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

A publication of Wild Ocean Whale Society (WOWs)

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!
Transient Bigg’s Killer Whales

Transient Orca T02C doing the most Amazing Leap
May 19, 2013
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
May 31:
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.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale Watching and Grizzly Bear Tours
May 31:
10:20 10-12 Orca .25 miles South of Cape Mudge close to the Vancouver Island shore headed slowly North.
Aaron Nagler, Sonora Lodge
May 31:
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.
Jos Krijnen, Eagle Eye Adventures
May 31:
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
May 31:
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
May 31:
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.
Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions
May 31:
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
May 30:
One large Orca heading north, Powell River townsite, seen from house on Laburnum Ave.
Marion Blank, Powell River
May 30:
9:45 am 5 or so Orca Northbound off the Sonora Resort dock.
Aaron Nagler, Sonora Lodge
May 30:
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.
Jos Krijnen, Eagle Eye Adventures
May 30:
5:20 pm 5 Orca are at Steep Island, heading to Seymour Narrows, Southbound now. T18 and T19 in the gang.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale Watching and Grizzly Bear Tours
T02C Breaching Again!
May 29, 2013
Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions
May 29:
12:15 pm Report of 5 Orca by Marina Island no direction. From Way West Water Taxi boat.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale Watching and Grizzly Bear Tours
May 29:
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!
Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions
May 29:
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.
Chris Danks, Denman Island
May 29:
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
May 29:
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.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale Watching and Grizzly Bear Tours
May 29:
6 pm Transients off Cortez Reef Southbound. Relayed to me.
Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions
May 29:
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!
Aaron Nagler, Sonora Lodge
May 26: (rec’d 31st)
3 pm 3+ Orca heading South in Lambert Channel. Very active: breaching tail slaps etc.
Chris Danks, Denman Island
May 21:
no time given – 3 Orca by North Rocks hunting by South end of Hornby Island then headed South in Georgia Strait.
Chris Danks, Denman Island
May 20:
not time given – 6 Orca Northbound in Lambert Channel about mid-channel.
Chris Danks, Denman Island
Here’s Looking at you!
May 29, 2013
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale Watching and Grizzly Bear Tours
Humpback Whales
May 30:
8:43 am 2 or more Humpback Whales out in front of the Campbell River marina. No direction.
Jack Springer, Campbell River Whale Watching
May 30:
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.
Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions
May 30:
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.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale Watching and Grizzly Bear Tours
May 29:
7:52 pm Humpback Southbound off Whilby Shoals, Cape Mudge area.
Radio
May 28:
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.
Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions
Pacific White Sided Dolphins
May 31:
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.
Aaron Nagler, Sonora Lodge
May 29:
10:45 am 6 PWS Dolphins Northbound in Seymour Narrows by Menzies Bay.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale Watching and Grizzly Bear Tours
May 28:
10:30 am 20-ish Pacific White Sided Dolphins at Hall Point, Nodales Channel Southbound.
Aaron Nagler, Sonora Lodge
May 28:
3:06 pm 7 PWS Dolphins by Horn Point by Dent Rapids. They’re pretty shy right now.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale Watching and Grizzly Bear Tours
Harbour Porpoise
May 29:
Afternoon (no time given) 3 or so Harbour Porpoise mid-channel foraging around Cyrus Rock in Okisollo Channel between Octopus Islands and Beazley Passage.
Jen, Campbell River Whale Watching
Hanging Airborne T02C
May 29, 2013
Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions
Have you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise? Call 1-877-323-9776 or Emailyour report. Every sighting report is valuable!
The official governing non-profit society of Whales and Dolphins BC is
Wild Ocean Whale Society (WOWs)

 

One Response

  1. Unknown says:

    Hello there from Ladysmith B.C. I used this link to add an image to the poem I wrote about orcas/killer whales at All Poetry and gave your page image credit. http://a.allpoetry.com/poem/11184461-Killer_Pods_of_the_Oceans-by-PenAllen

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