Many Transient Orca

Huge numbers of Transient Orca in the upper Georgia Strait from the Nanaimo / Sechelt line to the start of Johnstone Strait. Separate groups including T02’s, T101’s, T10’s and T124’s appear to be meeting up to hunt and socialize. Great Photo Contributions Below. They have been spending hours staying in relatively small areas at a time rather than moving larger distances. Pacific White Sided Dolphins are also around in the hundreds with some appearing to flee areas where the Orca might be. With all this Orca activity, only one Humpback Whale was spotted.

Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins

11:25 am Orca reported in Discovery Passage south of the pier at Campbell River heading North.

Sounds like some Orca going past Campbell River now.

12 pm 5 + Transients including T10 and T10B still Northbound heading towards Steep Island in the Narrows.

12:30 pm Group of Transient Orcaheading up into Bute Inlet, by Fawn Bluff.

Were not found by any of the tours after this report.

2:56 pm T10 / 10B / 10C / 26 / 26Aturned and are now Southbound in front of Walcan (Discovery Passage – Campbell River) We are leaving the scene.

9 am Call from Ross Campbell “Columbia III” 8 Transients @ Sarah Point. Coming from the East and Headed West/North. He is leaving as they are milling about right at Sarah Point so not sure if they will head West for Lewis Channel later or not! Great sighting!!

10:40 am Orca between Copeland Islands and Hernando Island angling towards Savary Island.

1:45 pm 2 groups of 6-8 Transient Orca in each between Major Rock off Lund and Keefer Rock off Hernando Island. Stayed with them till 4:15 pm still between Twin Islands and Savary Island.

From about 2:30 pm till around 5 pm: Yeah I had 4 females and a juvenile first that I photographed. Then moved back for the Sealion killers and that was the T101/102 gang with big T102 and the T002C’s….cool to see the new calf from last year involved in the kill….and T002C2 my fav scoliosis girl in there tail slapping and right on the Sealion. ****First 5 in our encounter were the T124A gang. They were all part of the sea lion kill with T02C’s and T101/102 gang

Hi Susan, Here are 3 pics from our amazing sealion attack yesterday (19th). From what I can see it was the T-124 Gang, T-101/102 Gang and the T-002C gang with last years new calf. Plus others maybe. The attack started at approx 1500hrs and continued for over 2 hrs. It was amazing to see the teamwork that was put in by the Orcas. They would circle around the lion each taking turns either breaching on top of it, taillobbing it, hitting it with their noses, or tail slapping it. Some would go alone and some would go together with even the young T-002C3 calf getting inot it as well. An interesting thing i saw was that about 5 minutes in a juvenile male breached and as he did we could see he was shall we say “excited”~ Soon after he was not part of the hunt anymore and seemed to stand sentry or was banished from the hunt for his excitement. He stayed approx 1/4 mile away during the whole hunt and only came back to the gang after the official kill. It was really interesting to see this behaviour. T-002C2 with the scoliosis was involved in the hunt as well. It seemed to be a training exercise for these young ones as well as they would go in with adults each time.

In the end they finally took the Sealion down and started moving it about the gang underwater. I believe after we left my partner Jos even got pictures of a Bald Eagle picking up pieces! I have been waiting 14 years of my career to witness a sealion kill and it was well worth the wait! I have witnessed Dalls Porpoise, Harbour Porpoise kills, and numerous Harbour Seal kills(Even had a Seal climb on the pod of my Zodiac once years ago after being tossed around by T’s for 10 minutes!!) This kill though was so amazing to be a witness to. Thanks Susan take care!

4 pm Around 20 Transient Orca including T10’s were at the bottom of Lesquetti Island.Got information from Simon in Cowichan Bay.

5:30 pm At least 14+ Orca that have been just off Cortez Bay for about an hour. There were a couple of kills.

Susan, I saw a pod of about six orcas going NW along the Iron mine (Lund) at 5:20 pm today. One jumped clear of the water 3 times.

Morning: Quite a few Pacific White Sided Dolphins by Chatham Point and off Okisollo Channel.

3:20 pm 40+ Pacific White Sided Dolphins were at Kanish Bay, and another 15 – 20 at the mouth of Okisollo Channel at 5:40 pm (all Discovery Passage just above Campbell River). No direction, just foraging.

10 am About 70 Dolphins Deepwater bay feeding. Lots of life today 🙂

3:30 pm 30+ Pacific White Sided Dolphins moving quickly down Malaspina Strait and along South-East side of Harwood Island, Powell River.

These Dolphins came rushing into the area then suddenly stopped, almost as if to catch their breath, then carried on. This was right during the time the Orca were on the big sea lion kill, which usually means the Orca get loud and the sound would carry for miles underwater. This possibly caused their flight down the strait.

9:30 am Humpback Whale in Seymour Narrows.

10 am One lone Humpback Whale in Seymour Narrows milling. Dolphins Deepwater bay feeding. Lots of life today 🙂 10:40 am Humpback is Southbound at Race Pointnow.

2 pm A couple of Harbour Porpoise by Copper Bluffs (Campbell River)

 

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Harbour Porpoise couple of Harbour Porpoise by Copper Bluffs (Campbell River)