Saturday, October 31, 2015





Superb sounds!!

Humpbacks everywhere! The humpbacks who had been in Blackney moved on to Blackfish Sound. Pretty sure I saw Freckles and Conger. There is also a humpback vocal in Johnstone Strait. Good night for it appropriately eerie! The sea lion growls are pretty good as well! Trick and treat!

Helena & Paul
31 Oct 2015 17:13:17 PST



Superb sounds!!

Again beautiful humpback calls in Blackney Pass, humpbacks visible on explore.org

Helena
31 Oct 2015 15:30:31 PST

Friday, October 30, 2015





Orcas near mics.

It is like an event every hour. Now the dolphins near Robson Bight are in the act! The last wonderful humpback at 9pm on was in Blackfish Sound.

Helena
30 Oct 2015 21:06:48 PST



Boat noise

I can't believe this boat's timing! Grrrr!

Helena
30 Oct 2015 18:01:35 PST



Superb sounds!!

Incredible humpback sounds in Blackney Pass!

Helena
30 Oct 2015 17:57:12 PST



Humpback on explore.org

Helena
30 Oct 2015 11:51:29 PST



No orcas present.

It has been so "quiet" humpback wise here in Blackney Pass the past few days. But Guardian has stuck around and she just is heading north in Blackney at the moment.

Helena
30 Oct 2015 11:49:18 PST

Thursday, October 29, 2015





No orcas present.

Too brief! A humpback was vocal just after 8pm. It sounded promising but ended before we could even locate the calls. Too bad. Perhaps there will be more. 

Helena
29 Oct 2015 20:05:36 PST

Wednesday, October 28, 2015





Orcas near mics.

Nice chatty dolphins in Johnstone Strait on Critical Point.

Helena & Paul
28 Oct 2015 18:45:25 PST

Monday, October 26, 2015





Boat noise

Audio is back! And soon the camera links! A BIG thanks to David Howitt who put his life on hold, climbed trees waited patiently for radios to arrive,cleaned the underwater camera, sawed wood climbed the tree again. Really an endless list! Thanks David. Thanks to Tim Sears and Explore for their patience and guidance as well.

Helena & Paul
26 Oct 2015 17:13:20 PST

Wednesday, October 21, 2015






Multiple pod calls audible.

I have to use a little of our scarce bandwidth (we are still basically down but have the use of a Telus "stick") to tell this story! Last night Barbara and David heard and identified southern resident orcas in Johnstone Strait. They had been seen earlier in the afternoon near Ripple Point making their way north. Then this afternoon Jared called to say the southern residents were off Donegal Head. Very soon after we heard calls! But the calls were northern G clan calls, specifically I31/I11 type calls!!! What the??? We told Jared. He said "seriously?" because he was looking at southern residents clustered together behind a tug heading into Blackfish Sound. We could hear the southerns but the G clan calls sounded closer. Jared then reported that there was a group close to Flower Island. Was this the G clan group? They then came into view. Jared followed this group in and identified them as a mix of I31s and I11s. (northern G clan orcas) As he followed this group he watch the southern residents move close to Burnt Point on the Hanson Island side and soon they were in our view. There were a lot of southern residents!!!! The northerns chose to stay on the far shore almost parallel to the southerns who moved to mid channel. The vocals dropped off. The groups progressed through the Pass and out of view. Whew! So beautiful! So unusual, once in a lifetime! But it was not all yet over. We had seen another group over on the far shore and eventually this group made their way into Blackney well after the others. It turned out to be the A34s with A46!. There was just enough light to see them and Jared came back to do a quick confirmation before heading home. Southern and northern residents are not known to mix and this was a close. So amazing, we are all blown away and thankful too.

Helena & Paul
21 Oct 2015 18:44:27 PST

Friday, October 09, 2015



Performing maintenance

H everyone, we have run into a radio problem which has stopped out Internet stream. We re working on it so thank you for you patience, hopefully back in operation soon. This effects the stream to explore.org as well.

Helena & Paul
09 Oct 2015 17:57:30 PST

Thursday, October 08, 2015






Orcas near mics.

A little of this and a lot of that. We are listening to a few humpback "whups"on Parson Island and dolphins spread out from Robson Bight to Parson Island. Wind picking up!

Helena 
08 Oct 2015 21:33:36 PST



Distant calls audible.

Those dolphins are at it again!

Helena 
08 Oct 2015 19:08:30 PST



Distant calls audible.

We are listening to Pacific White sided dolphins in Johnstone Strait. We had an incredible scene in Blackney Pass with humpbacks Guardian and Argonaut. You can see it on explore.org by sculling back on the bottom bar on the Orcalab Base camera. It will be available for a while longer. Guardian and Argonaut were surrounded by dolphins and sea lions. They all disappeared around Burnt Point around 3:30pm.

Helena 
08 Oct 2015 15:20:25 PST



No orcas present.

This morning the humpbacks have been engaged in quite a bit of feeding.

Helena 
08 Oct 2015 08:30:56 PST

Wednesday, October 07, 2015



Orcas near mics.

If you caught those humpback sounds it was pretty amazing but so far short lived! But fingers crossed it will continue.

Helena
07 Oct 2015 18:24:28 PST



No orcas present.

A very grey wet day here on the coast. Have a look around www.explore.org A couple of humpbacks just passed the Lab pausing to grab a quick bite. Dolphins continued through the night with a few humpback sounds thrown in.

Helena
07 Oct 2015 07:37:42 PST