Sightings Reports and More Orca Photos

Sightings and more photos of Transient (meat eating) Orca – Killer Whales, lots of Pacific White Sided Dolphins, a Humpback, some Dall’s Porpoise as well as a few Harbour Porpoise from lower Johnstone Strait, up into Bute Inlet and a few other channels, by Savary Island and down to Myrtle Point, south of Powell River over the past couple of days. There’s a fair bit of activity out there – just keep your eyes open, and don’t forget to pass the information on so we can post it.

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6:15 pm 6 to 7 Orca suddenly popped up on my way from Hernando Island to the Savary Islanddock. They were all small fins, so no large male dorsals. They were splashing and some were a bit closer to Indian Point.

8:18 pm One large male dorsal off the Harwood shoal slowly heading towards Powell River. Neighbour Steve Grover thought he saw two blows a short while after, but neither of us saw those Orca again. A couple of minutes later received a call from Gordie Coles (see photos today and yesterday’s posting) that he picked them up just off Doe Row, Savary Island and the 6 or so Orca were headed towards Mace Point. They were breaching, tail lobbing and generally having a good time. Two tug and tows were heading South around Mace Point and had a great show. At 8:46 pm I could see these whales breaching, splashing and even their blows just off Savary Island, all the way from Powell River. Just never saw if they turned back or continued Southwards.

3-4 pm Around 6 Orca fought the waves and current headed Southwards by Myrtle Point. There was at least one large Male and one Calf. (Received report May 25^th– SM)

Late report (received May 24)that right during approximately the same time that the Orca were on the Sea Lion kill (see Nick’s photos) out in front of Cortez Bay, there were a number (in the teens) of Pacific White Sided Dolphins huddled under and around the Cortez Bay dock as well as another Dolphin being flung about by some other Orca, including at least one large Male.

Information was passed through Gordie Coles, Lund / Savary Island

4:15 pm Humpback Whale off the Quadra Island village heading Southwards.

Afternoon: Must have been at least 1,000 Pacific White Sided Dolphins really spread out all over Bute Inlet from Fawn Bluffs and up.

4:50 pm One lone PWS Dolphin just outside of Okisollo Channel.

9 am Large group of Pacific WS Dolphins in Seymour Narrows headed North-West.

6:10 pm 1000+ Lags (Pacific White Sided Dolphins) @Fawn Bluff Bute Inlet. no direction….milling about and feeding. All grouped together though, really nice. 1645 Another small pod of 8 or so @ East End of Hole in the Wall. No direction.

10:05 am 2 Pacific White Sided Dolphins milling in the channel just off Quathiaski Cove.I saw them from the Quadra to Campbell River ferry.

Quiet day on the Cetacean front. Found all the Lags (PWS Dolphins – SM) (hard to count but a couple hundred anyway) spread out over a 4 mile triangle in lower Bute below Fawn Bluff. It was a good bear day. 🙂

2 white sided dolphins at hole in the wall at 2 pm.

Late report (received May 24)that right during approximately the same time that the Orca were on the Sea Lion kill (see Nick’s photos) out in front of Cortez Bay, there were a number (in the teens) of Pacific White Sided Dolphins huddled under and around the Cortez Bay dock as well as another Dolphin being flung about by some other Orca, including at least one large Male.

Information was passed through Gordie Coles, Lund / Savary Island

Dall’s Porpoise

4 pm report. Maybe 30 dolphinsfeeding on herring Fawn bluff in Bute 6 Dalls entrance to Buteearlier

Around 9 am 20 to 30 Dall’s Porpoise in Nodales Channel by Thurston Bay Marine Park foraging.

A few harbour porpoises in calm channel at 3pm. 2 white sided dolphins at hole in the wall at 2 pm. That was about it for cetaceans today.

 

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