Very Long Cetacean Report – Catch up after Sea Fair 2013

Sightings updates are below, and it’s a lengthy report, but first a brief, but enthusiastically large Thank You to everyone who helped make the three days of Powell River Sea Fair 2013 a success for us. Even the Humpback Whales just off the fair grounds helped us raise awareness!

Congratulations to Joan Bech of Roberts Creek, the winner of the draw for two 6 hour whale watching tours.

We raised close to $600 from both on line entries and over the three days. Thank you to all who contributed and participated!

Have you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise?

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

Every sighting report is valuable!

July 29:

9 am One Humpback Whale is inside the reef off the Meadows at Savary Island. First heard the blow at 6:30 am. We’d seen blows over the past 3-4 days, but was too far out towards Vancouver Island to tell what species.

July 28:

11:56 am Humpback Whale off VanAnda, Texada. I could see the blows from Willingdon Beach Sea Fair grounds.

July 28:

2 pm We watched 2 Humpback whales, only one tail fluked, but definitely two animals back and forth by the Westview side of Grief Point, then Southbound slowly.

July 28:

5:30 pm Humpback off Grief Point, Powell River.

July 28:

7:30-8 pm 2 Humpback Whales off Vananda, Texada. Possibly 3 of them, but definitely 2. One breached and then few breathes, showed tail flukes and gone.

July 27:

3:30 or 4 pm Looked like 4 Humpback Whales were Southbound by Powell River Mill mid-channel angling towards Texada.

July 27:

3:46 pm It was nice meeting you yesterday. I’m sure you’ve already heard, but there are two humpbacks right in front of town right now, heading north towards Harwood. They were here last night as well, with one full breach and a big splash. 5:41 pm I amend my report- I think it’s only one whale and it turned around at about the mill and is now heading back south. At this time it is just south of beach gardens.

Jessica Dohm, Powell River

July 27:

3:48 pm Humpback off Grief Point again.

6 pm Humpback spotted off Grief Point.

July 26:

7 am Just to let you know that I saw a single Humpback this morning at 7:00am towards the north eastern end of Texada , (below the microwave tower on Pocohantas Mtn) and about 2/3 across the Malaspina Strait. The same 5 or 6 blows at the surface and then a deep dive, could be same Humpback again. At 7:30 I saw blows further south along Texada Island in the large bay before Vananda. One peculiar observation was that this whale did the surface breathing and then a deep dive as I was expecting but then about 15 seconds later was back at the surface a short distance away. Could it be 2 whales again? I tried to get the scope on the area but tree tops obscured a lot of my view. I did see further blows at 7:45 further south again before I lost them.

July 26:

8:49 am 2 Humpback Whales still out in front of Powell River between Grief Point and VanAnda.

July 26:

11 am 2 Humpback Whales with Kurt and Leif half way between Grief Point, Powell River and VanAnda, Texada.

July 26:

1:30 – 2:30 pm 1 Humpback was off Beach Gardens, Grief Point.

July 25:

6:30 am Just spotted the humpback out front of Texada St heading south. Rats…have to get ready for work and can’t watch.

July 25:

7 am Two Humpback Whales right out in front of Westview, Powell River.

July 25:

10:07 am This Humpback Whale off Grief Point is HUGE – the largest I’ve seen.

July 25:

11:50 am One very large Humpback is by VanAnda, Texada Island.

12:42 pm One Humpback off Grief Point and the larger of the two Humpbacks is somewhere off Texada.

1:28 I’m still off Grief Point with Humpback Whale. Some Transient Orca are off the Powell River mill heading this way.

July 25:

2:30 till 4 pm We watched 2 Humpback Whales off Beach Gardens, Grief Point, Powell River. One big yacht came VERY close to one. We had also seen them Sunday, July 21^stby Myrtle Rocks.

July 25:

3:08 pm Left Orca heading South at Grief Point, Powell River. One Humpback Whale in the same spot. That Humpback had a close call with a white motor yacht.

July 25:

3:46 pm Possible other Humpback just South of Mitlenatch Island – just saw flukes. (Confirmed after)

July 25:

4 pm Here are some photos from a large humpback that put on quite a show for us on Thursday off Grief Point. See above photo.

