angled towards the Texada side.

Pam Iwasiuk, Powell River

Pacific White Sided Dolphins

April 25:

5:50 pm 25 to 30 PWS Dolphins are leaping and cavorting back and forth just of Grief Point, Powell River

John & Joan Treen, Powell River

April 24:

6 am 15 to 20 PWS Dolphins were headed South past Albion (Black) Point, South of Powell River. They weren't in a hurry.

Bill Taylor, Powell River

Harbour and Dall's Porpoise

April 25:

Two porpoises were sighted heading south just off Myrtle Rocks in the Malaspina Strait at 8:15 this morning.

Holly Roy, Powell River

April 24:

Some friends and I went to lighthouse park today in West Vancouver. We were hanging out on the rocks looking out at the water and I noticed something in the water to the left of us. At first I thought it was a seal but then we got a better look and it was a group of porpoises! There were about three or four. Very dark grey almost black. They seemed pretty small and we saw their fins pop up a few times. About 75 feet off shore. We were so surprised they were pretty close. This was today the 22nd at about 6-630 pm. Then we saw them again but they were further to the left about 150 feet away. So amazing!

The fins were triangle, and the color seemed very dark charcoal (on first glance I thought it was a seal until we saw their fins and more of them). I'm almost positive they were Harbor Porpoises based on the pics I checked out, there was no white like the Dall's porpoise... Was very magical! So surprised to see them so close to the city.

Kleah Marie Michnik

April 23:

4:20 pm 9-10 Dall's Porpoise in Lewis Channel off Teakerne Arm, Desolation Sound, foraging at the entrance.

Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale & Bear Excursions

Transient Bigg's off Powell River

April 22, 2013

Susan MacKay, SG Images

Branded Sea Lion Information

Questions arose after my request for sightings reports and the photo of a branded Steller Sealion number 998R. Branding of sea lions for long term research and monitoring first started in Russia in 1989. Researchers found that the tags they used at the time would fall off and were difficult to read. Today, Stellers, California and many other sea lions and seals are being both branded and/or tagged for the purposes of tracking.

The majority of branding to date has taken place in Oregon, California and Alaska. Each location uses specific letter and number combinations indicating exactly where they were first branded or tagged, frequently as pups. With the information available, the location they were first branded and sometimes the age, sex and birthplace can be determined. 998R was branded at Rogue Reef, Oregon and the photo was taken at Mitlenatch Island, Northern Georgia Strait. Since these animals have already been branded and/or tagged, it's useful and interesting to note where they are from and their survival rate after branding. There are some reports that indicate that some branding was done while the sea lions were under anaesthetic, but not all. Some brands appear much deeper than others.

The most recent branding took place March 25, 2013 in Oregon, at the Port of Astoria, where they branded 30 sea lions by trapping adults and pups in a trap. Both Oregon and California have, over many years, branded “nuisance” sea lions that were to be destroyed if they returned to certain areas where they are considered trouble makers. It's unknown if this recent sea lion branding in Oregon is their standard method of branding, but if it is, it strikes me and many of you as cruel. Here's a link to this recent branding uproar: http://www.seashepherd.org/news-and-media/2013/03/25/more-than-30-sea-lions-captured-and-branded-at-port-of-astoria-by-oregon-dept-of-fish-and-wildlife-1492 Although this is only one side of the story, a picture says 1000 words.

Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC

Have you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise? Call 1-877-323-9776 or Email your report. Every sighting report is valuable!

The official governing society of Whales and Dolphins BC is Wild Ocean Whale Society (WOW)