Superb sounds!! August 18 2021 Orcas: I4s, I27s and I65s, report of A30s and A5s. Humpbacks: Argonaut, Stitch, Ridge, Guardian, Tag, Quartz, a few unidentified The day started well for our friends and colleagues up north: Janie Wray and her team at BC Whales heard distinct A30 and A5 calls at their Fin Island station at 5:45am! Using their unique and clever triangulation system, they detected that these whales were moving south. We have been wondering where the A30 groups have got to, as we would usually be seeing them much more regularly this time of year. We so hope that they continue south and come this way! It is a long way, but they have been known to do it in just three days... Here at the lab, our day started fairly early, too. We picked up the calls of the I15 groups once again on our Parson Island hydrophone, and a few minutes later we saw our first fins in Blackney Pass. The I27s were first, mid-channel, leading the brigade in the overcast, breezy morning. The I4s and I65s came together at 6:43am and followed suit. We saw a few lovely spyhops from the tailing group around 7am. They cleared shortly afterwards, and had made it to Bold Head by 8:40am. We waved goodbye to our good friends - the Weinbergs - after their few days with us on Hanson Island. Lots of fun and Gin & Tonics were had by all! Until the next time Linda, Hal, Sarah and Eric. The orcas seemingly did not mill around, taking Weynton Passage into the Strait and back into range of our Cracroft Point hydrophone just after 10am. Perhaps another day of loop-the-loops around Hanson?! Well, they certainly tried. We tracked their calls through to Parson Island, and saw those teeny dorsals in our southmost view at 11:06am. Once again, the I27s led the way and they tried to battle the strong flood for a good while, before admitting defeat and turning back to the Strait by 11:41am. During their time in Blackney, they were incredibly vocal - the kind of excited vocals that may suggest new groups are on the horizon! We also noted a couple of sea lions diving around them, perhaps a fish foraging frenzy was had by all. Back in the Strait, we spotted the I65s and several others foraging in the rip. Very slowly, they headed southeast; crossing Johnstone Strait towards the Kaikash Creek area. We noticed the introduction of a group of Pacific White-Sided dolphins, who seemed to accompany them for the remainder of the day. At 1:45pm, Patrick caught sight of three fins angling towards Kaizumi Rubbing Beach, and all three of the I27s came in for the briefest rub - just one pass of the beach before continuing their very slow meander to the east. The other groups were not far behind, and followed at 2:21pm. We believe a mixture of the I4s and I65s rubbed, associating still with the dolphins, but neither I122 or I76 - the big males - were seen. They were hanging more offshore, also heading east. They continued their eastward trajectory, and entered the most precious, protected waters of the Robson Bight (Michael Bigg) Ecological Reserve shortly before 3pm. They foraged, frolicked and called for the next hour, as they moved ever closer to our hydrophone. In waves, we saw them pass Critical Point and onwards to the rubbing beaches. The I27s were first (of course!) beginning their rub at 4:02pm. It wasn’t long until the others caught up, and once again we caught some mesmerizing over and under-water footage. Their characteristic “squarks” and “trills” rang through the speakers, as the blows were heard from our surface microphone. Although we are well familiar with this incredible behaviour, at no point does it become normalised. Each event we capture on our systems is just as awe-inspiring as the first. All at once, it was decided that the rub was over. The I65s and I4s left first, and a few minutes later the I27s followed. By 4:25pm the beach was empty, and the whales had all turned back to the west. We believe the I4s and I65s must have continued west along the Vancouver Island shore, as we have not seen them since, but we tracked a group of vocals passing through the Bight then down past Kaizumi. The I27s, however, crossed over to the Cracroft Island side, favouring it as they often do. We caught sight of them from CP just after 6pm, and it looked like they were angling towards Blackney Pass. I77 teased the entrance to the Pass, but no fins ever came up in our view. We ‘guestimate’ that they continued west, too. Shortly before 8:30pm, we picked up their calls and echolocation again in a quiet Blackfish Sound. The “excited” vocals from the I15 groups today will hang over our dreams; wondering if they know something that we don’t.  OrcaLab 18 Aug 2021 20:39:05 PDT No calls but orcas nearby August 17 2021 Orcas: I4s, I27s, I65s Humpbacks: Ridge, Argonaut, Stitch, Tag, Guardian Another August day has come and gone in this vibrant corner of the world. The sun shone brightly with a cooling northwesterly wind in the afternoon, and this day - like every day for the past three weeks - was centred around the movements of the I4s, I27s and I65s. They truly have become “resident” orcas at this point! Picking up from last night, the whales remained in Blackfish Sound for a while, as we heard them faintly in the early hours after midnight. As the orcas ended their chatter, so a humpback gave a few short swoops and grunts around 2am. The rest of the night was calm. They must have continued a fair way west, as they were reported passing Bere Point on Malcom Island at 9:15am, spread out and travelling east. It was a few hours before we confirmed their location, but new lab assistant Patrick found their teeny dorsal fins on our Flower Island camera, heading south towards Stubbs Island at 12:35pm. They chose Weynton Passage as their entrance into Johnstone Strait, and at 1:46pm we could hear them. The rest of the day was fairly straightforward but by no means uneventful. All groups headed east, and the I27s had a brief rub at Kaizumi Rubbing Beach at 3:38pm, lasting only four minutes. Perhaps a warm up for something greater to come… Indeed, by 4:10pm we could see them on Critical Point, and for the next hour they moved steadily east, foraging and producing some lovely, clear calls in Robson Bight. All were close to the Vancouver Island shoreline and we waited, patiently, as they cleared Critical Point. Next stop: Strider! All three matrilines came