Transients, Humpbacks and lots of
Pacific White Sided Dolphins. Humpback and T20 photos.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC
Transient
Orca
May 13:
Transient Orca T-20 for the blog
tonight If I make it! We had this guy by himself at apporox 1810 hrs
in Sutil Channel (between Marina Island and Francisco Point,
Quadra Island) headed south at 6 knots! Couldn't find his Gang
anywhere around him.
Nick Templeman, Eagle Eye Adventures
Transient Orca T020,
Sutil Channel
May 13, 2012
Nick Templeman, Eagle
Eye Adventures
May 13:
11:14 am Orca in Lewis Channel
Northbound apparently...don't know who's with them. From
tugboater.
Nick Templeman, Eagle Eye Adventures
May 13:
11:55 am Sounds like 6 Orca 1
big fin just entering Deer Passage Northbound. (just above
Desolation Sound – SM)
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys
May 12:
12-14 Transient Orca northbound
off Nanaimo last night (May 12). Left them about 4pm just
south of Nanaimo. This is from my buddy Simon from Ocean Eco
Adventures in Cowichan Bay. Have to watch around this aft
Nick Templeman, Eagle Eye Adventures
May 11:
Around 9:30 pm as the sun set, Orca
Northbound by Campbell River. Got report on 12th.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys
May 9:
About 6 pm 5 or 6 Transient Orca
including 1 sprouter (juvenile male) and at least 1 calf with an
orange tinge on the white eye patch were tight close to the Discovery
Pier by Campbell River. One female went right inside the pier into
about 10 to 15 feet of water. I watched from shore and followed them
to Tyee Spit and watched their blows to another bay across the
channel across from April Point lodge. They were incredibly active
doing spy hops, tail lobs and head stands waving their tail flukes in
the air. All the seals disappeared up the river into very shallow
water.
Clyde Burton, Powell River /
Campbell River
Humpback
Whales
Humpback Whale 'KC'
Breaching !
May 12, 2012
Nick
Templeman, Eagle Eye Adventures
May 13:
We also (see Orca and Dolphin reports) had the Humpbacks known as KC & Ariel at approx 1430 hrs slowly foraging North in Discovery Passage 1/4 mile North of Browns Bay. Just lazy fluking today. (first reported in the morning – SM)
We also (see Orca and Dolphin reports) had the Humpbacks known as KC & Ariel at approx 1430 hrs slowly foraging North in Discovery Passage 1/4 mile North of Browns Bay. Just lazy fluking today. (first reported in the morning – SM)
Nick Templeman, Eagle Eye Adventures
May 12:
9:57 am 2 Humpback Whales in Seymour
Narrows.
Aaron, Campbell River Whale Watching
May 12:
We received a report from Garry of
Aboriginal Journeys @ approx 1330hrs of one, possibly two
Humpback Whales Northbound in Discovery Passage on the
Vancouver Island shoreline at a spot we call No Name Creek (Approx
3/4 mile North of Browns Bay) Garry stayed with the animals
for us and we arrived on scene at 1425 hrs. By this time they had
moved across Discovery Passage and were travelling slowly very tight
to the Quadra Island shoreline. They were approx 3/4 mile
South of Kanish Bay at this point. After a look at the two and
a couple of tail shots my first instinct was to say KC and a
friend (comparing to a couple of days ago I see that I am right
on KC just don't know the other well enough) After 15 minutes of
viewing they moved into deeper water then KAWOOF! Full breach I
believe from KC then another! Then some tail lobs which may have come
from the other animal or both I'm not fully sure. We left them headed
into Kanish Bay at approx 1540 hrs......what a fantastic viewing!
I've enclosed the ID shots and a couple others for a treat, enjoy!
Nick Templeman, Eagle Eye Adventures
From Jackie Hildering:
Humpback tail flukes is BCY0767 aka "Arial".
It is of great interest to know they were together. Thank you so much for the sighting Nick. I share with you that KC is very acrobatic. He is the whale that even ended up on the front page of the Campbell River Courier in full breach.
See blog item about that sighting here. http://themarinedetective.com/2011/07/13/identifying-jumping-giants/Interestingly, on that sighting too, KC and Arial were together.
I know that this is not applicable to you as you are always outside 100m when in the presence of whales, but I have had some hairy moments when working around KC. Thought it might be worthwhile to let you know this.
Humpback tail flukes is BCY0767 aka "Arial".
