Lots of movement today. Internet connection down

Multiple pod calls audible.

It seems we're connected again, after being down most of the night. Sorry about that, as it has been very exciting vocally & socially. There has been a lot of movement since yesterday. The groups that were in the east came quickly back to the west in the afternoon & met up with the I15s/I31s, who had spent hours resting in western Johnstone Strait yesterday afternoon before heading into the beaches for an excited rub just before the A11s & co met them around 7pm. The A12s & A36s came back into the Strait via Weynton Pass & headed east just before dark. Most of the groups headed north via Blackney Pass around midnight & then headed back into the Strait around 3am. At the moment, the A30s & I31s are in Blackfish Sound. We think the A12s headed east from Robson Bight around 3am.
Helena
29 Jul 2008 06:18:23 PDT

No calls but orcas nearby

The A11s, followed by the A5s, have just travelled north through Blackney Pass on the swiftly ebbing tide.
Helena
29 Jul 2008 07:37:04 PDT

Performing maintenance

Sorry but our internet connection is down at the moment... we are working on the problem but don't know when it will be fixed. Sorry for the inconvenience!
Paul
29 Jul 2008 21:50:13 PDT

I15s and I31s returning from the east. A36s and A12s are there too.

Orcas rubbing on the shore bottom.

Good morning everyone! After a sleepy night (for us) we began hearing calls on the rubbing beaches hydrophone a short while ago... sounds like the I15s/I31s & an "A1" group are returning from the east.
Helena
28 Jul 2008 07:28:28 PDT

Orcas hunting fish.

We're hearing echolocation on the Critical Point hydrophone... sounds like some of the orcas are having a bite in the Bight on their way west.
Helena
28 Jul 2008 07:58:02 PDT

No calls but orcas nearby

The A36s have turned into Blackney Pass ahead of the I15s and I31s who are just making their way out of Johnstone Strait.
Helena
28 Jul 2008 10:39:09 PDT

No calls but orcas nearby

Actually, the I15s and the I31s have not yet made it into Blackney Pass proper. They fell asleepand are still between CP and the bottom (east) end of Hanson Island. (Jared Towers report)
Helena
28 Jul 2008 11:19:03 PDT

No calls but orcas nearby

Surprise! We've just had the A12s (all of them) travel north through Blackney Pass. They are now in Blackfish Sound.
Helena
28 Jul 2008 12:49:34 PDT

I15s, I31s and the boys (A36s) arrived in Johnstone Strait

Multiple pod calls audible.

A lot has been happening while we were "down". First of all, this morning we have heard the I15s and possibly other G clan members arrive into Johnstone Strait. We are also hearing A1 calls and hopefully soon will sort out who. Yesterday, the A30s continued west toward the A24s and A5s who spent the day in the Lower Johnstone Strait (Nick Templeman report). Then yesterday evening, A12 and A33 travelled through Blackfish Sound,Blackney Pass and into Johnstone Strait. They were first seen by Troy Bright at Berre Point. They looked well and energetic, foraging as they travelled past us. A small minke kept company briefly. Again this morning, we had a group of dolphins who added to the mix.
Helena
27 Jul 2008 08:00:39 PDT

Orcas near mics.

Indeed, the plot thickens! It is the A36s who are the A1s in Johnstone Strait! Right now they are off Cracroft Point.
Helena
27 Jul 2008 08:21:39 PDT

Multiple pod calls audible.

The whales have moved on toward the Ecological Reserve. The "Cliff" is trying to figure out who all is there.
Helena
27 Jul 2008 09:03:49 PDT

Multiple pod calls audible.

This parade has no end. We are now listening to A4 calls!
Helena
27 Jul 2008 09:09:23 PDT

Orcas rubbing on the shore bottom.

Some of the orcas (A4s) have reached the rubbing beaches!
Helena
27 Jul 2008 09:46:02 PDT

Orcas rubbing on the shore bottom.

We think that the A11s are there today (at the Beaches)
Helena
27 Jul 2008 10:14:22 PDT

No calls but orcas nearby

The A11s, A36s & others have turned back to the west & are spread out across the Strait opposite Naka Creek. They are moving slowly but should be within range of our hydrophones again before long.
Helena
27 Jul 2008 14:10:48 PDT

Distant calls audible.

We started hearing I11s or I31 type calls just a while ago. Sounds like the whales are passing off the Rubbing beaches to the west.
Tomoko
27 Jul 2008 14:54:59 PDT

Multiple pod calls audible.

After passing the Beaches, the I15s, I31s and the A36s turned back to the west. They have now passed CP and are on their way west. The A11s, who were seen earlier have not been yet identified as part of this western run. Meanwhile, the A30s,A5s, A12s and A24s were in the Lower Johnstone Strait where at least some, if not all, went southeast of Nodales Channel.
Helena
27 Jul 2008 17:15:14 PDT

Superb sounds!!

