Distant calls audible.We started hearing distant "A1" calls on the Flower Island hydrophone a short while ago. Chances are the A30s are there, though we're not sure.
Helena
31 Aug 2011 22:06:11 PDT

No orcas present. Such a rush. We have to add the C6s to the list. When writing the last update we could hear their calls as the whales moved through Blackfish Sound and then we checked the pictures.So the list for tonight is: A30s,I31s,I15s,I11s and C6s. Helena 31 Aug 2011 20:07:02 PDT

No calls but orcas nearby We just had a beautiful pass of orcas heading north through Blackney Pass. The A30s, I31s, I15s and the I11s who were a surprise! Lots of whales in beautiful early evening sunlight. All gone to Blackfish Sound. Helena 31 Aug 2011 19:01:02 PDT

No calls but orcas nearby Marie reports:The I33s have passed the Cliff. I62 was in the middle with A38 and A39. The rest of theA30s and the I35s are on the Vancouver Island shore heading west. CP can see distant blows (and fins) past Blinkhorn and think this might be the I15s and that they might be turning. Helena 31 Aug 2011 17:28:31 PDT

Orcas rubbing on the shore bottom. More groups from the east. We can hear the A30s and the I31s approaching and in at the Beaches. Helena 31 Aug 2011 15:55:17 PDT

Distant calls audible. We are hearing A1 calls off the east end of the Reserve. These whales are coming west too. Helena 31 Aug 2011 15:39:16 PDT

No calls but orcas nearby All the I15s are in this part of Johnstone Strait heading west spread out in small groups from opposite the Cliff to CP. So not sure who was with the A36s/A12 off Chatham Point? Helena 31 Aug 2011 14:01:53 PDT

Orcas rubbing on the shore bottom. We just began to hear I15 calls off the east end of the Reserve and they may have had at least one rub. Meanwhile, the group of 6 transients (?the T146s) wwere off the entrance to Blackney Pass. Helena 31 Aug 2011 12:57:26 PDT

No calls but orcas nearby I had to make cup of tea before doing this update! There are transients all over the place today and they are converging. First, a small group headed west along Vancouver Island. They were past Critical Point by 10am. When they went past the Cliff Marie identified then as the T46Bs. They have a new baby. They have since passed Kaikash Creek at 11:18 am. As they were going west, a larger group came east off Donegal Head just before 10am and headed in between the Pearse islands and Stubbs and then into Johnstone Strait. They are eastbound from Blinkhorn. These have been identified as the T37s and T34s. And just a short while ago, the Cliff reported that the T10s and the T146s (possibly) passed under the Cliff and are now travelling west. The possible T146s are close to the Cracroft shore and may conntinue on this track past CP. The T10s were still off the Cliff but headed west too. A transient meeting coming up? Meanwhile, the residents (at least the A36s and A12 and the I15s have been seen off Chatham Point (east end of Johnstone Strait). Helena 31 Aug 2011 11:56:15 PDT

Orcas relaxing. The whales made their move just ahead of the slack tide and made it to Johnstone Strait right when there was a lot of boat traffic as well. Their calls are off Cracroft Point right now. Helena 31 Aug 2011 00:07:40 PDT

Orcas near mics.
We have been hearing A1 calls (?A30s) in Blackney Pass for the last while. They are not really moving very fast one direction or the other. The tide is ebbing (northbound) but is soon going to the slack for flood (southbound).
Helena
30 Aug 2011 23:38:41 PDT

No orcas present. It turned out that the A30s were the group to return to the west. They carried on toward Blinkhorn. We heard calls for a while but these have stopped or the whales have gone out of range. We had a report around 7:30pm that there were whales already at Hickey Point who were eastbound. This sounds like possibly the rest of today's gang. Helena 30 Aug 2011 20:49:55 PDT

Orcas hunting fish. Now there's echoocation on the Critical Point hydrophone... sounds like some of the rubbers are heading back to the west: Helena 30 Aug 2011 16:44:41 PDT

Orcas rubbing on the shore bottom. The I15/31 rub is gaining in intensity. Helena 30 Aug 2011 15:50:47 PDT

Multiple pod calls audible. The calls from these groups are quite lovely despite the boat noise from a busy day in Johnstone Strait. Someone is at the beaches already, others off Robson Bight and the Cliff opposite. All going east. Helena 30 Aug 2011 15:31:43 PDT

Multiple pod calls audible. The I31s, the A30s, the A36s and the I15s rushed through Blackney Pass in a relaxed manner (if you can rush and be relaxed at the same time). There were lots of spyhops. The groups were spread out with the I31s in first with A39, then the A30s. I46 and A46 were together. Then a small I15 group (the I27s) passed close to the Lab. Now there are calls off of CP. Helena 30 Aug 2011 14:09:54 PDT

Distant calls audible. As the I15s and the I31s come out of Weynton Pass into Blackfish Sound we are also hearing now from the A1s (possibly the A30s) who had been reported off of the Bolfd Head area. Helena 30 Aug 2011 11:46:58 PDT

Distant calls audible. Finally, some word from the orca themselves! We are now hearing calls from the I15s/I31s as they move across the top (west) end of Blackfish Sound. Helena 30 Aug 2011 11:27:26 PDT

No calls but orcas nearby The I15s and the I31s have turned into Weynton Pass and are headed north toward Stubbs Island. Helena 30 Aug 2011 10:53:35 PDT

No calls but orcas nearby Apparently, the A30s were spotted off Bold Head earlier this morning. The I15s and I31s are still west of CP. Helena 30 Aug 2011 10:50:19 PDT

No calls but orcas nearby Oops, that should read west to Big Bay (part way "up" the Hanson Island shore). All the groups have moved to west. Still no calls so besides the i15s, the I31s and recently the A30 have been mentioned. Helena 30 Aug 2011 10:11:37 PDT

No calls but orcas nearby It looks like some of the I15s are stalled at the entrance of Blackney Pass, and others are heading west towards Boat Bay. Not yet sure what they'll decide to do. Still silent. Helena 30 Aug 2011 09:33:20 PDT

Orcas approaching Orcalab. The I15s are heading north in Blackney Pass. They are silent. Helena 30 Aug 2011 08:58:50 PDT

No calls but orcas nearby We've heard no calls since around 5am, when there were distant "A1" calls on the Critical Point hydrophone. We don't know exactly where the orcas were at that time, or what has happened since. We are waiting. Helena 30 Aug 2011 06:10:09 PDT

No calls but orcas nearby Hard to say just what is happening out there. Just when they seem to get going they stop. A tug went into the Strait and made a lot of noise so that didn't help. But at least the I15s got closer to Robson Bight along with some of the I31s. There were a few further off A1s but agin nothing much. At 1:54am we were surprised to hear closer A1s west of everyone else but these calls were over before we could tell if they were off the entrance to Blackney, in Blackney or back in Blackfish. Just one of those nights which is not over yet so hopefully we will get a few more clues soon. Helena 30 Aug 2011 02:36:25 PDT

No calls but orcas nearby All the groups, the A30s, A12s, A36s,I15s and I31s (?all) seemed to have made it through Blackney to Johnstone Strait. They have the flood tide with them and for the moment they are pretty quiet but presumably heading east. Helena 30 Aug 2011 00:30:41 PDT