Latest Sightings

Transient Bigg’s Orca, Humpback Whale, Pacific White Sided Dolphins and Dall’s Porpoise reappearing after the earthquake which was felt throughout the Georgia Strait and even inland. Things have been hectic with much organizing and preparation happening behind the scenes for us and our governing WOWsociety. We are working on scheduling a brief Powell River meeting…
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Appearing / disappearing Transient Bigg’s Orca on the hunt. They have been doing such long dives that finding them after a dive can be difficult. They seem to pop up where neither people scanning the water, nor their prey, expect. They’ve been hunting Pacific White Sided Dolphins, seals, sea lions and Harbour Porpoise. No word…
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A major increase in Cetacean sightings from a slow start to April. Most of the sightings reported are Transient Bigg’s Orca, but it appears they have finally moved back into our areas. It does help that more people are on the water. The Orca have been around, but they have passed a few times in…
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Transient Bigg’s Killer Whales and Harbour Porpoise. The Pacific White Sided Dolphins must have scattered, but where? A water taxi reported through Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whales and Grizzly Bear Tours. that in the past week he’s seen Orca in Toba Inlet, Rendezvous Islands and Hole in the Wall. They may be following the Dolphins,…
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Whale and Dolphin activity appears to be up everywhere. With the proliferation of food, both the fish and meat eaters have plenty to chose from. We are busy working on doing a few updates and found that we had glitch with our toll free, which we believe is now fixed. We are still waiting to…
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Huge flurry of activity with the meat eating Transient Bigg’s Killer Whales chasing Pacific White Sided Dolphins into Howe Sound and near Squamish. They did capture at least one – see photos and links in the news below. There are some other Orca reports that may be Transient Bigg’s sneaking past at dusk. Gray Whales…
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Orca, both Resident and Transient Bigg’s have been spotted in a few different places. Transient Bigg’s Killer Whales were seen following a group of Pacific White Sided Dolphins today up by Squamish. We’ve posted a news link under Links in the News. There are rumours of Northern Resident Killer Whales at the top of Johnstone…
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Brief and distant appearance of some Orca are the main report. It’s been quite a while since the reports have been so few and far between. Where are they? This report is up to and includes March 6, 2014 with a few photos taken earlier. The herring have started to spawn, based on the radio…
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Orca and Pacific White Sided Dolphin reports coming in late, but better than never. The Northern Resident Killer Whales known as the A8 / A42’s with the calf A103 (Albion) were seen up around the Broughton Archipelago just a couple of days ago. Nice to know where they got to after leaving the Powell River…
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Probable Transient Bigg’s Killer Whales chasing Pacific White Sided Dolphins around Texada Island and just before posting time, today’s sighting of more probable Transients. Rounding out the Cetacean sightings, it’s nice to get a report about Harbour Porpoise too. They always seem to be forgotten, yet are such a valuable indicator of our environment. On…
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Whales are around, but it’s a big ocean out there. Orca have made appearances with the most notable being the Transient Bigg’s Killer Whales attacking Pacific White Sided Dolphins in Nanaimo Harbour. A couple of links to reports of the Transient Bigg’s Killer Whales in Nanaimo and a Humpback Whale report from Mexico. A few…
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The fog truly played havoc with anyone trying to see anything on the water, let alone those travelling by road. Fog rolled in and although we had thoughts of it possibly lifting here and there, it socked us in for days on end. Today, with some rain, it’s finally cleared (almost entirely). Trying to spot…
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With the Northern Resident (fish eating) Killer Whales known as A8’s (also as A42’s now) back and forth by Powell River, the reports once again started to flow in. Thank you! Keep your eyes open, and remember to call your sighting in please. Without your reports, we cannot be guaranteed to piece the puzzle of…
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Northern Resident Orca (NRKW) known as the A8’s (or now as the A42’s) have been back and forth around Powell River area since Christmas again. A42 had given birth to a calf December 2012 somewhere around Myrtle Rocks (see archived reports and January 2013 photos). I’m pleased to say that the calf, still without a…