to rub together around 5.30pm. Although this rub was not the longest we’ve seen - at just less than an hour - it was some of the most beautiful footage we have ever taken. A combination of the low, golden light and the ten whales participating side-by-side saw many ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ from the lab. Our underwater camera picked up some incredible passes, and the newest baby - I165 - had several moments in the spotlight. There are currently eighteen of us around the lab, and at one point all of us were piled in to watch and listen to this incredible spectacle, alongside hundreds of people across the globe on our live stream. Moments like this reinforce why we spend countless hours doing what we do: a kindred joy in sharing in the lives of these whales. The I65s and I4s left the beach first, turning back to the west along the Vancouver Island Shore. The I27s rubbed for a few more minutes altogether, before also heading west, crossing more towards Cracroft Island. To see the I27s in the mix after so many days of them being separate from the others was really endearing. Every year there seems to be a matriline that steals our assistants’ hearts - this year it is certainly the I27s. We tracked the 4s and 65s heading west through the Bight again, and noted lots of jumping salmon! These whales passed Kaizumi Rubbing Beach just before two more fins were spotted on CP camera heading for Blackney - very likely two of the I27s. It was now just before 9pm and the light was fading, but Dante and Mattis caught sight of the two coming into Blackney Pass at 9:10pm. Despite the failing light, they identified I77 and I107. I27 was not seen with them but she is rarely far away, so we anticipate she was just a little separate. It was too choppy outside to hear any blows in the darkness, but at 10:16pm more calls and echolocation began to get louder on Flower Island - a sign that the I4s and I65s had very likely transited Blackney behind their kin, and were now headed into Blackfish Sound. They produced some wonderful trills and loud, rapid echolocation, before we could hear them no longer, shortly before midnight. In the non-whale world, a few fun things happened today. Paul took his first ride on a Stand Up Paddle-board (not so convinced - he prefers a kayak!) and Helena made another delicious meal: Mexican cuisine with a big salad and fresh bread. After dinner, a few assistants helped Mattis float over many, many rounds of wood that he had bucked up on the other side of the beach. They used the paddle-board on the high tide - an ingenious alternative to heavy lifting! All are now snoozing, as Suzie sums up the day on night shift. We look forward to tomorrow for hopefully more of the same. OrcaLab 18 Aug 2021 00:02:56 PDT

No calls but orcas nearby August 16 2021 Orcas: I4s, I27s, I65s, T099s Humpbacks: Stitch, Ridge, Tag, Guardian, Black Pearl? Overnight, the I15 groups gave us only one brief clue as to their whereabouts, with faint calls in Blackfish Sound for 5 minutes around 1am. A morning report from Alex Morton at 8:15am alerted us to a large group of orcas, spread out, heading for Weynton Passage from her view on Donegal Head at 8:45am. She noted that there could be more than ten individuals and we set about wondering, rather excitedly, if they had picked any other groups up in the night. A short while later, we heard very faint I15 calls on Flower Island, but no new acoustics were in the mix. As we listened to them in the Sound, surprise dorsals from the south heard ‘orcaaaaa’ echoing through the trees. Silent whales had made their way into Blackney Pass from Johnstone Strait at 9:15am, and we all gathered on deck with our ID books on hand to figure out who they were. Long, deep dives and more unfamiliar dorsals lead us to believe that these were Bigg’s. Sure enough, the four ‘ups’ that they gave us during their travel north left us with a few ideas. A little while later, Gary Sutton on the Skana confirmed that these were the T099s. We last heard of them continuing west off Mitchell Bay at 11:49am, after chasing Dall’s porpoises at Stubbs Island. The residents, meanwhile, were heard off Cracroft Point at 9:20am, signifying that at least some of the groups had made their way further east in the Strait. Given the short time between their calls on Flower Island and CP, we were led to believe that they were likely very spread out. They became ever more vocal, and far-reaching Strider Rubbing Beach hydrophone picked them up all the way to the west, alongside the closer calls on Cracroft Point. Finally, at 10:25am, we picked up some fins on CP camera and we could see they were foraging in the rip. Reports from Jackie Hildering out on the Maple Leaf, and the team of Wardens, confirmed that there was a larger group together closer to CP, and a group of three closer to Kaikash Creek on Vancouver Island. By 10:44am the larger group had moved decidedly into Blackney Pass, and at 10:55am they were in our view. The earlier report of ‘possibly more than 10 whales’ had thrown us a little (hoping that perhaps the I16s were now in the mix!) and it took us longer than usual to ID the I4s and I65s who had come in first, and the I27s who came in second at 11am. As they passed Blackney they remained in those groupings - seven and three - and we accepted that, alas, there were no new groups in sight! We noted the behaviour of the I27s once again, separate from the rest and favoring the Hanson Island side, travelling quickly towards Burnt Point and out of view. All were in Blackfish Sound by 11:30am. They made a quick pass through Weynton, headed east through the Strait, and were back in our view by 3:25pm! This time, the I27s were first, with the I4s and I65s coming together a few minutes later. The passing was long and lovely. The I27s would often ‘stop and seemingly wait’ mid-channel, resting on the surface and drifting backwards into Blackfish Sound, while the I4s and I65s closed the gap. The new ‘Parson Light’ was finally finished, and today the latter group went on the far side of the light as they passed and into Parson Bay; something we do not often see. Perhaps aware of the change and getting a good look…? Once again, they continued into Blackfish Sound, down through Weynton and into Johnstone Strait! In their acoustic absence, we all gathered for dinner and kept one ear on the scanner in the main house. Helena had prepared a veritable feast for the eighteen people currently at the lab - the most we have had since 2019! Bellies full, we cleared up and the night shift-ers peeled off to an early bed. At 8:43pm the I15 groups were in the Strait again, and we believe they are slowly easting somewhere between Hanson Island and the Vancouver Island shore. We wonder if they will complete yet another ring around us as the night draws on, and whether this behaviour might mean they are ‘waiting’ for other groups to come in from the west. It has been said that Hanson Island is the center of the universe, days like this certainly make it feel so.  