July 25:

9:30 pm Sighting July 25 – just saw 2 spouts and backs of whales, assumed Humpbacks, heading SW down Agamemnon channel near southernmost hydro crossing.

Also saw 2 harbour porpoises at south end of Lewis channel on July 15.

July 24:

Since I am not up on my species, I am going to presume it was a Humpback whale we watched performing out front of the beach gardens..later after helping friends we went back and spotted it out front of Vananda! We had quite a show from the first viewing..jumps, tail. flippers..which were white with black circles underneath. First one flipper, then the other flipper, tail, jump, both flippers waving..exciting most beautiful show!!

July 23:

8:29 pm Humpback(s) just showed up again below VanAnda on Texada side. Chance there are two. We watched them from 8 – 8:20 pm what a great show.

July 22:

9:25 am Humpback spotted approximately 1 1/2 miles off Myrtle rocks. Might be the same seen near Texada about 5days ago.

Arlene Simonar, Powell River

July 21:

Two friends reported watching several Humpbacks blowing and diving just south of Myrtle Rocks Powell River on Sunday PM ..Activity went on for 4 or 5 hours.

John Carter, Powell River

July 20:

1 or 2 pm at low tide, 1 or 2 Humpback Whales were off Mahood Beach, Lang Creek area south of Powell River.

July 29:

8:25 am Orca reported at the mouth of Frederick Arm at 8:10 am – I’m on my way.

8:45 am 5-6 Small fin Transients at Gomer Island, Frederick Arm Southbound.

July 29:

9:27 am 4 Orca reported heading SW between the reefs off Savary Island and Cape Lazo about 45 minutes ago. Other T’s by Horn Point above Yucultas.

July 29:

11 am 5 Transient Bigg’s Orca Southbound at South end of Stuart Island (Orca Point).

July 29:

11:31 am 5 Transient Bigg’s Orca heading into Bute Inlet.

July 29:

6:32 pm 5 T’s all the small fins are at Hill Island Westbound towards Beazley Pass. They’re 1/4 mile off Hill Island heading NW into the sun glare.

July 28:

2 pm T90’s and T100’s Eastbound by Robson Bight.

July 28:

3:55 pm Left 5 Transient Bigg’s Easting at Naka Creek, Johnstone Strait.

6 pm We passed the Transients at St. Vincent Bight, Johnstone Strait Eastbound. They just started to angle over towards Port Neville – may head into Sunderland Channel.

July 28:

Night: Orca were off Marina Island, by Cortez Island from fisherman.

July 27: ?Date?

4 pm 6 Orca Southbound by Myrtle Rocks playing and cruising.

July 26:

11:41 am 4 Orca Northbound at the red can off Cape Mudge.

July 26:

11:42 am Orca moving fast at Cape Mudge Lighthouse now.

July 26:

12:50 pm 4 other Orca at Junction Point in Lewis Channel heading North.

July 26:

1:51 pm Orca at Brown’s Bay milling mid-channel Discovery Pass.

2:59 pm T’s are at Race Point Seymour Narrows Southbound. T101’s/102

July 26:

4:16 pm Leaving Orca Southbound at Cape Mudge travelling 11 knots!

July 25:

12:42 pm On the way down to see the Humpbacks off Powell River, the T101’s popped up off the East tip of Harwood Island, in front of Powell River, Southbound.

July 25:

1:28 I’m still off Grief Point with Humpback Whale. Some Transient Orca are off the Powell River mill heading this way.

July 25:

Around 2:30 – 3:30 pm 3 Orca spotted Southbound in front of Powell River – there was one big dorsal.

July 25:

3:08 pm Left Orca heading South at Grief Point, Powell River. One Humpback Whale in the same spot.

July 25:

9:20 pm at least 3 Transients turned North back up from Albion (Black) Point/Myrtle Rocks. They were possibly on a kill since there were lots of big splashes.

July 25:

9:25 pm 6 Orca – 2 males, 2 females and 2 smaller were rolling, spyhopping and playing close to shore. We watched for around 45 minutes till too dark and they headed North.

July 25:

9:30 pm or so there were 3 Orca, 1 calf, 2 big males and 2 females below Armour Road Northbound.

July 24:

3:27 pm So the Transients T101’s and T102 are Northbound between Mary Point, Cortez Island and Kinghorn Island, just above Sara Point.