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Wishing you all a very Happy New Year! Finally, some whale, dolphin and porpoise sightings to report. Our report is up to date (January 2, 2014). This new year hasn’t provided any actual sightings reports in the first two days; the reports are catching up over the holidays. We have heard that the Southern Resident…
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All the Best for the Holidays! All of us, the Board of Directors and Volunteers at Whales and Dolphins BC / Wild Ocean Whale Society (WOWs) wish all of you and yours a very Merry Christmas and Happy, Healthy New Year! Most of the Whales and Dolphins appear to be having a winter holiday this…
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Transient Bigg’s and Southern Resident Orca have been popping up in numbers along the Washington state / BC border. Humpback Whales too have been working their way South and West. Only a few local Sightings reports, including a number of Harbour Porpoise, and many interesting Links in the News. Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC…
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Short report today. The few Sightings reports include Orca, possible Humpback or Minke Whale and some Porpoise. There are a few links showing some Pacific White Sided Dolphins and Transient Bigg’s Killer Whales in close proximity as well as Bryde’s Whales and Basking Sharks. Lynne Cracknell is back in town, on stream and ready to…
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Humpback Whale by Powell River was also seen in Hotham Sound. Unidentified Orca and Porpoise or Dolphin were reported, and the Northern Resident Orca known as G-Pod were uncharacteristically visiting the Victoria, BC area. A Grey Whale report, Dall’s Porpoise and Links in the News rounds out this Remembrance Day Sightings update. Susan MacKay, Whales…
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1000 Pacific White Sided Dolphins grouped up in the lower Georgia Strait, including a link to video of them in Links in the News. A few Transient Bigg’s Orca made a brief appearance, and although I’m pretty sure there are more around, only one current report of a Humpback Whale and one inadvertently missed October…
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Many days of fog limited sightings of even the water, let alone Cetaceans. Of the Whales and Dolphins seen, there have been many Humpback Whale sightings in our inside waters. How wonderful to have these amazing animals in our midst. Pacific White Sided Dolphins are also around in numbers while the Transient Bigg’s Killer Whale…
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This is a very long and delayed Cetacean Sightings report. This delay is due to the operation to repair the damage, sustained in August, to my very dominant right hand. It was not expected to be dealt with so quickly after my meeting the surgeon, so everything dealing with typing and hand function was put…
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A couple of days of rough weather made sightings a bit more difficult, but when you have Pacific White Sided Dolphins in groups in the hundreds and up to 1000, or a Humpback breach, they are not to be missed! Transient Bigg’s Killer Whales have grouped up again briefly while the smaller Dall’s and Harbour…
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Just when you wonder where the Transient Bigg’s Orca got to, they pop up. Pacific White Sided Dolphins are in huge numbers, giving way for many reports. They’ve mostly managed to stay clear of the Bigg’s Orca. A few Humpback Whales are now being noticed working their way South in the inside waters. I would…
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There have been so many Whale and Dolphin Sightings covering a huge geographic area and range of species. This is a long catch up report again. Volunteers are truly needed to help compile data in a more timely manner. In particular during the height of the season from June through September while more boats are…
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Orca, both Resident and Bigg’s as well as some unidentified Orca popping up everywhere, Humpback Whales breaching and lunge feeding, Pacific White Sided Dolphins in large groups, still only one Minke Whale to report and some Dall’s and Harbour Porpoise. Some fog was thrown in to make finding these animals harder, but also quite magical…
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Report delayed due to being in and out of internet range. Apologies for the delay. This report covers 7 species: Northern Resident Orca, Transient Bigg’s Killer Whales, Humpback Whales, Pacific White Sided Dolphins, Dall’s Porpoise, a few Harbour Porpoise and a Minke Whale. There’s also a brief Rescue story and photo below. Susan MacKay, Whales…
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