It is of great interest to know they were together. Thank you so much for the sighting Nick. I share with you that KC is very acrobatic. He is the whale that even ended up on the front page of the Campbell River Courier in full breach.
See blog item about that sighting here. http://themarinedetective.com/2011/07/13/identifying-jumping-giants/Interestingly, on that sighting too, KC and Arial were together.
I know that this is not applicable to you as you are always outside 100m when in the presence of whales, but I have had some hairy moments when working around KC. Thought it might be worthwhile to let you know this.
Humpback 'Arial' Tail
Flukes
May 13, 2012
Nick Templeman, Eagle
Eye Adventures
Pacific
White Sided Dolphins
May 13:
We also (see Orca and Humpback reports)
spotted what could very well have been upwards of 600+ Pacific
Whitesided Dolphins in a 5 mile stretch of Bute Inlet.
Amazing day!
Nick Templeman, Eagle Eye Adventures
Nick Templeman, Eagle Eye Adventures
From Orca Network, Whidbey Island,
WA
May 12
At least two groups of transients were sighted moving north, northwest through Porlier Pass (north end of Galiano Island) about 2:30 pm. We caught up with T87, possibly T90, and one other female with a calf (appeared to be at least 2 years old). Further off the Valdez Island shoreline was T102 with at least 5 others, including two younger juveniles. It was frustrating to not be able to ID the younger animals and females! They continued to make their way north up the Strait of Georgia, taking steady long dives and surfacing in a scattered formation. There was some predation going on, because when we arrived on scene the gulls were hovering around and picking yummy bits of flesh off the surface. Two roaming gangs of transients out and about today, each at the polar opposite ends of the islands! They were covering all their bases it seems!
At least two groups of transients were sighted moving north, northwest through Porlier Pass (north end of Galiano Island) about 2:30 pm. We caught up with T87, possibly T90, and one other female with a calf (appeared to be at least 2 years old). Further off the Valdez Island shoreline was T102 with at least 5 others, including two younger juveniles. It was frustrating to not be able to ID the younger animals and females! They continued to make their way north up the Strait of Georgia, taking steady long dives and surfacing in a scattered formation. There was some predation going on, because when we arrived on scene the gulls were hovering around and picking yummy bits of flesh off the surface. Two roaming gangs of transients out and about today, each at the polar opposite ends of the islands! They were covering all their bases it seems!
Tasli Shaw, Steveston Seabreeze
Adventures
May 10
May 10
Watched 3 orcas heading north along the
west shorelines of DeCourcy and Mudge Islands (about ten miles south
of Nanaimo). Looked like 2 adults and a calf. Dorsal fins appeared
small and curved. One adult had a gray saddle behind it's fin. They
appeared to be feeding off Mudge Island, then started to head south,
passing just to the east of Round Island.
Barb Wallace
May 10
1442 - Two orcas sighted northbound off
Jack Pt (1 mile east of Nanaimo) and reported to whale hotline.
Capt. Fred Wicks, M.V.Quinsam
May 9
John Ford relayed a report of about 8
Bigg's killer whales near Nanaimo around 3 pm. Graeme Ellis got out
to document them as they were feasting on something, but seas were
too heavy to tell what it was.
May 11
We got really lucky just as we reached Turn Point, a humpback whale was spotted north of East Point! It was decision time; continue our course, or extend our trip and go for it. We decided to go for it and headed further north. And was it worth it! The humpback whale blew magnificently in the distance. We watched as it surfaced a few times before flashing its fluke in a fluke up dive.
Kristen, Naturalist, San Juan Safaris
We got really lucky just as we reached Turn Point, a humpback whale was spotted north of East Point! It was decision time; continue our course, or extend our trip and go for it. We decided to go for it and headed further north. And was it worth it! The humpback whale blew magnificently in the distance. We watched as it surfaced a few times before flashing its fluke in a fluke up dive.
Kristen, Naturalist, San Juan Safaris
May 10
2 Humpback Whales encountered a couple
of miles south west of Race Rocks that were surfing in 3-4' waves
south of Race Rocks! This was my first Humpback Whale encounter of
the 2012 season:)
Andrew Lees. Marine Naturalist, Five Star Whale Watching
Andrew Lees. Marine Naturalist, Five Star Whale Watching
2012
Charter Cruises
Enjoy a personalized week long
Charter Cruise in the pristine wilderness of the Great Bear
Rainforest. Information can be found on the 2012
Charter Cruises pages of Whales
and Dolphins BC.
