Dolphins and Transient Orca Sightings
Today’s sightings reports are all about Pacific White Sided Dolphins and Transient Orca. It is quite difficult to go back to work when Orca are breaching, spy hopping and tail slapping right in front of me!
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC
Transient Orca Reports:
June 27:
Around 3 pm the winds had suddenly picked up and a chop formed on the water, but scanning the water still provided a glimpse of Transient Orca blows mid-strait still very slowly headed towards Atrevida Reef, North of Powell River.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC
June 27:
I watched them till about 1:15 and they seemed to be headed north towards Atrevida Reef about mid channel. They continued to play every so often with 3 more breaches, lots of tail lobbing and a couple of nice spy hops. They certainly didn’t seem to be in a hurry to leave Westview. I got some nice looks through the telescope at 40X.
Steve G.
June 27:
12 pm The Transient Orca arrived as expected – they usually take around 45 minutes to an hour to get from around Myrtle Rocks to Westview. There were at least 6 Orca and possibly up to 8 of them with two males and at least one calf. Certainly there was one extremely large male whose tail, when he tail slapped, looked almost as large as a small Humpback’s tail. There were breaches, head stands waving tails in the air, tail slaps, spy hops, etc. etc. It was wonderful to watch for as long as I could. At first they looked as if they would just cruise by Powell River as they headed towards Vivian Island, on the West side of Harwood. Then they suddenly decided to give the ferry and boat traffic a great show. They stayed out in front of Powell River slowly working their way towards Harwood Island for a good couple to three hours while they socialized.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC
June 27:
10:50 am The call came in that there were at least three Orca around the Myrtle Rocks area South of Powell River heading Northward. (Great heads up – thanks Sarah! – SM)
Sarah T.
Pacific White Sided Dolphin Reports:
June 27:
12:45 pm Around 20 Pacific White Sided Dolphins by Eagle’s Cove in Discovery Channel being playful and chasing herring which were seen leaping out of the water as the Dolphins fed on them.
Garry, Aboriginal Journeys
June 27:
9 am Broken radio transmission by Aaron, Campbell River Whale Watching of a pod of Pacific White Sided Dolphins close to Separation Head, by Seymour Narrows.
June 27:
The dolphins have been hanging around at Grief Point since just before 9 o’clock. Apparently feeding but not moving anywhere.
Heather D.
I spoke with Heather wondering if the Dolphins were still there after getting the 10:50 am call regarding the Transient Orca heading in their direction. Heather said the 20 + Dolphins were being very casual, then suddenly they disappeared. – SM
June 26: Late Report about yesterday’s Pacific White Sided Dolphins:
They did head back up. They reappeared here just after 4 but a much smaller group. They gamboled around out front here until around 4:30. Then they appeared to split and some headed south east towards Vananda and the others north towards the mill. (Powell River)
Heather D.
