Multiple pod calls audible.

Surprise! The I15s came back and met up with A4s & A1s at the top of Blackfish Sound and are now moving toward Blackney Pass.
Helena
12 Aug 2011 23:38:30 PDT


No calls but orcas nearby




We were coming back from Alert Bay this evening and as we passed Turn Point, west end of Hanson Island, we noticed a lone young orca charging down the Strait. By the time we got home and unloaded the boat this same individual turned into Blaackney Pass and charged through to Blackfish Sound. We think it was A71! We think the A30s, A36s,A12 and the A24s (A71's group) are still off the top end of Blackfish Sound. Amazing circuit of Hanson Island by that whale. Busy,busy day,

Helena

12 Aug 2011 21:29:32 PDT







We forgot to add that during all of that time the A30s were slowly making their way west up the Vancouver Island shoreline before they decided to quickly cross the strait to Blackney Pass. They continued north to join up with everyone else in Blackfish.

Leah and Bianca

12 Aug 2011 21:11:22 PDT







Update from Johnstone Strait. At 5pm all of the A4s and A5s rocketed to the west past CP at approximately 7 kts., spread across the entire strait. One of the males breached 4 times along the way. The A24s headed up through the Plumpers into Blackfish with A12 and the A36s following just behind. The A5s came back to the east and are now in Robson Bight. At this point we have lost visual track of the A11s.

Leah

12 Aug 2011 20:57:39 PDT







Distant calls audible.



We are hearing A30s and some of the A5s closer to CP, sounds like the others are far away to the west.

Tomoko

12 Aug 2011 19:04:57 PDT







Distant calls audible.



Loud A4 and A5 call heard as they were passing CP to the west. A36s and A12 who went along VI shore are still vocal but their calls are faint on CP now.

Tomoko

12 Aug 2011 17:29:26 PDT







Distant calls audible.



We are hearing the A36s and A12. Their calls are on CP hydrophone now.

Tomoko

12 Aug 2011 16:47:47 PDT







Marie has been watching a beautiful gathering between the A24s returning from the east and the A8s with A61 and A35s with Springer. They are still milling beneath the cliff and slowly heading west again. The A23s headed back from the top end of Johnstone and are fairly close the the big group. Meanwhile the A30s are mid-strait off the west end of Robson Bight. A12 and the A36s are heading west towards the cliff from Boat Bay as well. So, it must have been the A11s that were heard on the rubbing beaches a short while ago. KC the humpback is also foraging in the tide rip in Blackney Pass.

Leah

12 Aug 2011 15:17:35 PDT







Distant calls audible.



We heard A36s and A24s coming up to CRPT hydrophone area, and that time anther A4 group were at Rubbing beach. and the others are quiet. Sleepy whales?

Tomoko

12 Aug 2011 15:07:51 PDT







Sorry that last update meant to read A35s, not A11s. Nick reported the A11s with the A24s, A12 and the A36s just east of Naka around noon.

Leah

12 Aug 2011 14:09:46 PDT







Orcas relaxing.



An update on the orca heading east. The A30s were originally heading west mid strait off CP with the A11s, A8s and A23s following closely behind. Just after noon the A30s came to a sudden stop off CP and turned their noses east while floating on the surface. Then everyone had a quick meeting under water before surfacing in their new resting groups. The A30s grouped up except for A38 who took to foraging in the tide rip. The A8s with A61 joined up with the A35s and Springer. They all headed to the east very slowly. The A23s continued west along the Hanson shoreline. Just as I am writing, Blackney (A38) called out on the CP hydrophone as he quickly began to travel to the east to head up with the rest of his family. All the while, the sun is shining and the water lightly rippled. The scene is surprisingly serene considering the plethora of fishing boats working the Vancouver Island shoreline.

Leah

12 Aug 2011 14:04:02 PDT







Distant calls audible.



The groups who headed west earlier (A30s, A11s/A35s, A5s) are now slowly going east. They are quiet now. But we started hearing A12, A36s and A24s who came back from east. Their calls are on RB hydrophone.

Tomoko

12 Aug 2011 13:40:43 PDT







Orcas near mics.



After a long nap, following a series of night rubs, the orcas are back in Robson Bight, fishing & calling.

Helena

12 Aug 2011 09:43:02 PDT







Orcas hunting fish.



We're hearing echolocation on the Critical Point hydrophone... sounds like some of the orcas are returning to the west after their rub, and are having a bite in the Bight!

Helena

12 Aug 2011 06:34:19 PDT







Distant calls audible.



Again a lot happening. Starting at 3:20am the I15s moved into the entrance of Blackney Pass after a very short return to the Strait. They made their way back through to Blackfish Sound by 4:32am. Their calls have moved on since. Meanwhile, the A4s,A5s and A1s (A30s and perhaps A36s/A12) have been very vocal. The A4s and A5s were loudest next to Critical Point and most likely have gone east past Robson Bight. We are again hearing calls in that direction. The A30s were the last group heard just a short while ago before the boat noise became a problem. One of the A1 groups made it to the entrance of Blackney Pass.

Helena

12 Aug 2011 04:58:00 PDT







Multiple pod calls audible.



A lot of pods is correct. So much has happened since the last post. Two large groups came silently south through Blackney Pass. The first of these groups cleared at 2:14am and may have been the A30s followed by a second group (? the I15) who cleared at 2:29am. Neither of these groups obliged by calling until they were well into Johnstone Strait and heading east toward the A4 and A5 groups already there and who had moved west from the east end of the Reserve. Somewhere in between were possibly the A36s and A12 as well. The question of the day will be did the A8s come up from the east and were they the last A5 group to head west at 2:30am? Lots of boat noise tonight as there are many working boats active for the fishing opening but also lots of calls.

Helena

12 Aug 2011 03:14:46 PDT







Distant calls audible.



We're hearing A4 & A5 calls at the east end of the Reserve again

Helena

12 Aug 2011 01:45:08 PDT