Orca, Porpoise, Dolphin and Sea Lion Update to April 6

These two sightings updates below just came in this evening – things are definitely heating up in the sightings department:

For a third Killer Whale update comment that is attached to the bottom of yesterday’s post, click here.

“Good Day.
While flying from Port Hardy to Campbell River today (6 April 2011), 1:20pm,  I spotting a pod of approximately half dozen Orca transiting northwestbound along Johnson Strait, 5 miles east of Robson Bight, along the south shoreline.  At least 4-5 were swimming ‘line-abreast’, and the remainder was/were approx 100metres off to their right and slightly behind.

Also, abeam Chatham Lightstation, approx 1:45pm, we spotted 3 Orca transiting westbound. It appeared to be two larger and one smaller,, but I can’t confirm that..

Thank You
Randy Meszaros
Coast Guard Helicopters
Victoria, BC”

This report came in from AJ who’s been getting out on the water recently:

“I saw about Dalls 6 Porpoise on April 5 around Church House and the entrance to Bute Inlet (Johnstone Bluff)  around 12pm. Then on my way out around 1345 I saw about 6 Pacific White Sided Dolphins! They were just behind Clipper Pt.

Then the really exciting news, I saw 3 fins today in Hole In The Wall around 10 this morning. My second Orca encounter for the year! They were headed west with the tide (max ebb at 941 -7.2kts) I would imagine they would head north through Upper Rapids in Okisollo Channel, then on to Westing in Johnstone Straight, but who really knows! I only saw them for 1 surfacing, 3 animals for sure. 1 smaller fin and 2 larger ones, hard to say if they were males or large females… Didn’t get photo’s either… I was lucky enough to be able to wait 10 mins but they were probably long gone with the tide ripping.

About a dozen Stellers on North Bluff still in Seymour Narrows and I even saw one today up Ramsay Inlet near Quatam River estuary.

Hurricane Jack is out on the first trip of the year tomorrow. So he’ll be on the radio I’m sure.

I’ll let you know if I find anything else!”

Sounds like we’re finally getting some activity with the first nature / whale tour of the Campbell River season.