Sorry, a bit late but these good calls have been (and are) on Flower Island, Blackfish Sound. The i31s, I15s and A36s left Johnstone Strait earlier and went through Weynton Passage until they got to the other side.
Helena
27 Jul 2008 19:43:51 PDT

Superb sounds!!

The A36s, I15s & I31s have been making their way south through Blackney Pass over the last while, and are now entering Johnstone Strait.
Helena
27 Jul 2008 20:30:07 PDT

Multiple pod calls audible.

And now, of course eastbound to the Reserve.
Helena
27 Jul 2008 21:29:10 PDT

Orcas rubbing on the shore bottom.

That was a nice all pod rub!
Helena
27 Jul 2008 22:31:56 PDT

Distant calls audible.

The rub seems to be over. What now? The tide is still flooding for an hour. Will this encourage them to go looking for the other groups to the east?
Helena
27 Jul 2008 22:53:55 PDT

Orcas rubbing on the shore bottom.

The A30s are at the Rubbing Beaches now.
Helena
26 Jul 2008 11:58:59 PDT

Distant calls audible.

The A30s are actually calling now.
Helena
26 Jul 2008 11:06:29 PDT

No calls but orcas nearby

The A30s continued east. They are now just about to enter the Ecological Reserve. Meanwhile, the A5s and A24s were reported off Camp Point (east Johnstone Strait) this morning.
Helena
26 Jul 2008 11:04:08 PDT

Distant calls audible.

No, No, No.... the calss are not from the groups coming from the east but newly arriving A30s via Weynton Pass! Yes! Yes! Yes!
Helena
26 Jul 2008 09:26:53 PDT

Distant calls audible.

There are distant calls on Critical Point, perhaps the whales coming back from the east.
Helena
26 Jul 2008 09:22:59 PDT

No orcas present.

The groups went in for a rub and we believe they kept going east afterwards.
Helena
26 Jul 2008 00:26:40 PDT

Orcas near mics.

The A4s, A5s and the A34s came up even with the entrance of Blackney Pass and now seem to be turning back to theeast once again.
Helena
25 Jul 2008 20:42:44 PDT

Multiple pod calls audible.

The rub is finished and the A24s and the A5s are westbound. The A8s are midstrait opposite Critical Point while others are deep into the estuary. We can also hear the A24s and the A34s.
Helena
25 Jul 2008 18:26:56 PDT

Orcas rubbing on the shore bottom.

Some of the A5s touched in at the Rubbing Beaches.
Helena
25 Jul 2008 16:59:44 PDT

Orcas near mics.

The A24s and the A5s (all) came back west from Naka Creek while the A34s sauntered up to Beaver Cove, west of Telegraph Cove. They eventually turned around and began a slow movement back to the east as the A24s and the A5s turned ahead of them and moved into the Ecological Reserve.
Helena
25 Jul 2008 16:31:04 PDT

No calls but orcas nearby

The A34s crossed the entrance to Blackney Pass and continued west along the Hanson Island shore. Meanwhile, the A8s, A2s and the A51s got to Naka Creek and then turned west.
Helena
25 Jul 2008 13:33:37 PDT

Superb sounds!!

We are listening to the A34s calls on CP hydrophone. They are heading west off CP. Seems like others continued to the east.
Tomoko
25 Jul 2008 12:44:59 PDT

Orcas rubbing on the shore bottom.

Some of the orcas have reached the Main rubbing beach!
Helena
25 Jul 2008 10:44:14 PDT

No calls but orcas nearby

A further quick update as it happens: The A8s and the a23s have turned up back in Johnstone Strait eastbound off Kaikash Creek. They most likely used Weynton Pass.
Helena
25 Jul 2008 09:24:07 PDT

Multiple pod calls audible.

Nice surprise! We just heard A51s group in Blackfish Sound! We had been listening to the A24s, A8s and A23s in Johnstone Strait but after a brief gap in their calls we heard A5 calls in Blackfish. Soon after we heard blows and saw fins in the moonlight pass north through Blackney Pass. We assume the A8s, A23s and A24s were on their way to meet up with the newcomers. It will be interesting to "see" what happens next for the tide is ebbing for quite a while longer.
Helena
25 Jul 2008 01:14:43 PDT

Distant calls audible.

The various groups have all continued to the west, probably on the Vancouver Island of Johnstone Strait.
Helena
24 Jul 2008 23:21:02 PDT

Orcas near mics

There are A5 calls as well:The A8s and the A23s are also westbound.
Helena
24 Jul 2008 22:26:38 PDT