Transient Orca, Pacific White Sided Dolphins, a Humpback Whale and a couple of Dalls Porpoises

Transient Orca, Pacific White Sided Dolphins, a Humpback Whale and a couple of Dalls Porpoises in our area while Southern Resident Orca still making appearances in the San Juans and the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

Around 1:30 pm 10 Transient Orca were found in Hoskyn Channel heading Northward by Jack, Campbell River Whale Watching. It didn’t take long for the rest of the tours enjoy the show. Garry, Aboriginal Journeys watched as they porpoised their way through Beazley Pass, one of the rapids. At the same time, approximately 2:30 – 3 pm another group of 6 Transient Orca met up with the first group just outside of Beazley Pass, Surge Narrows then turned back South. The first group of 10 continued out through Okisollo Channel passing some Dall’s Porpoises (see report below) into Discovery Passage. Garry left the 10 Orca them around 4:30 pm heading West by Cinque Islands into Johstone Strait.

Report by: Garry, Aboriginal Journeys

4 pm 2 to 3 Dall’s Porpoise were foraging by Venture Point in Okisollo Channel apparently oblivious to the Transient Orca on the other side of the Channel.

1:45 pm 10 Pacific White Sided Dolphins were milling about by Deep Water Bay, Discovery Passage. No direction and were left when the call came in about the Orca.

8 pm Over 500 Pacific White Sided Dolphins were high speed foraging, chasing small fish into a tight group so they can feed easier into Stillwater Bay, South of Powell River. It was a spectacular sight and I am being conservative with the 500+ number! The line of dolphins went on and on. Unfortunately by the time I was able to get closer with the camera ready, they had headed off towards Lang Bay and?? I did have a few come into Frolander Bay around 10 pm where I was anchored up for the night. I had put the hydrophone down figuring that with those numbers, there’s bound to be chatter. It was too dark to tell how many came into the bay, but there was a small amount of chatter and I could hear their blows, but it certainly wasn’t all of them.

ORCA – I’m pretty sure the tours found some Transient Orca, but I received no confirmation reports. SM

9 am and throughout the day One lone Humpback Whale was in Deer Passage above Raza Island, Desolation Sound. All the tours saw the whale which was resting on the surface, rolling and slapping it’s large pectoral flipper.

Initial report by: AJ, Painter’s Lodge Oak Bay Hurricane