WOW – Amazing Whale Encounters! Flying Orca, Humpbacks, Dolphins and some small Porpoise

Amazing whale encounters! Orca flying high, just because they were having a good time! Others, both Orca and Humpback, just sleepily floating with the tides. Nice to see the Humpbacks coming through our areas but they have not been as spectacular as the Orca the past couple of days. Some Pacific White Sided Dolphins and Harbour Porpoise round out this report.

Have you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise?

Call 1-877-323-9776or Email your report.

Every sighting report is valuable!

7:30 am 7 Orca going North past WeWaiKai village (Cape Mudge) on Quadra Isl. Side. There’s 1 Big fin for sure.

8:15 am The Transients are going back and forth zig zagging in front of the village still. Probably feeding.

9 am They’re .5 mi off the Vancouver Island side by Rona Hardware, Storries beach. T18 and gang now Southbound slowly. T002C’s and T123’s too.

10:20 10-12 Orca .25 miles South of Cape Mudge close to the Vancouver Island shore headed slowly North.

10:55 am leaving the 10-12 Orca about 5 km off Willow Point close into shore splashing about and heading South.

11:11 am Two Big fins (Orca) by Whaletown, Cortez Island heading for Marina Island.

11:30 am 3 Orca, all small fins, Southbound by Steep Island cruise ship dock in Discovery Passage after kill.

Mario, Campbell River Whale Watching

11:30 am Counted 10 Orca, 1 large fin, 1 calf and 8 females by Shelter Point south of Campbell River. By 11:46 am they were Southbound at around 4 knots and went into Oyster Bay.

Kurt, Campbell River Whale Watching

1:56 pm 10 – 12 Orca are zig zagging all over the place out here. Hard to keep track of. They’re 1 mile off the Vancouver Island shore 2 miles South of Salmon Point – they look like they’re hunting. When I first got here I saw a seal fly 15 feet in the air and now it looks like they may be on something.

3:02 pm Now 1 mile off Salmon Point aiming for Cape Lazo.

4:48 pm They’re 15 miles to the West of Sentry Shoal angling towards Grant’s Reef, off Savary Island at a steady 7 to 8 knots. Only confirmed ID’s are T18/T19’s – don’t want to speculate on the rest. They look like they’re heading towards either Texada or Harwood.

6 pm Heard on the radio that Orcas now in Baynes Sound. DFO saying boats were too close to them and warning people about regulations. The Orcas are all over!

Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale Watching and Grizzly Bear Tours

One large Orca heading north, Powell River townsite, seen from house on Laburnum Ave.

9:45 am 5 or so Orca Northbound off the Sonora Resort dock.

12:52 pm Orca Southbound by Howe Island. Had no time to stay with them, so left them around 1:15 pm just North of Cinq Islands in Discovery Pass.

5:20 pm 5 Orca are at Steep Island, heading to Seymour Narrows, Southbound now. T18 and T19 in the gang.

T02C Breaching Again!

May 29, 2013

12:15 pm Report of 5 Orca by Marina Island no direction. From Way West Water Taxi boat.

2:42 pm T002C’s and T123’s are 1.5 miles off Francisco Point, Cape Mudge area sleepily Northbound. 3:40 pm Orca turned slowly South.

4:40 pm 7 Orca They’re 1.75 miles off the Quadra shore towards Marina Island. They’re Southbound, Northbound and just milling. And DID they wake up!!

We had a report of 5KW’s off of Marina Island from a watertaxi. So all the vessels converged on the area. 2 had gone through, no luck, so we slowed down and had a good look. When my guest who was facing backwards spotted them she practically jumped out of her seat!
Submitted with some photos: They were being very social, some tail lobs, small spy hops etc. the Juveniles were doing small breaches. Then all of a sudden T002C came flying out of the water so high I couldn’t believe it!! Still amazed I was able to capture it! She then jumped 4 more x back to back! T123A got in on the action and breached a few times as well! Every time we went to leave it started again! My 4 hour tour turned into 7, but you just can’t leave when things like this are taking place! Please enjoy the pics, look forward to seeing the report!

4 pm 5 Orca right in front of our house! Any closer and they would have been in our yard!They were very active with tail lobs, breaching and even vocalizing above the water. There were two small calves in the group. They stayed around quite a while on the SE side of Denman Island.

At approximately 5:30 pm May 29/13 heading south this pod of killer whales was spotted from my deck Powell River, south of town at end of Whalen road. (Sorry, photo got bumped this time, but will post another time – SM)

Myrna, Powell River South

What a performance the Orca put on! Best performance I’ve ever witnessed. Got some great shots too. They started out sleepy then they came to life.

6 pm Transients off Cortez Reef Southbound. Relayed to me.

They were very happy whales, and one amazing manoeuvre: a dolphin like leap, a horizontal hang, and a tuck over and beautiful slick re-entry. Just like a giant PWS Dolphin. WOW!

3 pm 3+ Orca heading South in Lambert Channel. Very active: breaching tail slaps etc.

May 21:

no time given – 3 Orca by North Rocks hunting by South end of Hornby Island then headed South in Georgia Strait.

not time given – 6 Orca Northbound in Lambert Channel about mid-channel.

8:43 am 2 or more Humpback Whales out in front of the Campbell River marina. No direction.

8:49 am 2 or 3 big puffs – Humpbacks right off the Grouse Island Light by the ferry terminal Campbell River – call from Dick Summer.

9:39 am I can see the HB’s now. Northbound by April Point closer to Quadra Island.

9 am 2 Humpback Whales announced on ferry – I’m looking. They said mid-channel in front of Discovery Harbour Marina. 9:46 am Humpbacks Northbound by April Point now.

4 pm 2 Humpbacks Northbound by Chatham Point.

4:50 pm 1 Humpback Whale by Brown’s Bay – no direction.

7:52 pm Humpback Southbound off Whilby Shoals, Cape Mudge area.

10:40 am Humpback Whale Southbound mid channel in the current in front of April Point, Discovery Pass. Info came from the April Point Connector.

8:49 am 150 PWS Dolphins in Hole in the Wall at Orca Point.

11:30 am The Pacific White Sided Dolphins are still around Hole in the Wall at the East end of Calm Channel.

10:45 am 6 PWS Dolphins Northbound in Seymour Narrows by Menzies Bay.

10:30 am 20-ish Pacific White Sided Dolphins at Hall Point, Nodales Channel Southbound.

3:06 pm 7 PWS Dolphins by Horn Point by Dent Rapids. They’re pretty shy right now.

Afternoon (no time given) 3 or so Harbour Porpoise mid-channel foraging around Cyrus Rock in Okisollo Channel between Octopus Islands and Beazley Passage.

Have you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise? Call 1-877-323-9776 or Emailyour report. Every sighting report is valuable!