OrcaLab 16 Aug 2021 21:44:02 PDT August 15 2021 Orcas: I4s, I27s,I65s, T041s, T121s,T109s Humpbacks; Ridge, Tag, Guardian, Stitch, possibly Black Pearl and one other Nineteen days and counting. This is the length of time the I15 groups have been in this area. Nearly each day has been marked by their making daily circuits in and out of Johnstone Strait, using alternatively Weynton Pass or Blackney Pass, and making occasional forays into Queen Charlotte Strait. They have become our ÒwallpaperÓ (in the nicest way!), if not always nearby then expected soon. Nights and days have been filled with their calls and everyone here has learned to recognise many of them. Amongst the many things we are learning about these whale we have noticed the distance the I27s has maintained from the I4s and I65s. The I27s are either ahead or following behind, often to the side of the others, never quite in sync. This day was no exception. After being away in Queen Charlotte Strait overnight the I65s and I4s were seen in Weynton Pass heading for Johnstone Strait at 8:22am. The I27s would follow. As the groups moved east in the Strait, a group of BiggÕs (listed above) came from the opposite direction and were seen passing Robson Bight around 9:10am. The BiggÕs and the Northern Residents did not interact as they passed each other. By 11:25 the BiggÕs were now close to Telegraph Cove while the Residents were mid strait west of Kaikash Creek. Unlike the resident orcas, the BiggÕs orcas were silent. There were dolphins around as well but the BiggÕs were not interested and carried on. In a short while the I15s began shifting towards the entrance of Blackney Pass. By 11:50am the I65s were moving along ÒLittle Hanson Island '' making a bid for Blackney Pass proper. Seven minutes later they, and the I4s, were in view of the Lab going north. By 12:05pm they were opposite the Lab with the I27s about to enter. The I27s chose to travel closer to Hanson Island and were able to round the Burnt Point corner and seemingly go out of view ahead of the others who were further across the Pass. It was a nice moment shared by our friends, the Weinbergs, who had arrived earlier in the day . With our boat, the June Cove still out of commission Lance on the Skana kindly brought the Weinbergs to Hanson Island just after Helena and Paul arrived back from town in the Sonic. The ride in the open Sonic was pretty wet so we were very grateful that our friends had a much more sheltered ride. And as a plus the whales came by after everyone was settled in. The rain and mist had temporarily abated and the closeness of the I27s made viewing easy. They cleared at 12:14pm and the I65s and I4s did so three minutes later. They all continued west through Blackfish Sound. As they did so they produced some nice sounds which unfortunately were drowned out by heavy boat noise. There is a large gap in what happened next to the orcas. In the afternoon we said goodbye to Vanessa as she hopped onto the Sonic with Suzie and Mattis who were off to town to complete the shopping for the other assistants and pick up with Patrick and Caroline who have come to help out for the next while. The trip here was in near total zero/zero fog but in time for dinner. The whales returned too and at 7:27pm they began to call. They continued to call for the next two hours in Blackfish Sound, sometimes distant, sometimes louder. At 7:48pm, several persons thought they heard, through the fog, orca blows. Nothing came of this and possibly whoever it was retreated back into Blackfish. The calls ended at 9:37pm. Since then it has been quiet.  OrcaLab 16 Aug 2021 04:35:33 PDT

No calls but orcas nearby Shift Summaries 2021: August 14 2021 Orcas: I4s, I27s, I65s Humpbacks: Ridge, Tag, Stitch, Inukshuk, Guardian The silence under a starry sky was broken in the early hours of the morning, by a humpback breaching repeatedly around 3:30am. Wake was rolling up on shore, as Katie counted 35 bangs, slaps, splashes and crashes! Shortly after, we began to hear the now very recognisable trills of the I15 groups at 4:34am. Their calls and echolocation remained distant, as they teased the western edges of Blackfish Sound, out of our range an hour later. We only had one clue as to their whereabouts: they were between Donegal Head and the White Cliff Islets at 7:50am. Direction unknown. Wondering where they might pop up, we spent the rest of the beautiful sunny morning enjoying the warmth and humpbacks from the lab deck. At 10:06am our head-scratching was over, as the I27s came round Burnt Point, close to the lab! They were altogether as a three, travelling south. They came fairly quickly and it was beautiful to watch them in the morning glow. They rounded Licka Point and headed into the Strait. The I4s and I65s, however, took a different approach. They came into our view minutes after the I27s, but they were mid-pass and bunched in a tight group. They were resting, pointed south but drifting back north in the ebb. It was quite beautiful, watching them take long dives and then surface in almost exactly the same spot. Unfortunately, a large super-yacht was cruising through Blackney at the time and spent a lot of time maneuvering its noisy engines around the peaceful whales. We alerted them to the fact that the whales were resting, and they obligingly moved on. By 11:16am the whales had drifted back into Blackfish Sound, still pointing towards us but not making much effort to cover ground. They stayed this way for a good portion of the afternoon! The I27s, meanwhile, positively zoomed down Johnstone Strait, quickly crossing to the Vancouver Island shore and into the Ecological Reserve. They were silent, but a well-timed report