No calls but orcas nearby August 12 2021 Orcas: !4s, I27s, I65s Humpbacks: Argonaut, Stitch, Tag, Squiggle (at CP) It was a quiet night compared to the last few nights of rubs and foraging from the I15 groups. We hoped that the westing whales would not head “out” for good and plunge us into another stint of orca absence. Fortunately, just before 9am, we heard a report of orcas off Donegal Head, and not long after it was confirmed to be the I4s, I27s and I65s once again. A few reports came in throughout the morning, and it seemed the orcas were largely milling, deciding which passage to take into the Strait. By 10:41am they had chosen Weynton Passage, and they slowly meandered south - seen in the pass along with seven humpbacks! Ripple and her calf Dapple were confirmed. We feel very attached to those two humpbacks and it is lovely to hear that they are faithful to this area. The afternoon brought special visitors, as friends Tavish Campbell and Deirdre Leowinata pulled up on ‘Harlequin’ to say hello, on their way up north. Quin and Suzie rowed out to greet them and enjoyed a cup of tea and some of Quin’s banana bread, before waving them off on their journey. The I15 groups slowly went east in Johnstone Strait, their movements becoming familiar to us now. By 1:24pm the pair at Cracroft Point could see them very far in the distance, milling somewhat mid-Strait. We heard our first calls around 2:17pm on our Critical Point and Strider Rubbing Beach hydrophones - incredible that these two can hear so far to the west. At 2:37pm a separate group of 3 orcas were reported at Blinkhorn. We believe these to be the I27s, given the later unfolding of events. By 3:35pm it seemed that the I4s and I65s were ready to come into Blackney Pass, as CP and the Wardens reported them angling in our direction. We heard some great ‘trills’ from them and a lot of dolphin chatter at 3:44pm. They foraged for a while, chopping and changing directions in the rip of East Blackney Pass. They were fairly spread out, and at 4:04pm it looked like they had cleared the view of Cracroft Point, but within minutes they were back in view and heading back into Johnstone Strait. Now - one thing we keep mentioning is the strong currents and they are often key to understanding and predicting where the whales will go next. Although they had cleared the view of Cracroft Point, there was over 4 knots of flooding current at the time. In the “blind spot” between our view and that of CP, the current from Blackfish Sound and Johnstone Strait converges in Blackney Pass. The orcas may indeed make it a little way into Blackney, riding the push from the Strait, but any deeper into Blackney and they will meet fierce resistance from the push of Blackfish Sound. A very crude overview (fully understanding the tides and currents around here is an artform!) but it helps to explain their movements. They remained around the entrance to Blackney for a while, foraging and changing directions frequently. At 5:03pm, we saw the I27s heading east on CP cam, tail-slapping as they went. At 5:17pm we saw all seven of the I4s and I65s just resting off Cracroft Point, clearly not heading east after the other three. By 6:41pm the I4s and 65s had once again made their way into Blackney Pass. The approaching slack-to-ebb tide would start to work in their favor. Finally, after their hours of trying, they appeared in our view from the lab at 7:01pm. They were all together, mid-pass, glowing golden in the evening sun. I4 was slightly in the lead, and we could hear their blows over the flat-calm surface of the water; not a boat in sight nor earshot. As they approached Blackfish Sound they spread out a little, with I122 beginning to hang back. They tail-slapped, rolled and even breached as they began to echolocate. Assistants Sara-Lynn and Mattis had gone for an evening kayak, and were just rounding Burnt Point on their way back when they saw the orcas over the other side of the pass. A truly special and humbling passing for them, no doubt. As those groups were out front of the lab, we received a report from the Cliff of several whales westing past Boat Bay on Cracroft Island. Ah-ha! Our prediction was the I27s had indeed continued east and were now headed back this way. The whales in Blackfish sound were very vocal - producing some lovely calls and lots of echolocation. We tracked them on our Flower Island camera for a while, beautiful fins dipping into the sunset. We noted a persistent group of kayakers who seemed intent on following them. At 8:30pm, the pair at Cracroft Point finally heard the blows of the westing orcas in the Strait. At 8:45pm we located them on CP camera, and confirmed the presence of the I27s. We love it when loose ends come together! They followed the leading groups into Blackney and we heard clear calls and echolocation on Parson Island at 8:58pm. With the current strengthening in their favour, it did not take them long. They entered our view at 9:10pm and we could see they were spread out, with I27 in the lead, I77 mid-Pass and I107 tailing and further over the other side. As they entered Blackfish Sound they opened up into a beautiful chorus of calls, trills, ‘goofy sounds’ and echolocation! We could hear the