Northern Resident Killer Whales, Humpbacks, Pacific White Sided Dolphins and Harbour Porpoise

A publication of Wild Ocean Whale Society (WOWs)

Northern Resident Killer Whales, Humpbacks, Pacific White Sided Dolphins and Harbour Porpoise

Nice to see the Northern Resident Orca back in our monitoring area. The Transient Bigg’s are conspicuous by their absence, but were reported in Queen Charlotte Strait, so not totally gone from the lower coast. The other main reports are of Pacific White Sided Dolphins and some Harbour Porpoise in large numbers. The surprise is that there are few Humpback reports with sightings only during one day. Apologies for the few reports that were missed from the last posting; they’re included here.
Powell River Sea Fair July 26 to July 28, 2013:
Our NEW fundraising DRAW for Two 6 hour whale watching tours donated by one of our regular reporters, Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
Tickets are available on line until July 25th
and throughout Sea Fair – come visit our table
Winner will be drawn at the closing ceremonies July 28th.
Have you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise?
Call 1-877-323-9776or Email your report.
Every sighting report is valuable!
Northern Resident Killer Whales
Northern Resident Orca (A36’s)
July 11, 2013
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
July 12:
8:36 am report through Coast Guard cutter Bartlett that the A36’s were Westbound by Chatham Point around 6 am.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
July 12:
9:55 am A36 NRKW brothers reported at Kelsey Bay. Actually 5 miles west of Kelsey Bay, almost at Port Neville doing 8 knots.
Jos Krijnen, Eagle Eye Adventures
July 11:
8:30 am 4 – 5 Orca (NRKWs) with 2 big males Southbound at Ripple Point close to the Vancouver Island side.
Larry, Nootka Queen
July 11:
9:30 am Orca at Rock Point inbound.
Broken Radio
July 11:
10:20 am A36’s (2 brother NRKWs) are by Chatham Point; 1 close to the light, and the other closer to Thurlow Island inbound to Nodales Channel. There’s a group of PWS Dolphins coming to harass them. 10:24 am In Nodales now from Kurt.
Leif, Campbell River Whale Watching
July 11:
1:48 pm Left one of the A36 brothers foraging by Davis Point, Nodales Channel. Think he was having some good Chinook feeding.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
July 11:
2:30 pm Left the A36 Orca brothers Westbound by Harding Island with Jos.
Jen Furst, Campbell River Whale Watching
July 11:
6 pm The Orca (A36’s) must’ve turned twice since we found them Westbound again by Harding Island.
7 pm They turned again heading back into Nodales Channel. Left the A36 brothers Easting into Nodales being harassed by 12 pesky Whitesided Dolphins.
Mark, Discovery Marine Safaris
July 10:
2:02 pm Northern Resident Orca A36 brothers foraging with Leif and Kurt in Blackfish Sound.
Jack Springer, Campbell River Whale Watching
July 7:
3 pm A30’s in Robson Bight, Johnstone Strait. They headed past Cracroft Point Westbound.
Jack Springer, Campbell River Whale Watching
Humpback Whales
Humpback Whale
July 9, 2013
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
July 9:
8:24 am Humpback at Rock Bay Southbound.
Radio
July 9:
9:53 am Humpbacks, possibly a Mom and calf?, mid-channel Discovery Passage between Okisollo Channel and Elk Bay. They’re travelling with a pod of Dolphins as well. Jen
10:42 am Jen and Leif departing Humpback and calf plus 12 Dolphins playing mid strait between Granite point and Bodega point.
Jack Springer, Campbell River Whale Watching
July 9:
1:32 pm 2 Humpbacks Southbound now in Seymour Narrows.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
July 9:
3:21 pm The Humpbacks are off the Cape Mudge lighthouse, Southbound.
4:18 pm They are both pretty large, so unless these are different ones, not Mom and calf. We’re South-West of Mitlenatch aiming for Sentry Shoal now.
Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions
July 7:
2:30 pm 2 Humpback Whales by Cracroft Point, top of Johnstone Strait.
Jack Springer, Campbell River Whale Watching
Pacific White Sided Dolphins
Pacific White Sided Dolphin
July 12, 2013
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
July 12:
9:53 am 50 PWS Dolphins socializing and cavorting between Horn Bay and Little Dent Island (Yuculta Rapids area).
Aaron Nagler, Sonora Lodge