from the Wardens alerted us to their presence near Strider Rubbing Beach, and at 1:23pm they began to rub. All three members of the family participated, often “lining up” behind I27 to rub one after the other. Quin has successfully overlayed the surface audio onto the hydrophone feed for our camera stream, and it was so lovely to listen to the blows alongside the calls. By 1:46pm they had moved on, angling over to the Cracroft Island shore. We had been tracking the I4s and I65s in Blackfish Sound via our Flower Island camera while the others rubbed, and finally it looked like they were making an asserted effort to come through Blackney. They entered our view again at 2:43pm, travelling quickly this time into the Strait on the near-slack tide. They were very vocal as they headed east after the I27s, and we caught some beautiful clear calls and echolocation as they passed Critical Point in Robson Bight. Another rub ensued as the I4s and I65s visited Strider at 5:25pm. These whales have been around for so long that our assistants are getting very good with IDs! Almost all members of the I4s and I65s were accounted for, and we saw the latest baby (I165) doing lots of rolls, mini breaches and bubble blowing - copying mom’s lead. Our underwater camera providing yet another fantastic insight into this incredible event. After a good 45 minutes or so, they finally left the beach, heading back to the west. The I27s had made their way over to Cracroft Island, and by 6:50pm were westing past Boat Bay. They travelled pretty quickly, being seen by Vanessa and Shelby at Cracroft Point by 8:11pm. They passed close by to the point and headed straight into Blackney. We were hearing their calls on CP, but also some calls on Strider which we deduced was the I4s and I65s, likely still together. In the fading daylight, the I27s passed the lab heading north around 8:45pm, while the others’ calls moved steadily westward through Johnstone Strait - they were following suit, and also entered Blackney Pass just after 9pm. The darkness settled fast and we did not see all fins travel through, but we think we were still hearing the last blows around 10pm, as the calls and echolocation started on Flower Island. It is very likely that all groups did indeed pass us by. Their calls dwindled, and we believe that they have all continued west. It looks to be another starry night, goodnight all. OrcaLab 15 Aug 2021 01:03:19 PDT

No calls but orcas nearby August 13 2021 Orcas: I4s, I27s,I65s Humpbacks: Geometry, Tag, Stitch, and others We might be forgiven for thinking that the day was going to be two things, hot and uneventful. Right with the first one but so wrong with the second! The I15 groups went off to the west at the end of the day before and it was not until nearly noon that we heard that they had returned and were now off Donegal Head. They did not hurry forward but stayed in this general area for a couple of hours. Our neighbour, Alex Morton commented that when she came home she could see the orcas just offshore. She noticed when they moved back toward Lizard Point and remarked on how relaxed they seemed, spyhopping, not in a hurry, relaxed - like the I15s of olden days. Eventually, these I15 groups moved along to the southside of Stubbs Island and became committed to travelling into Johnstone Strait via Weynton Passage. Jackie Hildering reported seeing a dolphin missing half of a fluke, also in Weynton Pass. The orcas entered the Strait and we finally heard their distant calls starting from 5:17pm when they had already progressed quite far. At 5:34pm we could see them on the remote Kaizumi camera. They headed for the beach six minutes later. We had been aware for some time of a film crew camping at this beach. The beach does not fall under the protection of the Ecological Reserve but this stretch of Vancouver Island is a place where the orcas sometimes come in close to shore. The I15s had, until a short while ago, given Kaizumi a bypass. Unfortunately this day, the film crew decided to take advantage of the situation by deploying their drone and flying it within metres of the orcas. It was unsettling to say the least. The whales too were disturbed and within ten minutes swam away to the east. As we tried to figure out how to report this clear infraction to the authorities the I4s and I65s carried on towards Robson Bight. Gradually their calls grew louder as they approached the Bight by 6:25pm. As they did so we got word that the I27s (the other I15 group that has been in the area of late) were headed east towards Telegraph Cove from the direction of Alert Bay! The I4s and I65s made some incredibly beautiful calls and echolocation from 6:29pm to 7:02pm as they negotiated the Bight and shifted to the east. We had a sense of what might come next. Sure enough twenty minutes later they began a rub at Strider Beach. Very hard to adequately describe the “relaxed intensity” of their efforts. On the surface, below the surface, the whales moved constantly on, over and around the beach. They kept this up for a straight fifty-five minutes. At 8:17pm they took a break and moved offshore and slightly toward Main Beach to the east to regroup. The I27s, to the west of all this activity meanwhile continued east toward Cracroft Point. The second rub for the I65s began at 8:32pm. It was a much shorter endeavour lasting just 15 minutes. Before 9pm, they once again moved away. In the dimming light we found the I4s looking as if they might move to the west but they turned north and disappeared in the fading light across the Strait. As their distant calls now toggled between the two beaches there was a sudden burst of calls off Cracroft Point from who we took to be the I27s who would soon take the initiative and travel through Blackney Pass into Blackfish Sound ahead of the others who were still further east in the Strait. The Boat Bay camp let us know at 10:12pm that they had whales passing to the west. Dante caught the I27 calls in Blackfish Sound around 10:40pm after they passed through and then picked up the calls of the westbound groups soon after. Vanessa at the Cracroft Point camp now excitedly reported about the activity in the night sky and in the ocean. With “shooting” stars above and the blows of the orcas out front Johnstone Strait was lively. Between 11:25pm and 11:47pm the orcas travelled from the Strait into Blackney Pass and then beyond. In other news, Tag, the humpback, made for a special moment today when she went “trap feeding” mid channel in Blackney Pass at 5:26pm. Her wide gaping mouth, impressively large, was turned directly towards us as she gulped down an ever so tasty meal. It all looked so casual belying the skill involved. Even when there were no whales to focus on in the morning we managed to keep busy cleaning & repairing. Kam had her first boat driving lesson and was positively beaming for the rest of the day. Quin worked through the day improving the video/audio mixing and by the end of the day, and when the whales were rubbing at Strider, we were treated to the sound of their blows, tail splashing, as well as, their calls and wonderful movements along this special beach.  OrcaLab 14 Aug 2021 07:49:45 PDT

