Orca, Minke, Humpback Whales, Dolphins, Porpoise and Links – WOWs

Delayed report due to work on the web site. Our Transient Bigg’s Killer Whales headed out of the inside waters…we think. They certainly sped through Seymour Narrows at around 20 knots and were seen as far away as Port Hardy! There is one report of Transient Bigg’s Orca still in the area. Southern Resident Killer Whales in Haro Strait, Minke Report, Humpback Whales heading up the coast, while a few Pacific White Sided Dolphins are still around and a few Dall’s porpoise disappearing from Orca. During one whale watching tour, there was an unusual rescue of a duck! And last, but not least, a couple of Links in the News. Read On:

Web site workings are to promote our involvement in the Powell River Sea Fair! We have a Whale Watching Journey from one of our regular contributors, Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours who has Donated two 6 hour tours as a fundraiser for Wild Ocean Whale Society (WOWs), our governing body. Thank you Garry! Entries can be made on line or by visiting our table at Powell River’s 50^th Sea Fair 2013.

Have you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise?

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

Every sighting report is valuable!

9 am Sailboat arrived in at marina in the evening reported seeing 3 Orca doing circles off Rebecca Spit, Quadra Island in morning.

11:19 am 6 Orca Southbound at Grant’s Reef off Savary Island headed towards Texada.

Just after 12 pm I went looking for the reported whales and spent over 45 minutes drifting with the hydrophone down looking for the Orca spotted earlier. When I saw the 6 Dall’s Porpoise (see report below), I thought perhaps they had been mistaken for Orca. This would not be the first time since they are both black and white. I did think I heard a couple of distant calls over the various boat sounds, but couldn’t be sure, so headed back to the harbour in the rain.

3:30 pm 8 – 10 Orca 5 miles South of Savary Island and 6 miles West of Harwood Northbound. They’re off Grant’s Reef heading towards Sentry Shoals slowly.

3:55 pm There’s 1 calf – pretty small and 4 big males for sure. The total count is between 12 to 14 Orca and headed Northbound. There were roughly 12 animals and one had a calf that still had the yellow-orange in it’s white patches.

8:36 pm 12 to 20 Orca off Whilby Shoals, sort of Northbound – can’t decide which way to go.

8:38 pm 14 or more Orca Northbound in front of We Wai Kai village (Cape Mudge Village) now. From Father in law.

At 2100hr Tonight, a Group of at least 5 Orcas passed our campsite at Cape Mudge opposite Campbell River. Video Clip attached.
(Unfortunately I cannot post the video clip directly into this report or it would not go to our subscribers due to oversized document for emails. I can post links though, but do not have one for this at this time. – SM)
Peter Damhuis

9:40 pm The Orca, numbers between 22 – 25 sped through Seymour Narrows at 20 knots! The last group were left still Northbound (West) at Brown’s Bay. Saw T101/102’s and T02C’s for sure.

4.30pm We found members of L Pod , L 41, ‘ Mega ‘ and the rest of the L 12 family group, foraging off San Juan Island.

9:03 am Humpback Whale Southbound at Cinq Islands, Discovery Passage.

11:50 am Almost to Brown’s Bay now on Vancouver Island shoreline, still Southbound.

10:50 am Humpback Whale Southbound at 9 foot Bay (Donkey Bay) from Jen.

2:48 pm Humpback Whale in back eddy by Maude Island. Hit the current and pushed him back to Race Point. Big tides, and he’s still trying to buck the tide. A few minutes later, he turned South, again by Race Point mid channel.

3:18 pm Left Humpback Middle Point near Duncan Bay close to Vancouver Island side.

10:14 am Humpback Whale off the red can buoy at Cape Mudge. Apparently breaching and stuff from Coastwild.

10:13 am Humpback at Red Can Buoy off Cape Mudge.

5 pm We also (in addition to the SRKW report) found a small, lone Humpback whale was foraging off Hein Bank.

We saw two illusive Minke whales near Darcy Island Haro Strait.

11:45 am 12 or so PWS Dolphins by Chatham Point just milling. With Jen.

Shaun, Discovery Marine Safaris

2:20 pm 40 or so PWS Dolphins running, well, swimming, back and forth and being active intermittently at Turn Island right where Discovery Pass and Johnstone Strait meet.

9:45 am about 40 PWS Dolphins by Chatham Point Lightstation no direction.

1:28 pm 6 Dolphins in Cordero / Blind Channel area being elusive.

2:30 pm 20 PWS Dolphins Southbound by Davis Point Nodales Channel.

3:30 pm 20 PWS Dolphins left them by Howe Island in Okisollo Channel Eastbound.

9:20 am Small group of 6 to 8 PWS Dolphins of Coho Point, Texada.

1 pm 15 to 20 PWS Dolphins spread out by Cinq Islands, Discovery Pass in smaller groups.

2 pm Leaving the PWS Dolphins spread out over 2 miles from Okisollo Channel to McMullen Point in Discovery Passage.

9:30 am Dolphins at Chatham Point to Nodales Channel.

12:40 pm 6 PWS Dolphins are inbound against the tide at sealion rock by Sonora.

3:20 pm Sounds like Discovery Marine Safaris have the PWS Dolphins at Davis Point in Nodales Channel.

Around 1:15 pm While heading out to search for the reported Orca, I spotted 6 Dall’s Porpoise Northbound in a hurry past the Powell River mill.

4:15 pm A Muscovy Duck was off Cape Mudge in the tide rips getting bombed by Bald Eagles. He literally crawled over the transom of our boat! We contacted Avian Rescue who organized a pick up in Black Creek. He/she may have a slight case of hypothermia, so they will put him/her on a heating pad and build a shelter for recovery.

A new type of killer whale has been discovered off the coast of New Zealand. The whale has been classified as Orcinus orca Type D. The killer whale is characterized by a very small white eye-patch and bulbous forehead. (Please note that the photo used for this article is NOT the Type D Orca – I am waiting for a photo to share with you. – SM)

Video: Rare, majestic Right Whale spotted off B.C. coast for first time in 62 years!

Enter to WIN a Whale Watching Journey: https://whalesanddolphinsbc.com/win-at-sea-fair-2013/

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