Leaping Dolphins and Transient Orca Here and Gone

Dolphins a leaping! Transient Orca appear and disappear in usual stealth fashion. Humpback Whales seem to mostly have gone up to the tope of Johnstone Strait where word is that the krill have finally showed up in numbers. No reports of Dall’s or Harbour Porpoise! The mainland side of Georgia Strait from Jervis Inlet to the various rapids where the tides converge have been quiet, but there are finally some salmon leaping and rafts of sea lions moving in around Powell River, at least. Since all Cetaceans follow their food, we may start seeing more of them again soon. We can only keep watch!

1:38 pm At least 10 Transient Orca including one extremely large male were heading South by the Comox / Little River ferry terminal light.

September 26:

I think they may have turned east. I did get out for an hour or so after you emailed, and I am about 75% sure I saw them through my binoculars waaaaay north of Denman, heading toward Powell River. (They never showed up on the East / mainland side of Georgia Strait – SM) So far away I can’t even say for certain. They appeared to be black dots moving in an arc-like motion, rather than black dots bobbing up and down like a bird. Oh well. Maybe next time. Thanks so much for your message though.

1:40 pm Gang of 4 Transients in front of Sonora Resort involved in a kill.

3:55 pm PWS Dolphins were just above Dent Island and the Transients were just around Dent…close.

4:30 pm The Orca had turned South bucking the tide.

September 25:

2:30 pm 4 Transient Orca moved slowly from Jimmy Judd Island (Gillard Pass) to Denham Island (Dent Rapids) They were close to here the PWS Dolphins were.

The Orca were originally spotted by old Church House, Stuart Island around 1:30 pm. They took a seal by Sonora Restort and continued up – it’s the T02C’s (later photos submitted were clear that these were not the T02C’s, but due to lower resolution, could not confirm who they were – SM)

September 25:

4:30 pm 4 Orca bucking the tide in Dent Rapids. Southbound.

5:45 pm Left Orca at Whiskey Point Southbound.

Transient Orca

10:25 am Many smaller groups of PWS Dolphins were spread out from Deepwater Bay to Kanish Bay.

2:26 pm 60 – 70 PWS Dolphins fighting the current in Seymour Narrows and:

a very large group of PWS Dolphins were in Nodales Channel.

5:29 pm 3-400 PWS Dolphins were leaping high out of the water and spread out in Discovery Passage close to Okisollo Channel.

September 27:

10:31 am Lots, 300 or so PWS Dolphins by Deepwater Bay.

11:41 am More, 200 + at Davis Point by Thurston Bay, Nodales Channel.

September 27:

3:45 pm Last report for the year: (Jacquie is a summer resident at Brown’s Bay and headed ‘home’ – thanks for the great reporting and look forward to getting more sightings reports from you next time you’re by the ocean – SM)PWS Dolphins on the other side of the passage from the bay. About 35 running in a straight line..Very active as usual.

September 27:

5:15 pm 200 PWS Dolphins Northbound at Elk Bay – was great!

9:15 am 200 + PWS Dolphins angling towards Frederick Arm. By 12 pm these same Dolphins were at the head of Frederick Arm (above Nodales Channel).

10 am Small group of 10 PWS Dolphins were spotted by Wlakem Isalnds, Discovery Passage.

September 26:

4:30 pm 300 PWS Dolphins spread out by Cinque Islands, Discovery Pass.

11 am 30 PWS Dolphins by Kanish Bay – at the same time:

11 am 100+ PWS Dolphins were around Denham Bay, Dent Rapids

2:30 pm 200 + PWS Dolphins foraging back and forth from Dent Rapids to Denham Island.

5:40 pm Large group of PWS Dolphins by Deepwater Bay, just above Campbell River.

September 25:

4:30 pm 100 PWS Dolphins milling at Hall Point, Nodales Channel,

3:30 pm Left 300 PWS Dolphins at Arran Point area by Bute Inlet.