Transient and Other Cetacean Sightings

Transient (meat eating) Orca still in the area, Pacific White Sided Dolphins, one taken by Transients while others spread out, and a few Dall’s Porpoise spotted. A couple of missed reports as well as a few that arrived late. Lots of activity around so keep your eyes on the water!

May 22:

6 am 3 Orca Northbound by Seymour Narrows.

May 22:

12 pm 3 Transients by Squirrel Cove, Cortez Island. No direction, milling around. Kurt & Scotty are with them…I’m the messenger.

May 22:

12:24 pm The 3 Orca just became 7 about half way between Squirrel Cove and Mary Point angling towards Cortez Bay. There’s at least one calf – this year’s. Am leaving the area.

A couple of minutes later: Another 6 to 8 Transient Orca just popped up at the South end of Twin Islands heading towards the other two groups and Cortez Bay area. This is where they were the other day when they took a sea lion.

May 22:

3:20 pm Orca still between Twin Islands and Cortez Bay.

May 21:

11:40 am 4 to 6 Transientsheading Southwards towards Powell River. They were about center strait and between Harwood and the Powell River mill, they stopped to take a sea lion. I lost track of them around 1:20 pm.

May 21:

Around 12 pm 8 Orca including two calves, one still with orange tinge close off Westview ferry terminal in Powell River. There were some really nice spy hops as the Comox ferry pulled out and the Texada ferry came in. (they were behind a tree for me during this time – SM)

May 20:

4 pm Some Orca were Southbound travelling quickly in Discovery Passage by April Point.

May 20:

6 pm 1 Pacific White Sided Dolphin killed by about 5 or 6 female Orca in Bute Inlet across from Bear Bay. There were more Transients in the area including a large male, but it was only the females on the hunt. (partial repeat from Dolphin Report)

May 22:

8 am Humpback Whale just below Seymour Narrows. Unknown on Radio – later, no tours found the whale.

May 22:

8 am Pacific White Sided Dolphins just by the red can buoy close to Campbell River. No numbers or direction.

May 22:

12 pm Around 20 or so Pacific White Sided Dolphins are moving really quickly Southwards past Grief Point, Powell River.

May 22:

12:24 pm Dolphins headed South by April Point, Campbell River. No numbers or direction.

May 22:

2:30 pm 12 PWS Dolphins Eastbound in Okisollo Channel.

May 22:

3:20 pm A number of PWS Dolphinsmoving fast Southwards at Race Point, Campbell River Area.

May 20:

6 pm 500+ Dolphins in Bute Inlet. 1 Pacific White Sided Dolphin killed by about 5 or 6 female Orca in Bute Inlet across from Bear Bay (partial repeat from Orca Report)

May 18:

9:35 am 6 to 8 Pacific White Sided Dolphins moving quickly Northwards past the Powell River viewpoint.

May 18:

1:20 pm Large number – in the hundreds – of PWS Dolphins heading into Bute Inlet.

May 21:

12 pm A couple of Dall’s Porpoiseforaging by Elk Bay.

Myself and Ron King picked up 6 or 7 transient killer whales a mile and a half off race rocks light house. They were breaching and lots of spyhops as well as high speed porpoising. We found them making a kill on a group of harbor porpoise. Pretty sure the identification was the T100sand a brand new calf still bright yellow. Photographs on transient killer whale research blog and orca network. Josh McInnes

May 19

Transient orcaslocated today in the more northerly portions of Georgia Strait. We found T10 with her sons T10B and T10C, plus T26 with her daughter T26A northwest of Winchelsea Island, heading west. They continued in this direction until we left them at approximately 2 PM northwest of the Ballenas Islands. For those unfamiliar with this part of Georgia Strait, we were northwest of Nanaimo. Nice to have some orcas around again. Joan Lopez, Naturalist, Vancouver Whale Watch

Located 4 transients off Mistaken Island, near Parksville, about 20 miles northwest of Nanaimo. They were traveling north, and included in the group was T26 and T26A. They were with the T10s, T10B and T10C. Shortly after we left the scene, the four were joined by at least 9 other transients. Wow, what are they up to?? They were taking 2 minute dives, and swimming just under the surface, as we could see the their white eye patches and flank patches flashing just under the waves. They were making a slow and steady pace north, and were not exhibiting the “super stealth” mode of hunting transients. Tasli Shaw

7:00 pm. Four Orcas were swimming east through Active Pass. Got a great look at them. Beth Triggs

May 18

WOW… We had an epic day on the water yesterday! We traveled over 110 nautical miles or 200 km to see a group of transients. When we first arrived with the transient orcas off Parksville, we sighted 5 transients the T10’s and the T26’s. After spending time with them we saw more transient orcas appear in the distance. Then more and more appeared from almost every direction. We ended up with at least 17 transients socializing and having a big party. It was a truly amazing day!!! Here are the transients I managed to i.d.- T10’s, T87, T26’s, T90’s, T86A’s, T100’s. Ocean EcoVentures Whale Watching – Cowichan Bay

The transient orcas in Georgia Strait on this date were T87 and the T90’s near Valdez Island and the T100’s with T102 in the mid-strait, west of Vancouver Airport. Joan Lopez, Naturalist, Vancouver Whale Watch

May 10

Pod heading north….seem to be feeding on seals to the north of mistaken island at the entrance to “northwest bay, in Georgia Straits, Canada, near Parksville, about 20 miles NW of Nanaimo. About 6 in the pod. Reg Hawkes 

 

2012 Charter Cruises

Enjoy a personalized week long Charter Cruise in the pristine wilderness of the Great Bear Rainforest. Information can be found on the 2012 Charter Cruises pages of Whales and Dolphins BC.