4:53 pm Left the Killer Whales with Garry. Had 1 or 2 possibly seal kills. Lots of great breaches and spyhops.

July 24:

4:23 pm I’m with the T’s now.

5:30 pm left the T101’s and T102 by Squirrel Cove heading North.

July 24:

4:55 pm Left T’s Northbound passing Teakerne Arm in Lewis Channel.

July 24:

6:10 pm Left the Orca still Northbound up Lewis Channel North of Teakerne.

July 24:

Evening: Thought you would enjoy a video of an orca that took great interest in our 19 ft boat last evening in Lewis Channel. (Unfortunately I can’t include the video clip in the report due to it’s size – SM)

July 24:

6 pm We spotted around 7 Orca off Tribune Bay, Hornby Island.

July 23:

3:48 pm T30A’s and T75B’s are about 10 miles below Lasquetti Island Northbound at 4-5 knots aiming for Hornby Island.

July 29:

10:16 am At least 3 or 4 Orca (later confirmed to be Resident – SM) Southbound at Ripple Point.

11 am A23’s and A25’s Easting by Walkem Island.

11:31 am Resident Orca now at Turn Island

July 29:

11:54 am A couple of Northern Resident Orca heading towards Thurlow Island and Nodales Channel with some PWS Dolphins.

July 29:

11:54 am The NRKW – A30’s are at Bold Head, the top of Blackfish Sound.

July 29:

1 pm Resident Orca (A23’s and A25’s) are between Howe and Harding Island heading towards Davis Point into Nodales Channel.

July 29:

3:05 pm 6 Resident Orca (A23’s and A25’s) Westbound at 8 knots out from Frederick Arm into Nodales Channel. A60 was the last KW past us into Fredericks Arm. He all of a sudden made an abrupt turn, called so loud coming past us we heard it through the hull, and took off to the West. The rest turned and followed. Seemed like he was leading the pod. I have seen older matriarchs do it, but never a male.

July 29:

4:05 pm Left the Orca (A23’s and A25’s) still Westing out of Nodales.

July 28:

1:25 pm Beautiful day here with the Orca up at Telegraph Cove, Eastbound for now.

1:59 pm The A23’s/25’s and A30’s have turned to the East from Beaver Cove.

July 28:

2 pm A30’s, A23’s and A25’s in Robson Bight Ecological Reserve.

July 27:

11 am Left A23’s and A25’s Eastbound at Hickey Point, Kelsey Bay. There are 8 to 10 foot seas!

Mark, Discovery Marine Safaris

July 27:

1:58 pm AJ (Andrew Jennings) is with Orca at Camp Point….report is Westbound. Second hand report through Hurricane Jack.

July 27:

11:02 6 Orca Easting now across from Port Neville.

2 pm A23/A25 Westing two miles past Camp Point.

July 25:

3:40 pm A23’s and A25’s at Kaikash, Johnstone Strait, moving slowly East.

July 24:

3:27 pm NRKW are back in town….they’re at Lizard Point, Malcolm Island heading East towards Johnstone Strait. Not sure how many or who, but will be on scene in 30 minutes.

5 pm Left the A23’s and A25’s at Donegal Head, Malcolm Island at the top of Johnstone Strait Eastbound.

Last Saturday July 20th on the 3.30pm Ocean Magic trip we had members of K Pod off the west coast of San Juan Island. Even though we had choppy seas, I was able to get this pic of K 25 who was tagged over the winter months by NOAA/NWFM http://www.nwfsc.noaa.gov/research/divisions/cb/ecosystem/marinemammal/satellite_tagging/blog.cfm

You can see the tag half way down the rt side of the dorsal fin. Stopped working I believe in April /13. It looks nasty when I crop in.

July 22:

4 pm Four Orca in Stuart channel yesterday.. It seemed the whale watching boats had followed them up from Victoria… The whales lingered outside of round island for quite a while and then disappeared.. Seemed the boats were too close and I felt so sorry for the whales. We live on DeCourcy Island so this was all going on in front of our house… around 4 PM

July 29:

9 am Large group PWS Dolphins by Chatham Point.

July 29:

10:07 am 100 PWS Dolphins at Chatham Point, across from Nodales Channel.

