Transient Bigg’s Orca, Grey Whale, Dolphins, Porpoise, S Resident Killer Whales, Minke Whale

Whales, no Whales days, but the Pacific White Sided Dolphins are around avoiding Transient Bigg’s Killer Whales. A Grey Whale disappeared when the Orca showed up. Some Dall’s and Harbour Porpoise seem to pop up when the Orca are far enough away, or when they manage to get away from them. Couple of late reports including reports of Minke, Southern Resident Orca and Harbour Porpoise in the San Juan Islands.

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8 am-ish 2 Transient Bigg’s Killer Whales reported Southbound in Lewis Channel by fisherman.

12:14 pm 6+ Orca South of Rebecca Rocks, Powell River. Looks like they’re angling North towards Coho Point, Texada Island. Doing long dives and taking their time. A few Dall’s Porpoise raced up ahead of the Orca. 12:40 pm The Orca stopped with a few slaps on the water and with the hydrophone down all this time, they finally got very chatty. This is usual after a kill or when they’re socializing. Couldn’t see them or their blows for around 20 minutes! At 1:15 pm 3 Harbour Porpoise came up from the direction of the Orca and stopped close by the skiff to catch their breath before continuing past. The Orca then appeared to turn South where I could see blows heading Denman and Hornby Islands. There was one large male together with a couple of females and a possible calf when I first spotted them and the last blows were from two large males.

3:15 pm 2 Orca Southbound by Havannah Point, Texada Island.

3:41 pm 4 or 5 Orca popped up as we rounded Harwood Island heading South towards the harbour. It looked like there were 2 males and 3 smaller fins, but too spread out between Harwood and the Powell River mill, and no time left to spend with them to confirm. They moved at a pretty good pace, doing long dives and the last blows seen were headed towards VanAnda, Texada Island as we headed into Westview harbour.

About 5 pm 4 Orca – picked them up just off VanAnda and left them about 6:50 pm just off Myrtle Point still Southbound.

6:45 pm These whales just passed by the house, south of town, Whalen Road, Powell River, going south.

12:15 pm Large group of Transient Bigg’s off Nanaimo from Simon.

8 am Report of 1 large fin Orca from someone on the ferry from Quadra to Campbell River. No direction.

8 am Couple of big male Orca – but couldn’t hear where the boaters were.

8:15 pm 12+ Orca breaching, rolling around, tail slapping and just having a great time by Dinner Rock, just South of Lund. Lots of boats out there fishing – getting a great show. (Their huge splashes and even their blows could be seen from Powell River glistening in the sunshine for almost an hour. They appeared to head North. SM)

June 8 (rec’d June 10):

Five whales headed up Okeover Inlet about 4 pm, and then out again an hour later. One very large fin (but definitely not “Captain Hook’), three smaller fins and one very young calf. Photo of all but the calf attached. They might be the same family which came up the inlet in April, but T40 (“Captain Hook’) was definitely not with them this time. (Thank you so much for that report….we wondered where they went. The big male is known as T020, you may have noticed other photos of him in the Sightings reports. I would like to post your photo with credit to you, if that’s OK. It shows others that they too can see them from shore, not just boats. Thanks again for the report and looking forward to getting more updates. SM)

June 5 (rec’d June 10):

6:30 pm approximately 4 Orca close to Sarah Point. Male = T20 (highly probable)

They stayed close in to shore while we watched them even after they passed us. I can’t be absolutely 100% positive but I don’t think they turned into Desolation Sound. We headed back to Lund after about 20 minutes. We were on a dinner cruise. We saw evidence of their catch, a large chunk, in the water near the boat. Liz Kennedy

8:15 am A Grey Whale – yes, lighter grey than a Humpback and very splotchy grey / white patches surfaced three times. I heard it once and saw it twice from the yard as it headed Northbound by Albion (Black) Point, just South of Powell River.

June 6 (rec’d June 10):

We had some good looks at Harbour Porpoise traveling fast away from the Ocean Magic on June 6/13 as well as 3 Minke Whales off in the distance at Salmon Bank June 6th. Same day we saw the L 22’s , a family of three Orca traveling slowly along the west side of San Juan Island. Apparently all of L pod came into these waters earlier in the week. I have only seen the L12’s and the L22’s so far.

3:13 pm Small group of maybe 10 PWS Dolphins at Bodega Point, Kanish Bay area of Discovery Passage.

5:59 pm 150 or so PWS Dolphins by Deepwater Bay, Discovery Pass. 6:27 pm leaving Dolphins Northbound at No Name Creek.

7:45 am A few PWS Dolphins at the Eastern mouth of Hole in the Wall.

1:17 pm 3 PWS Dolphins at Deepwater Bay, above Campbell River milling.

2:40 pm 6 or so PWS Dolphins McMullen Point milling. Stayed with them till 2:52 pm. They continued to forage.

3:22 pm 4 PWS Dolphins at Brown’s Bay Southbound to Orange Point now.

1 pm PWS Dolphins at Henrietta Point Northbound Stewart Island from DMS.

2:40 pm 20 PWS Dolphins in lower Bute Inlet by Fawn Bluffs.

3:37 pm 10 PWS Dolphins milling about at Jimmy Judd Island, Gillard Pass in the Yucalta Rapids.

4 pm 8 PWS Dolphins at Orange Point, Discovery Passage foraging.

6 pm About the same number of PWS Dolphins at Jimmy Judd Island off Sonora Lodge.

12:45 pm 15 or so PWS Dolphins by Church house, Stuart Island, just milling.

4:11 pm 12 PWS Dolphins in Bute Inlet 3 miles in.

4 pm 5 Dall’s Porpoise by Denham Island above the Yucalta Rapids.

12:40 pm Around 8 Dall’s Porpoise raced up the NW side of Texada ahead of some Orca. They slowed down as they headed around Coho Point.

2:50 pm 1 lone Dall’s Porpoise spotted by Gomer Island at the top of Nodales Channel.

1:15 pm 3 Harbour Porpoise came up to and stopped on the opposite side of the skiff from the direction of the Orca. They rested on the surface for a moment or two as if to catch their breath, then slowly continued NE towards Harwood Island.

2:41 pm 2 Harbour Porpoise by Sonora Point, Nodales Channel.

No time given: 2 Harbour Porpoise in Bute Inlet by Arran Rapids.

4:09 pm 2 Harbour Porpoise at the East end of Hole in the Wall.

6:17 pm 2 Harbour Porpoise in Okisollo Channel.

Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours

8 Amish Orca spotted…

2 Herb Porpoise…

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

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