August 12 2021 (slightly amended) Orcas: I4s, 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 ÒoutÓ 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 ÔHarlequinÕ 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 QuinÕs 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 ÔtrillsÕ from them and a lot of dolphin chatter at 3:44pm. They remained, however, in the rip off Blackney Pass. By 4:04pm it looked like the I65s and I4s (in a group) were actulally now prepared to try to go into Blackney Pass as they cleared the view of Cracroft Point going against the still strong flooding current. They never made it and after what seemed like an age they allowed the current to take the better of them and they re-emerged in Johnstone Strait. The currents are often key to understanding and predicting where the whales will go next. On this occassion there was over 4 knots of flooding current converging in the entrance of Blackney Pass and the orcas met fierce resistance. With all the whale watch boats clustered around them they remained around the entrance to Blackney shifting to in front of "CP". The I27s were there as well now, and the two groups, who have been moving around the area with slightly different purposes, were close to each other for the first time in ages. At 5:03pm, the I27s pulled away, and going the easy path with the current, headed east, tail-slapping as they went. At 5:17pm,the I4s and I65s were still resting off Cracroft Point, clearly not heading east after the other three, but were instead marking time for their next try for Blackney Pass which came at 6:41pm. The approaching slack-to-ebb tide would soon 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 more. They tail-slapped, rolled and even breached as they began to echolocate. Sara-Lynn and Mattis had gone for an evening kayak ride. Mattis had had a long day, going into town for lumber and gas with Shelby, and this was the perfect way to unwind. They were just rounding Burnt Point on their way back when they saw the orcas over the other side of the pass. Sara-Lynn and Mattis quietly watched the whales in the distance while sitting still on the calm, glowing, evening waters. Peace. Around this time the Wardens now in their camp at Boat Bay on Cracroft Island reported whales heading west. This would turn out to be the I27s who now could use the current to come back west easily and follow the others into Blackney Pass and Blackfish Sound. 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 as they made easy passage with the current, their beautiful fins dipping into the sunset. We noted the several different kayakers intent on following them. They are never alone! At 8:30pm, Dante and Katie, at Cracroft Point heard the blows of the westing I27s in the Strait. At 8:45pm we located them on CP camera as they angled in toward the entrance of Blackney Pass. I107 and I27s disappeared from view fairly efficiently but I77 backtracked for a bit, crossed toward Hanson Island before resuming. There were 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 further over to the other side. As they entered Blackfish Sound they opened up into a beautiful chorus of calls, trills, Ôgoofy soundsÕ and echolocation! We could hear the others ahead of them in the distance. Their last burst of vibrant calls came at 10:01pm, and by 10:10pm we could not hear them any more largely due to the incoming boat noise of tug ÔArctic TitanÕ which was very loud, and masked every other sound. From a different "page" of this day, Paul finally decided to do something about the large wasp nest in our small boat known as the "Car". Sitting idle for many weeks, wasps had decided to make the interior their home and up on the ceiling they slowly constructed a full on nest. We admired its beauty as we contemplated its threat. Stay away signs were plastered to the windows. Paul made the decision to wait and see if the wasps would eventually abandon it and move on given enough time to do so. After observing no activity for a while Paul decided to lift the nest away. He was successful. The entire nest was retrieved and now sits on the living room table! Beautiful. Paul then took the Car for a much needed spin and found it still in good working order. OrcaLab 13 Aug 2021 08:34:02 PDT

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

No calls but orcas nearby We're not sure what happened to the I15s after their great half hour rub at the Kaizumi rubbing beach, but think they probably headed west. We are waiting. OrcaLab crew 11 Aug 2021 21:13:06 PDT Performing maintenance We are very happy to let you know that thanks to our Japanese colleagues, Orca-live comments are back! Once again, we will be able to update you on what is happening with the orcas, and members of our audience can post comments as well. Thank you so much, Saul & all! OrcaLab crew 11 Aug 2021 21:11:19 PDT

It is a foggy morning here. Lots of great orca sounds through the night. OrcaLab 10 Aug 2021 07:22:17 PDT