July 12:
11:05 am PWS Dolphins by Sonora Point, Nodales Channel.
Radio
July 12:
11:09 am About 80 PWS Dolphins at Thurlow Point (across from Sonora Point) in Nodales Channel foraging. There’s also another group with a number of babies at Horn Point, farther up the channel.
Jos Krijnen, Eagle Eye Adventures
July 12:
11:57 am 60 PWS Dolphins Westbound at Chatham Point doing 10 knots.
4:11 pm 100 PWS Dolphins Southbound at No Name Creek; few minutes later they’re Northbound now! Foraging.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
July 12:
4:23 pm 12 PWS Dolphins Southbound off Dolphins Resort, just North of the Campbell River Estuary.
7:30 pm Left the big group just South of Bodega Point.
Geord, Discovery Marine Safaris
July 11:
9:30 am PWS Dolphins spread out….somewhere?
Broken Radio
July 11:
10:50 am 30 to 40 PWS Dolphins coming out from Nodales Channel to harass the 2 Orca (A36’s).
Leif, Campbell River Whale Watching
July 11:
11:30 am 20 PWS Dolphins Northbound at Ripple Point at 10 knots.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
July 11:
5:20 pm 20 PWS Dolphins in Okisollo Channel by Lower Rapids back and forth foraging.
Jen Furst, Campbell River Whale Watching
July 11:
7 pm Left the A36 brothers Easting into Nodales being harassed by 12 pesky Whitesided Dolphins.
Mark, Discovery Marine Safaris
July 10:
9:20 am Group of PWS Dolphins at Horn Point, top of Nodales Channel, heading towards Dent Island, by Yuculta Rapids.
9:39 am 6-12 PWS Dolphins in Seymour Narrows.
Radio
July 10:
9:23 am 40+ PWS Dolphins at Horn Point, Nodales Channel foraging towards Dent Island.
Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions
July 10:
9:40 am Dozen PWS Dolphins Northbound at Seymour Narrows.
Jack Springer, Campbell River Whale Watching
July 10:
10:26 am Lots of Dolphins by Horn Point, Nodales Channel, foraging, jumping and having fun.
1:28 pm 10+ PWS Dolphins in front of Sonora Lodge foraging and milling around. One has a really long dorsal fin, looks almost a foot high and ragged.
Jos Krijnen, Eagle Eye Adventures
July 10:
2:16 pm 20 PWS Dolphins at Kanish Bay, Discovery Passage, Northbound and milling.
3:09 pm 40 PWS Dolphins back and forth at Horn Point, Nodales Channel.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
July 10:
7:50 pm 12 PWS Dolphins between Brown’s Bay and Seymour Narrows foraging.
Mark, Discovery Marine Safaris
July 9:
8:50 am 20 or so PWS Dolphins in or by entrance to Okisollo Channel.
Radio
July 9:
9:53 am A pod of PWS Dolphins are around a Mom and calf Humpback between Okisollo Channel and Elk Bay, Discovery Passage. From Jen.
Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions
July 4:
3:20 pm 2 groups of PWS Dolphins; about 20 Northbound by Walcan, Discovery Passage and another group of around 12 by Quathiaski Cove.
Jen Furst, Campbell River Whale Watching
Harbour Porpoise
Harbour Porpoise
July 9, 2013
Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions
July 9:
4:49 pm While watching the Humpback Whales, I stopped to count Harbour Porpoise foraging in the rip off the red can buoy, South of Cape Mudge. I started to see a few, then more….and i have lost count! I would say there are well over 30+ or more Harbour Porpoise out here. I swear, between 30-40 or maybe more! Once you stopped and looked around, there were times I would see 5-7 surface at once in a small area. They were surging all over, sometimes coming right out of the water…hard to photograph.
Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions
July 9:
4:55 pm 3 Harbour Porpoise in Bute Inlet by Aran Rapids.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
Wild Ocean Whale Society (WOWs) Links:
Financial Status and accounting after initial (March 2013) Fundraising Draw: https://whalesanddolphinsbc.com/wild-ocean-whale-society-wows/
Why Donate and Where does your money go : https://whalesanddolphinsbc.com/donate/
Support and you could WIN a Whale Watching Journey : https://whalesanddolphinsbc.com/win-at-sea-fair-2013/
More web site updates are to follow, but as the saying goes,
"Rome wasn’t built in a day."
Have you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise? Call 1-877-323-9776 or Emailyour report. Every sighting report is valuable!
Whales and Dolphins BC is officially the non-profit Wild Ocean Whale Society (WOWs)