others ahead of them more distant. Their last burst of vibrant calls came at 10:01pm, and by 10:10pm we could hear them no more. This is likely due to the incoming boat noise of tug ‘Arctic Titan’ which was very loud, and masked every other sound. Our best assumption is that the groups will once again head west on the ebb. We only hope they return at the next tidal switch! OrcaLab 12 Aug 2021 23:58:08 PDT August 11 2021 Orcas: I4s, I27s, I65s, T059s Humpbacks: Argonaut, Stitch, Tag The night was alive with orca activity! Just before 3am, the I15 groups broke into busy chatter near Robson Bight. They had silently made their way either through Weynton or Blackney Pass and into Johnstone Strait once more. We heard some excellent calls, echolocation and whistles as they foraged in the Bight and moved eastward, entering the range of our Strider Rubbing Beach hydrophone at 3:16am. Their calls continued on and off for half an hour, when finally we heard the unmistakable sound of scattering pebbles in the darkness at 3:44am - they were rubbing! Their calls were vibrant and excited, and the many ÒchuffsÓ signified a great rubbing session for a good number of whales. We heard brief rubs and calls on Main Rubbing Beach too, and the session appeared to end at 4:05am. They continued to call as they moved likely east (or over to the Cracroft Island shore), and their diminishing calls were last heard off the Main Rubbing Beach at 5:25am. By 7am they were westing underneath the Cliff on Cracroft, and at 7:45am our assistants Katie and Dante could see them at Cracroft Point. It did not take long for them to choose Blackney Pass, and by 8:06am they were in our view. The I27s came in first, zooming by in the morning ebb, and cleared into Blackfish Sound by 8:19am. The pair at CP spotted the I4s and I65s shortly after, and at 8:55am those groups followed their leaders into the Sound. Interestingly, no calls were heard for the entire passing. It appeared the orcas did not get too far, as by 1:16pm they were reported back at Bold Head, heading east along the Swanson Island shore. This time, we could hear them, and their continued echolocation let us know that they were hungry! They came back into our view at 1:45pm, the I27s in the lead once more. Interestingly, I107 has been travelling quite independently of his mom - I27 - and I77, who often travel closely together. This time, the I4s and I65s were not too far behind - and they travelled as a tight-knight group, clearing our view by 2:14pm. All groups seemed to cross over to the Vancouver Island shore and bear east, and we got some lovely footage on our remote CP camera as they passed. At 2:55pm, I107 came in to rub at Kaizumi Rubbing Beach all by himself. It lasted only 5 minutes before he, too, headed eastward. All groups continued east and into Robson Bight; their echolocation clicks signifying yet more foraging. Near this point, we believe the I27s crossed over the Strait to the Cracroft Island side, as we received a report of 1 male and 1 female (likely I77 and I27) heading west under the Cliff at 5:08pm. The other groups - I4s and I65s - were seen very close on our Critical Point camera at 4:23pm. They approached from the west, hit the point and turned into Robson Bight, before slowly heading west again. So all groups were westbound: I27s along Cracroft Island and I4s, I65s along Vancouver Island. While the orcas were silent for a little while, a pair of humpbacks - Tag and Stitch - kept our focus in Blackney Pass. They were surfacing together and fluked many times by White Beach Pass. We were silently wishing the westbound I4s and I65s into Kaizumi for a rubÉ and they did not disappoint! All at once, at 5:54pm, those iconic ÒchuffsÓ signified a rub had begun. There were some lovely calls and many rub sounds, as the orcas passed back and forth, back and forth along the very short stretch of beach. The rub lasted 29 minutes - one of the longest we have seen at this rubbing beach this year. During that time, Kamilla caught sight of fins on CP camera coming from the east at 6:11pm - the I27s. They were mirroring the movement of their kin along the Cracroft Shore, and gave a few brief calls to confirm their presence. We saw I77 and I27 again on our remote camera, but no I107 confirmed. It is very likely he was there, but as stated earlier he could have been a couple of kilometers away from his family, travelling more independently. We believe that all groups went west in the Strait, and we lost sight of them due to the strong glare of the late afternoon sun. Just as we were recovering from the excitement of the rub, we received a report from Jared Towers at 6:50pm that he was out front of the lab with the T059s - doh! They had snuck in during the frenzy. They were fairly far away and unsurprisingly silent, but we saw their jet black fins streaking through Blackney Pass heading south. Many thanks to Jared for the heads up. The pair at CP did not see the BiggÕs - it is possible that they too were lost in the glare, took a deep dive and dodged detection, or went through Baronet Passage around the other side of Cracroft Island. After the darkness fell, we began to hear the I15 groups once again in Blackfish Sound at 9:34pm. We