No orcas present. July 22 2021 Orcas: A35, A117, A77, A90 & baby, A56 Humpbacks: Stitch, Argonaut, Black Pearl and maybe Quartz Patterns repeating; the small group of 6 A4 pod family members, who have been in the area for several days now, left the Strait via Weynton Pass as evening closed in on the 21st, only to return the next morning once again, coming into Blackney Pass after first being heard in Blackfish Sound at 7:43am. Like the days before, the ocean was calm, the skies overcast with low cloud with the promise of either rain or a soon to be brighter prospect. One whale, A56 Nahwitti (A5), came into view first at 9:05am. She was mid channel all alone, swimming slowly on the soon to be flooding tide. Her dives were deep and long. The rest of her companions arrived travelling both close together and close to the Hanson Island shore. Roller (A77) was slightly in the lead. After days of travelling spread out it was a treat to see them all together. The slight back eddy along the shore gave them advantage and they made their way easily through the Pass especially as the tide turned. They were all out of our view by 9:25am. The flooding tide then carried them all into Johnstone Strait where Megan, at “CP” on Cracroft Point watched them head east at 10am. We tracked them as best we could on the remote cameras and welcomed the reports from the Wardens who informed us of their progress from time to time. Just before 10:30am the Wardens saw the lead female (perhaps A56) pass Izumi Rock while the rest were nearer Kaizumi Beach. Then at 11:07am we were informed that the orcas were in the Reserve, still with a female in the lead, and heading to Robson Point. By 11:27am they were past Critical Point on their way to Strider Rubbing Beach where unbeknownst to us an intense 2 ½ hour session was about to begin at 11:42am. It is hard to describe in adequate detail all the activity we witnessed at this amazing site. All of the individuals participated and because we have an underwater camera (which is featured on www.explore.org) we got to see the whales in this most intimate of settings. A90’s baby was keen to join in, most times close to mum but venturing out with the others as well. Impressive A77 slid in and out of view, right side, upside down, slow and fast. No one forgot to rest between rubs. The sound of rubs, chuffs, pebbles moving were continuous and unlike their passage earlier through Blackney Pass the whales were vocal as they enjoyed the beach. Just before 2pm, we thought they had finished and were looking to go west but seven minutes later they returned for another 20 minute session. Finally, the decision was made to abandon the beach and move on. They passed Critical Point once again at 3:11pm (Warden’s report). After which they moved away from the Vancouver Island shore to mid strait giving Kaizumi Beach a pass around 4pm. We then found them on the remote cameras and watched as they travelled quite quickly westward eventually approaching Cracroft Point where Megan was watching as well. Megan at first thought they might head into Blackney Pass as A77 indicated some intention to do so but after A35, A56 and A117 passed CP the direction was decidedly west. We last saw them in the distance at 4:42pm but we continued to record their distant calls until 6:38pm. While Katie made a delicious dinner with the help of Dante, we got a report from Prince of Whales that the A35s had chosen to continue west in Cormant Channel. What might this mean? The day still has three hours left, the light is fading, we remain listening and waiting. Interestingly several G clan groups have been off the west coast of Vancouver Island near the Swiftsure Banks. Seen on July 15 and 20 were the G31s, some of the G37s,G16s, G48s and I93. The Northern Residents’ range seems to be stretching!  OrcaLab 22 Jul 2021 22:15:19 PDT

July 20 2021 Orcas: A42s, A94, A35s, A56, A73s, T018s, T019s Humpbacks: Stitch, Quartz, Argonaut The night and subsequent morning were fairly quiet, with no cetaceans heard on our hydrophones at all. We received a report of some Biggs heading through the Òblow holeÓ at the north end of Hanson at 8:49am, but direction unknown. Possibly the same group, another sighting of BiggÕs was reported at Berry Island aat 11:49am, and a little while later the T018s and T019s were identified off Mitchell Bay, at 2:02pm. No reports of residents came throughout the day, and we surmised that the A35s likely continued west, after the A73s. Quin and Mattis took the opportunity to head to Cracroft Point and the Robson Bight Ecological Reserve to work on our radio links. As they were finishing up at Strider Rubbing Beach around 4:35pm, Mattis spotted a large dorsal fin way offshore, heading west. Quin turned to look and heard the ÔpfooÕ, ÔpfooÕ, ÔpfooÕ of blows much closer to shore. There were orcas right there at the rubbing beach, and they were caught totally by surprise. Fortunately, they had tucked our little boat ÒSonicÓ round the corner, and both handled the situation very calmly. They sat patiently up on the cliff and watched this incredible event, knowing not to disturb these whales. But who were they? Had the A35s headed east overnight completely silently? It seemed a little unlikely but not impossible, and seemed our best fit given the male offshore and an open saddle patch seen at the beach - possible A90 (Pine). The rub was very brief, lasting only 6 minutes, and they continued decidedly to the west. Back at the lab we were scratching our heads a little, but at 5:54pm all became clear. We picked up crisp calls on our Kaizumi Rubbing Beach hydrophone - they were A5 calls, not A4! A little penny dropped in SuzieÕs head and she figured that these must be the A42s, who were seen down in Gibsons just two days ago. Quin agreed that the group composition and dorsal shape of the male matched the A42s, as opposed to the A23s or A25s. What an incredible odyssey they have undertaken since we saw them on July 5th. They continued on their westward mission and by 8:02pm they had reached Blackfish Sound. We were hearing one distinctly A4-ish call (but did not sound like the A35s) and our most reasonable estimate is that A94 (of the A24s) is still travelling with the A42s. At 8:55pm we heard two A4 calls overlaid, and a little while later some Springer-esque calls. Possibly the A35s and A73s had joined the A42s in Blackfish Sound. Incidentally, we then received a report from Kate at Bere Point that the A35s, A56 and A73s had gone west past Bere Point at 7:40am, then back east again at 2:08pm, travelling slowly. This rounded things off very nicely, explaining the calls we were now hearing. Their calls tapered off as they likely wested in Blackfish Sound altogether, and we last heard them at 9:36pm. A very satisfying end to a surprising day! Two of our new lab assistants - Shelby and Vanessa - have their first night shift tonight. We hope the whales return, so that they can experience the magic of listening to calls under a starry canopy.  OrcaLab 21 Jul 2021 09:22:32 PDT Superb sounds!! Beautiful A4 calls right now in the darkness! OrcaLab 21 Jul 2021 04:54:34 PDT