July 29:

10:30 am 24 PWS Dolphins fled from the Transient Orca and headed North from Jimmy Judd Island, Yucultas.

July 29:

11:54 am PWS Dolphins in Rock Bay / Chatham Point with a couple of Northern Resident Orca heading towards Thurlow Island and Nodales Channel.

July 29:

12:22 pm Small group of PWS Dolphins with a really tiny calf in Devil’s Hole, by Dent Island.

July 29:

12:30 pm 100 PWS Dolphins at Greensea Bay, Discovery Passage.

July 29:

4:30 pm 100 PWS Dolphins at Elk Bay, Campbell River area, Northbound.

July 29:

6:32 pm Dolphins at Deepwater Bay milling around.

July 28:

9:35 am PWS Dolphins in Duncan Bay.

11 am 75 PWS Dolphins off Howe Island, Nodales Channel.

Geord, Discovery Marine Safaris

July 28:

10:34 am 15 PWS Dolphins at Steep Island, Seymour Narrows frolicking.

July 28:

10:59 am 35-40 PWS Dolphins spread out between Duncan Bay to Walcan. They’re slowly working their way North. Leaving them now.

July 28:

12:18 pm 200 PWS playful Dolphins at Greensea Bay. Just leaving them.

July 28:

12:30 pm 50 PWS Dolphins Southbound above Cinque Islands, Discovery Pass.

July 28:

3:09 pm Dolphins Westbound past Chatham Point fast!

5:55 pm PWS Dolphins Southbound at Kanish Bay towards Campbell River.

July 27:

2 pm Dolphins in Nodales.

July 27:

2:56 pm 100 PWS Dolphins Westbound by Howe Island, Nodales Channel/Discovery pass.

July 26:

8:10 am 75-100 PWS Dolphins in Denham Bay above Yuculta Rapids. No direction – foraging.

July 26:

9 am PWS Dolphins in Seymour Narrows Northbound.

July 26:

9 am 50-100 PWS Dolphins from John’s Point heading down Cordero Channel to Dent Rapids now. Spoke to private boater on radio.

July 25:

10:07 am Hundreds of PWS Dolphins off Chatham Point heading into Nodales. They’re spread right across the channel.

July 25:

1:27 pm 150 Dolphins at Denham Island now.

July 25:

5:53 pm 50 PWS Dolphins at Horn Point Southbound now towards Gillard Pass.

July 24:

9 am Dolphins in Nodales Channel.

July 24:

12:45 pm PWS Dolphins in Denham Bay.

July 24:

11:02 am PWS Dolphins in Nodales Channel.

2:28 pm Left the Dolphins on the East side of Little Dent Island.

July 23:

9:02 am large group of PWS Dolphins at Frederick Arm and a smaller group at Chatham Point.

July 23:

10:27 am Big group of Dolphins Southbound by Cinque Islands, Discovery Pass.

July 23:

1:25 pm Dolphins couple miles off Deepwater Bay.

July 23:

2:09 pm 100+ PWS Dolphins Southbound at Bodega Point spread out across the channel.

July 23:

3 pm 100 PWS Dolphins at Plumper Bay.

3:30 pm Dolphins at Separation Head, Discovery Pass.

July 23:

5:02 pm 8 PWS Dolphins foraging at Howe Island, Nodales Channel and a really big bunch at Seymour Narrows.

July 23:

8:52 pm I left the Dolphins at Browns Bay doing circles.

July 28:

3:37 pm 1 Harbour Porpoise at Breton Islands off Quadra.

July 25:

2:15 pm I saw a group of 3 harbor porpoise at the NE entrance to Manson Passage Savary Island at 14:15 today.
Ron Johnston, Savary Island

July 24:

3:02 pm 8 Harbour Porpoise are in the mouth of Aran Rapids in Bute Inlet.

July 23:

4:12 pm 6-8 Harbour Porpoise at Dent Island.

July 23:

5:02 pm 2 Harbour Porpoise by Penn Islands, Sutil Channel.

July 22:

Out with Mike and Sabina for Hernando Reef trip today. Scheduled Malaspina Nats trip. Spotted several harbour porpoises. I reported them to the Captain as Dall’s, but was immediately corrected…shows you how little I know about marine mammals!