NRKWs, SRKWs, T’s, Humpback, and Minke Whales; Dolphins and Porpoise Too!

So much going on with the preparations for Sea Fair, this report is another long catch-up report.

Some exciting news today about the Northern Resident Killer Whale, Springer A73, now 13 years old, who was successfully rehabilitated in 2002 and re-released in Johnstone Strait; she was seen along the North Coast of BC with her newborn, healthy calf, first spotted July 4 (See Links in the News below)! Some of the other NRKWs are still up in the Bella Bella area and North Coast, while a few other A clan Northern Residents made their way into closer cruising grounds around the top of Johnstone Strait. The upper Georgia Strait still has a few Transient Bigg’s Killer Whales that are very good at sneaking around, a few Humpback Whale reports, and Minke Whale reports. The inlets and channels have also had spotty Pacific White Sided Dolphins and Harbour and playful Dall’s Porpoise sightings.

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 25^th

and throughout Sea Fair – come visit our table

Winner will be drawn at the closing ceremonies July 28^th.

Have you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise?

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

Every sighting report is valuable!

Pod of orcas close to Bella Bella – at least 12 in number including two, large but aloof individuals keeping a distance from main pod. 1 large orca with a curled over and gnarly looking dorsal stayed in the pack. They travelled slowly north to south down far side of Lama Pass about 2 km away from Bella Bella wharf but then angled back towards the northwest and came straight for the wharf area giving all watchers a great show (no breeching though).

2:50 pm The A30’s and A36’s just came into the Blackfish Sound / Johnstone Strait area.

Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions &

(meat eaters)

2 pm 6 Transient Orca at Cracroft Point, top of Johnstone Strait including a couple of calves. ID’d as the T137’s plus others.

12 pm Just got a report (4:19pm) of 3 or 4 Orca at Quathiaski Cove, Discovery Passage, Northbound.

8:14 pm Just got a text from a friend….Orcas Northbound mid-channel level with Westmin Terminal, in front of Campbell River.

9:32 am 2 Transient Orca, so far, are Southbound in Seymour Narrows close to the Quadra Island shore. Confirmed: T020 and T021

July 6:

12:30 pm Left the 2 Orca () at the Cape Mudge Village, still Southbound after a quick seal kill.

Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions &

Yesterday, we had the T 75, T75A and 4 others, the T77’s apparently according to Mark Malleson, who is an expert at ID’s on the whales seen around our area, from Prince of Whales. These were seen off San Juan Island, False Bay, where many of L Pod whales had been seen in the morning.

We had T072 a rare Transient visitor, and possibly the three T75B’s.

I missed the Superpod of Southern Resident Orcas, J K and L Pod that came in (Strait of Juan de Fuca / Victoria area) with all the fog here today.

We did find L 85 with a female and y oungster, looked like L 77 with her L119 baby from 2012 and much the same time as the T’s… Interesting times. Both kinds of Orca near one another, perhaps less than half a mile away from each other. L 85, ‘Mystery ‘and a female, looked like L 77 with her baby L119 from last year.

5:44 pm Humpback Whale was reported at the South end of Quadra Island all day…..from a fisherman.

June 30:

On Sunday we were sailing back from Malcolm Island and saw what I think is a whale just passing alert bay harbour and headed North passing in between Haddington and Sointula. The first two photos are of the same whale moving past Alert Bay towards Sointula. (Confirmed Humpback Whale from photos – SM) We also saw …. see Minke report below.

We had two Humpbacks, and many harbour porpoise, probably around 15-18 in slow motion which was a real change for us, in flat water. (Humpback known as ‘Cassiopeia’ was identified from photo – SM)

10:13 am a Minke Whale is Southbound by Quathiaski Cove.

…. continued from Humpback report…. what I think were two porpoises heading down from Port McNeill along the Vancouver Island side of Haddington Isle. ….the second two are what I thought were maybe porpoises moving down the coast between Haddington and the Nimpkish coast…I will read your website and learn more now that I found it !! (Confirmed Minke Whales from photos – SM)

We had 4-5 Minke whales at Hein Bank. Awesome sightings. Feeding all the time with many bait-balls on the surface. (With photo submitted: Q:Cookie Cutter attacks or just some kind of Fungus on its skin? A:Looks like cookie cutter marks rather than a fungus, but yes, there’s a lot. – SM) Other photos: of two Minkies, possibly a mother and her calf, of the 4-5 we saw.

9:17 am 25 or so PWS Dolphins at Menzies Bay.

11:04 am 20 or so PWS Dolphins above Brown’s Bay, Discovery Passage, foraging.

2:40 pm 20 PWS Dolphins Sonora Point, Nodales Channel, Eastbound. There’s 3 young calves in the group.

5:19 pm 20 or so PWS Dolphins at Duncan Bay, Discover Passage.

Aaron Webber, Campbell River Whale Watching

10:21 am 15 – 20 PWS Dolphins at Barnes Bay in Okisollo Channel.

3:39 pm 12 PWS Dolphins at Walcan, in Discovery Passage, foraging in the tide rip.

3pm PWS Dolphins between South end of Quadra Island and Shelter Point on Vancouver Island.

6:29 pm 40 – 50 PWS Dolphins have been found in Dent Rapids Northbound; from Richard.

Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions &

12:40 pm 50-60 PWS Dolphins spread out Southbound by McMullen Point in Discovery Passage.

1:39 pm PWS Dolphins by Ripple Rock, Seymour Narrows – spread out and foraging. Hard to count in smaller groups heading South towards Race Point.

Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions &

3:23 pm 20 PWS Dolphins Northbound now by Walcan while another 12 are by Quathiaski Cove, Discovery Passage.

10:13 am 50 + Pacific White Sided Dolphins at Hall Point in Nodales Channel.

10:58 am 25 PWS Dolphins at Little Dent Island, just above Stewart Island/Big Bay area.

12:15 pm 25 PWS Dolphins by Denham Bay (above Yuculta Rapids) foraging.

12:52 pm Dolphins at Horn Point (above Yuculta Rapids).

2:17 pm 8 – 10 Dall’s Porpoise foraging in the current by Old Churchouse, Stewart Island. The Dall’s were super playful when I had them, then they went quiet.

Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions &

(repeat from Humpback Report above): we had two Humpbacks , and many harbour porpoise, probably around 15-18 in slow motion which was a real change for us, in flat water.

Down Victoria Way, we had, Dall’s Porpoise and Harbour Porpoise.

Northern Resident Killer Whale Springer, A73 has given birth to a calf on July 4^thnear Bella Bella: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2013/07/08/bc-springer-killer-whale-calf.html

Surfer gets knocked unconscious by Southern Right Whale: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/surfer-knocked-unconscious-as-10metre-whale-tosses-bondi-boarders-with-its-tail-20130707-2pjn5.html

Financial Status and accounting after initial (March 2013) Fundraising Draw: https://whalesanddolphinsbc.com/wild-ocean-whale-society-wows/

Why Report Your Sightings to Us? : https://whalesanddolphinsbc.com/wild-ocean-whale-society-wows/why-report-your-sightings/

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!