No orcas present. July 19 2021 Orcas: A35s (minus A52s, 70s), A90s, A56, A73s Humpbacks: Argonaut, Ripple + calf, Stitch At midnight a second rubbing event featured a different group of individuals. Both groups having seemingly sated their interest in the distinctive stones and beach topography for the night, by 12:48am we tracked them all moving together, eastwards, through the inky night sea, receding into silence. The morning broke clear and bright, with a hot sun that could be felt even in the dawn’s first hours. Perhaps spurred by this infectiously joyous weather, starting at about 6:30am, two of our volunteers had the good fortune to observe Argonaut (a humpback who, when in Blackfish Sound this summer, is generally seen calmly milling back & forth as he feeds) breach repeatedly and effusively, in arcing crescendos we certainly haven’t previously had the pleasure of seeing him engage in this season. Argonaut’s aerial bodily projections resulted in landings that echoed thunderously across Blackfish Sound. This is the definition of ‘sublime’! A glorious, and unimaginable hugeness that both challenges and affirms existence! A little later on this spectacular morning, by 8:13am we were treated to faint A4 calls on the Strider Rubbing Beach hydrophone: the orcas had returned from their nocturnal sojourn east and were now returning west, a quiet echo of the sun’s morning trajectory. Slowly working up to a session, almost two-and-a-half hours later, today’s rubbings had begun at 10:38am. Identifying individuals through their distinctive calls and markings, we confirmed A35 and her baby, A77, A90 and her baby, and A73s. A35 passed through first followed by A77 who turned back with A117 for the rub. Eventually, A77 led the way west after moving further offshore. A90 and her baby followed suit and lastly the A73s passed very close to the shore with Spirit (A104) rolling right next to the shore rocks. Our underwater and aboveground cameras both picked up lovely footage of the action, allowing us as always to share it with enthralled watchers. By 10:48am the groups had finished their rubbing, and were heard heading westward led once again by A77. On to the west. Just after 11am the Wardens let us know that the orcas were still close to the Vancouver Island shoreline and passing the eastern headland of Robson Bight. An hour later at 12:05pm they had passed the western boundary of the Ecological Reserve. Between 1:13pm and 1:17pm they continued west past Kaizumi Beach. They did not rub but A90’s little baby breached continuously for a while. This group of orcas was then observed heading west in Johnstone Strait with a smattering of calls heard throughout the afternoon. They were opposite Blinkhorn by 2:58pm. The A73s continued into Weynton at 4:51pm and later into Blackfish Sound, and then west into Queen Charlotte Strait, while the A35s turned around, coming back east through Johnstone Strait. Carefully attuned to their possible movements, we heard only a few calls on our hydrophones at Cracroft Point. At 6:22pm, with the slowly setting sun, suddenly and silently the A35s, including A90 and her baby, appeared in Blackney Pass, led by 31-year old A56—known as Nahwitti. The new volunteers were delighted to be treated to their 2nd OrcaLab orca sightings, as A77, A35, and A117 were also observed stopping to forage in Parson Bay. Scotty caught us up as to the whereabouts of the A73s at 6:43pm—they were now off Lizard Point. Meanwhile, the A90s were off Swanson Island, with the A35s in tow, all moving into Blackfish Sound. A90’s baby breached repeatedly, as the Prince of Whales whale watching boat trailed their movements. A notably glorious sunset marked their movement into Blackfish Sound. It was to be another late dinner (mixed vegetable curry with seasoned rice!) as we waited for Mattis to return from Alert Bay in the Sonic. He had earlier dropped Suzie off at Cracroft Point to ready the camp for Megan’s return. While she was there, Squiggle the humpback came in close to the camp: Suzie was hesitant about telling Kamilla, our resident “humpback person,” about this ever-so-close encounter, lest she be disappointed! Mattis, delayed by helping a broken-down boat with a tow to Alder Bay, was late getting to Telegraph Cove to pick up Megan. Megan had been away for two weeks, but did not mind the wait, being pleased to be back on the North Island! After dropping her off and picking Suzie up, Mattis returned to the Lab armed with stories to tell, and groceries for the new volunteers: with his return, we broke for dinner, sharing a meal together and learning a little more about Dante, Vanessa, and Shelby. By 8:36pm, A77 was now discernible on our Flower Island camera, while A4 calls could be heard on the corresponding hydrophone. These calls, along with N4 calls, and some echolocations continued intermittently, until they faded into the night, thus concluding a long and varied day filled with human comings-and-goings set to the rhythms of the orcas and humpbacks.  OrcaLab 20 Jul 2021 16:33:57 PDT No orcas present. July 18 2021 Orcas: A35s (minus A52s, 70s), A90s, A56, A73s Humpbacks: Argonaut, Ripple + calf, Stitch July 18th was a day of departures and arrivals, both of the human and whale kind. Our day began early in the morning at 2:03am when calls were heard. We were not sure of the location. The previous evening the A4 groups went into Johnstone Strait around 9:30pm. But the next morning we had a report at 6:40am of whales seen heading west after a brief rub at Bere Point—a clue that the whales had moved away from Johnstone Strait This was confirmed when we heard a report that described orcas off Port Hardy Airport at 10:46am. At 1pm, Kate Braur let us know that the A35/A73 group were now spread out off Malcolm Point and heading east. Later in the now clear and sunny afternoon at 2:50pm they briefly rubbed at Bere Pt. continuing east, back towards us. Meanwhile, as we waited for their arrival, we were disturbed to see two Jet Skis travelling fast through Blackney Pass. After last year’s experience when we saw Jet Skiers joyride too close to dolphins, we were nervous that we would