are currently listening to their dwindling calls and echolocation, and wondering which course they will take through the night. Phew - a busy day! OrcaLab 12 Aug 2021 06:47:55 PDT Here is the summary for yesterday, August 11. August 11 2021 Orcas: I4s, I27s, I65s, T059s Humpbacks: Argonaut, Stitch, Tag The night was alive with orca activity! Just before 3am, the I15 groups broke into busy chatter near Robson Bight. They had silently made their way either through Weynton or Blackney Pass and into Johnstone Strait once more. We heard some excellent calls, echolocation and whistles as they foraged in the Bight and moved eastward, entering the range of our Strider Rubbing Beach hydrophone at 3:16am. Their calls continued on and off for half an hour, when finally we heard the unmistakable sound of scattering pebbles in the darkness at 3:44am - they were rubbing! Their calls were vibrant and excited, and the many ÒchuffsÓ signified a great rubbing session for a good number of whales. We heard brief rubs and calls on Main Rubbing Beach too, and the session appeared to end at 4:05am. They continued to call as they moved likely east (or over to the Cracroft Island shore), and their diminishing calls were last heard off the Main Rubbing Beach at 5:25am. By 7am they were westing underneath the Cliff on Cracroft, and at 7:45am our assistants Katie and Dante could see them at Cracroft Point. It did not take long for them to choose Blackney Pass, and by 8:06am they were in our view. The I27s came in first, zooming by in the morning ebb, and cleared into Blackfish Sound by 8:19am. The pair at CP spotted the I4s and I65s shortly after, and at 8:55am those groups followed their leaders into the Sound. Interestingly, no calls were heard for the entire passing. It appeared the orcas did not get too far, as by 1:16pm they were reported back at Bold Head, heading east along the Swanson Island shore. This time, we could hear them, and their continued echolocation let us know that they were hungry! They came back into our view at 1:45pm, the I27s in the lead once more. Interestingly, I107 has been travelling quite independently of his mom - I27 - and I77, who often travel closely together. This time, the I4s and I65s were not too far behind - and they travelled as a tight-knight group, clearing our view by 2:14pm. All groups seemed to cross over to the Vancouver Island shore and bear east, and we got some lovely footage on our remote CP camera as they passed. At 2:55pm, I107 came in to rub at Kaizumi Rubbing Beach all by himself. It lasted only 5 minutes before he, too, headed eastward. All groups continued east and into Robson Bight; their echolocation clicks signifying yet more foraging. Near this point, we believe the I27s crossed over the Strait to the Cracroft Island side, as we received a report of 1 male and 1 female (likely I77 and I27) heading west under the Cliff at 5:08pm. The other groups - I4s and I65s - were seen very close on our Critical Point camera at 4:23pm. They approached from the west, hit the point and turned into Robson Bight, before slowly heading west again. So all groups were westbound: I27s along Cracroft Island and I4s, I65s along Vancouver Island. While the orcas were silent for a little while, a pair of humpbacks - Tag and Stitch - kept our focus in Blackney Pass. They were surfacing together and fluked many times by White Beach Pass. We were silently wishing the westbound I4s and I65s into Kaizumi for a rubÉ and they did not disappoint! All at once, at 5:54pm, those iconic ÒchuffsÓ signified a rub had begun. There were some lovely calls and many rub sounds, as the orcas passed back and forth, back and forth along the very short stretch of beach. The rub lasted 29 minutes - one of the longest we have seen at this rubbing beach this year. During that time, Kamilla caught sight of fins on CP camera coming from the east at 6:11pm - the I27s. They were mirroring the movement of their kin along the Cracroft Shore, and gave a few brief calls to confirm their presence. We saw I77 and I27 again on our remote camera, but no I107 confirmed. It is very likely he was there, but as stated earlier he could have been a couple of kilometers away from his family, travelling more independently. We believe that all groups went west in the Strait, and we lost sight of them due to the strong glare of the late afternoon sun. Just as we were recovering from the excitement of the rub, we received a report from Jared Towers at 6:50pm that he was out front of the lab with the T059s - doh! They had snuck in during the frenzy. They were fairly far away and unsurprisingly silent, but we saw their jet black fins streaking through Blackney Pass heading south. Many thanks to Jared for the heads up. The pair at CP did not see the BiggÕs - it is possible that they too were lost in the glare, took a deep dive and dodged detection, or went through Baronet Passage around the other side of Cracroft Island. After the darkness fell, we began to hear the I15 groups once again in Blackfish Sound at 9:34pm. We are currently listening to their dwindling calls and echolocation, and wondering which course they will take through the night. Phew - a busy day! OrcaLab 12 Aug 2021 06:44:16 PDT