Orca Confusion !

A large catch up report. It’s surprising how much happened while I was out of cell and radio range; and how much I missed! Apologies to any that were missed – please let me know and I will make sure it’s in the next update.

There were actually three groups of Orca that converged in and around the Campbell River area on August 11^th. The Southern Residents came up Georgia Strait and some went down Johnstone Strait having circumnavigated Vancouver Island. The Northern Residents were down Johnstone Strait and don’t know if they made it down as far as Brown’s Bay or just into and out of Nodales Channel. The Transients were around in and out of various channels too and not sure how close they got to Campbell River……Total confusion. I have sorted through it all and still am not sure of a couple of the reports – they are noted.

8:45 am A23’s, A25’s and A30’s were slowly Westbound in the Robson Bight Ecological Reserve. They took till around 9:20 am to make it to Izumi Rock. From there they spread out across over to Cracroft Point then slowly headed back to the Bight. Considering the long run they had yesterday, they spent most of their time resting.

2:45 pm All the Orca were Eastbound out of the Bight and passing Naka Creek.

Around 8:30 am 17 Orca Eastbound by Kelsey Bay.

Little after 9 am Orca reported heading into Nodales Channel. A23’s, A25’s and A30’s

They went into Nodales and by 2 pm were already one their way out. "Don’t think I’ve seen the Resident Orca go in and out of Nodales that fast."

3 pm The whole bunch of them were headed West past Kelsey Bay. They covered a lot of territory.

9 am in the fog: 15 + Orca by the rubbing beaches in the Bight. By 10 am it was figured out that it was the A23’s, A25’s and A30’s. During the day, they came out and around 1 pm headed up Blackfish Sound. Then around 6 pm they came down through Weynton Pass into Johnstone Strait and headed East, back towards the Bight, but continued down the Strait.

8:30 am The Resident Orca were foraging from Blinkhorn in Johnstone Strait down to Kaikash Creek heading East towards the Bight. By 9:30 am All of the A23’s, A25’s and A30’s were inside the Bight. Then they came out, and then back in.

10:30 am 4 Orca were spotted on the Gilford Island side of Knight Inlet. They travelled towards Village Island and cut through Whitebeach Pass into Blackfish Sound where they were Identified as the T18’s and T19’s. They stopped to take a Dall’s Porpoise while some others managed to get away up Blackfish. These Orca continued down to Cracroft Point where they turned up Johnstone Strait along the Hanson Island shoreline. Once at Weynton Pass, they checked out some of the rocks by the Stephenson Islets and continued up towards Mitchell Bay, Malcolm Island around 3 pm. I believe they continued towards Port McNeill in Cormorant Channel, but had no confirmation.

The T02C’s were by Dent, in the Yucultas. then Arran Rapids, by Bute Inlet chasing PWS Dolphins.

7:30 pm The Orca, T2C’s were still in pursuit hunting PWS Dolphins up Frederick Arm. No kill, but good effort. Last seen heading deeper into Frederick Arm.

9:32 am Orca by Refuge Cove. The 4 Transient Orca T02C’s were hunting off Kinghorn Island by Sarah Point at the entrance to Desolation Sound. Left them at Mary Point, Cortez Island at 12:29 pm

Evening: 6 Orca Southbound at Cape Mudge!!! Just a quick follow up to my sighting last night; The Orca travelled quickly from the lighthouse to Whilby Shoals at which point they may have made a kill. I saw 2 Dall’s Porpoise or Pacific White Sided Dolphins quickly swim away (happened too fast to ID. Definitely not Harbour Porpoise though). Lots of splashing, tail slaps, circling. They hung around a bit celebrating and then *poof* they vanished, possibly behind Quadra Island. Very neat to see, as always.

7:30 am Transients in Brown’s Bay, Campbell River.

10:55 am T69D, the lone female Westing at Ripple Point

12:30 pm I left the lone female Orca T069D at Peterson Island, Kelsey Bay, still westbound at 7 knots!

12:55 pm T069D was at Hickey Point still going West at 6-7 knots.

10:15 am 3 Orca including a calf popped up by Mitlenatch Island.

9:15 am In Johnstone Strait, other groups joined up, the T18’s, T19’s as well as the T46’s with the brand new calf were together at the top of Cracroft Island by the Sophias hunting Dall’s Porpoise. By 12:15 pm this group had reached Mitchell Bay, Malcolm Island and continued West. By 2:30 pm they were seen, still Westbound by Pulteney Point Lightstation, across from Port McNeill.

8 am a couple of Orca were spotted between Telegraph Cove and Alert Bay in the fog.

9:30 am Some (no numbers or direction) Orca were by Kelsey Bay.

Orca’s thru the Bay area on Saturday around 3:00pm not sure of exact time. There were two groups pretty close together 6 in front and 4 behind. I think 10 total. They were on the other side of the water from the bay so were only able to see them thru the scope. Then about an hour hour and half later I heard on the radio that they were breeching, spy hoping and generally putting on a great show. I am anxious to hear if they were meat eaters or fish eaters.

Southern Resident Orca from K-Pod and possibly a few L-Pod came up from Puget Sound area and into Discovery Passage, by Campbell River. Some also did the complete circumnavigation of Vancouver Island sneaking past the Northern Resident Pods.

3 pm They were reported back down Georgia Strait being spotted off Saturna Island.

10:47 am Humpback Whale Northbound by Cape Mudge, Quadra Island.

With all the Transient Orca activity, not as many Humpback Whales were reported, so the total count around the top of Johnstone Strait area for the day that I could figure was 8 to 10 whales.

Throughout the day: 3 Humpback Whales between Fife Sound to Penfold Islets, 3 or 4 between Stubbs and the Plumper Islands, at least 1 big one by Trainer Pass giving a total for the day of 8 whales.

8:15 am Humpback Whale Southbound by Wai Kai Village (Cape Mudge) Quadra Island.

7:27 am Humpback Northbound by Steep Island, Seymour Narrows.

5 pm One Humpback by Quathiaski Cove going South slowly.

3:30 pm 2 Humpback Whales were making their way down Queen Charlotte Strait past Polkinghorne Island towards Fife Sound or Whitecliffe Islets. Large flocks, as in hundreds, of Rhinoceros Auklets were flying in the same direction.

5:45 pm Two Minke Whales were spotted in Cormorant Channel.

Throughout the day: 2 Large Minke Whales by Haddington Reefs, 1 by Alert Bay, and another 1 or 2 in Cormorant Channel.

10 am Around 60 PWS Dolphins were reported heading West by Millie Island, Port Neville.

3 pm 50 PWS Dolphins were foraging by Kelsey Bay.

4 pm 100 PWS Dolphins Ripple Point area, just milling.

Around 9 am 100 + PWS Dolphins were being very playful around the Whitecliffe Islets.

150 PWS Dolphins by Denham Island by Dent Rapids.

10:53 am 100+ Dolphins by Denham Bay, Dent Rapids – same ones as almost every day lately.

1:15 pm 15 PWS Dolphins just off Donagal Head, Malcolm Island

3:08 pm 200 PWS Dolphins at Horn Point, Dent Rapids area.

Dall’s were spotted intermittently around the top of Johnstone Strait, but around 12:30 pm 4 of them were speeding up Blackfish Sound – see Transient Orca report.

Although none specifically noted or reported, they are seen darting here and there, usually at the top of Weynton Passage.

9:15 am Large group of Dall’s Porpoise heading East from Blinkhorn – little did they know they were headed towards the Transients.