witness a similar situation. Daughter Anna who had come up for her birthday on the 16th with her husband, Tony, and four-year-old son, Jamie left the island to return to the Lower Mainland. Before they left, we had heard that the A42s were now off Gibsons on the Sunshine Coast. Might they ever head back up north toward OrcaLab? We hope so! By early night, at 7:04pm, still bright at this point in July, we began to hear faint calls from the A35s in Blackfish Sound—five-hours after their rub at Bere Point—as they travelled into Johnstone Strait. Not all members of the groups were seen, but an earlier report from Jared confirmed the A35s (with no A52s or A70s), and the A73s. They continued their eastward trajectory, and journeyed to Strider Rubbing Beach. This day turned long waiting for the June Cove to arrive back from Alert Bay with the new volunteers, Dante, Vanessa and Shelby. Suzie and others had prepared dinner in advance of their arrival and waited patiently. The evening was getting on. Both the whales and people seemed forever delayed. Then at 7:11pm, Jared Towers informed us that the A35/A73 group were now off the Plumper Islands and taking Blackfish Sound. Attentively watching, after just over an hour we spotted them at last at 8:16pm with the distinctive, towering fin of A77 in the lead, and A35 and her baby also sighted, as they crossed Blackney Pass in front of the lab. This was soon after the June Cove had rounded the corner and returned. The new volunteers were interrupted in their attempts to put up their tents by the inevitable shout of “ORCA!” They were treated to the first glimpse, albeit a distant one, of the whales as they passed through Blackney Pass. The orcas cleared our view at 8:35pm and we were freed to finish the tents and have dinner at last. A few distant calls on the Cracroft Island hydrophone indicated to us that the orcas continued east in Johnstone Strait. We continued to hear calls on Kaizumi Rubbing Beach from 9pm to 9:47pm. By 10pm there were indications that the groups were approaching Strider Rubbing Beach in the Ecological Reserve. Shortly after 11pm, we heard the orcas’ first rubs. The luxuriant whooshing noise of displaced pebbles belied the whales’ action, as they repeatedly threw themselves into the smooth stones. The lab was electric with the sounds of the whales, the movement of the pebbles, and the stirring of the slight northwesterly breeze. Quin listened, transcribed, and tracked the orcas as they rubbed for 49-minutes. Finally the orcas undulated off into the night.  OrcaLab 20 Jul 2021 16:33:41 PDT

No calls but orcas nearby July 16 & 17th Orcas: A35s, A73s Humpbacks: Stitch, Argonaut, Ripple & Calf We had become very used to the presence of those A1 and A5 groups in early July… and all at once they disappeared. After an 8 day silence (during which time we found plenty of odd jobs to do, and gave the humpbacks our utmost attention), we were delighted to receive two critical reports on July 16th. The first report alerted us to the presence of the A42s in Active Pass; 140 miles away to the south of Nanaimo. We were shocked! It is very probable that they continued through Tribune Channel (their last known location up here on July 6th) and took the narrower “back route” south, evading many pairs of hopeful, watchful eyes. Nevertheless, a good final piece to that particular puzzle. The second report was perhaps even more welcome - Northern Residents at Bere Point at 6pm, heading our way! This report from Kate was quickly followed by an update that it was members of the A35s and A73s (Springer’s family) who had rubbed and were heading east. We located tiny fins at 7:49pm in Blackfish Sound, but they were still a long way off. As the darkness settled, so increased their familiar A4 calls. Their long, lamenting ‘N4’ call punctuated the dusk as they made their way towards Blackney Pass, and at 10:30pm we heard some distinct calls which we know to be Springer - how incredible we can identify her and her offspring even in the depth of the night. At some point, they decided to either turn around or rest, because most of the night was spent without further instance. However just as the light crept in at 5:05am, so did their calls, and it was not long until they were out front in Blackney Pass. They were fairly spread out but we identified A77, A35 and her baby A117, and the A70s, travelling south. We didn’t yet have a positive visual ID for Springer (A73) and her offspring. They made their way east in Johnstone Strait in the morning light, and by 8:07am the first group had reached Strider Rubbing Beach - and began to rub. A second group came to the beach at 8:17am, and thanks to our remote cameras we captured some beautiful footage of Pine (A90) and her brand new baby rubbing side-by-side. We also saw Springer and her offspring rubbing at the beach. The first group (A35s) briefly rubbed at Main Rubbing Beach before turning back to the west to join Springer’s family, and all moved back to the west again. The rest of the day was fairly simple. The groups continued west in Johnstone Strait closer to Hanson Island, when at 11:15am they turned east again near its western end. They tightened up into a beautiful resting line and spent the next few hours moving slowly towards Kaizumi Beach, then turned back towards Cracroft Point, alternating east with west. We stopped hearing them just before 5pm and kept a wary eye on the rubbing beach cameras... but at 6pm there were fins in Blackney Pass, heading north! They had all silently turned and were cruising back into Blackfish Sound under a beautiful, golden light. There were lots of breaches and tail-slapping from A35’s baby, A117. We didn’t get a positive visual ID on the A73s again, but we heard that distinctive call a little while later so we believe Springer and her offspring were still with them. We caught some lovely close footage of A35 and baby foraging close to Flower Island at 7pm, and tracked them northwest along the Swanson Island shore. We are still hearing their calls as the day draws to a close, and they have just started to get a little louder - sounds like they’ve turned again and may pay us another close visit!  OrcaLab 18 Jul 2021 10:13:31 PDT

Superb sounds!! The A3ss have have just entered Johnstone Strait, visible on Explore camera. They are vocal too! Lab crew 17 Jul 2021 06:13:47 PDT