Orca / Killer Whales / Dolphins and Porpoise
Wishing you all a very Happy New Year! Finally, some whale, dolphin and porpoise sightings to report. Our report is up to date (January 2, 2014). This new year hasn’t provided any actual sightings reports in the first two days; the reports are catching up over the holidays. We have heard that the Southern Resident Orca pods were, once again, back down in the Puget Sound area, while the Northern Residents and Transient Bigg’s Killer whales are somewhere in this big ocean of ours. We haven’t heard of any Humpback Whales staying in our coverage area this year and the Pacific White Sided Dolphins we usually have throughout the winter in the upper Georgia Strait seem to be hanging around the Horseshoe Bay to Victoria area mostly. Keep looking, they need to pop up somewhere.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC
Every sighting report is valuable
Have you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise?
Orca by Cape Lazo
December 28, 2013
Malcolm Jolly, Comox
ORCA / KILLER WHALES
December 31:
2 pm There are 3 Orca between Savary Island and Harwood – heading in a sort of southbound direction. They ran over the shoals of Mystery Reef on the SE side of Savary. Will call if they we see them heading towards Powell River, but they are almost out of sight from our vantage point. (These 3 Orca may be the unidentified ones spotted a few days earlier at the top of Johnstone Strait – SM)
John and Joan Treen, Savary Island
December 29:
11 am Southern Resident Orca were just off Jervis Inlet. No numbers or direction known.
Simon Piddock, Cowichan Bay
December 28:
4:00 pm: A pod of at least 8 Orca came by about 1-2 km. off-shore – one (large male) appeared to like to swim upside-down often. Taken from our home 4pm Dec. 28 off Cape Lazo, Comox.
Malcolm Jolly, Comox
Orca by Cape Lazo
December 28, 2013
Malcolm Jolly, Comox
December 28:
9:54 am: You should be seeing the Southern Resident J pod up your way today, (around Powell River). They were last seen between Lasquetti and Texada Islands.
Simon Piddock, Cowichan Bay
December 25:
On Xmas day, early afternoon we spotted what appeared to be a large (female?) Orca and two smaller juvenile Orca swimming south, offshore at Bonnybrook Beach, Sunshine Coast. We viewed the whales for about 10 minutes as they went further from shore and towards Gibsons. It was an amazing Xmas day treat. I made some pics (none submitted) with a wide angle camera, but I can clearly make out two dorsal fins in one of the shots (on super zoom on the computer that is). Thanks for your good work!
David Niddrie
David Niddrie
December 25:
12:30 pm: Three Orca have been sighted very close to shore off Gower Point (Salish Sea, Sunshine Coast – just North-West off Horseshoe Bay). They seemed to be more or less just following the shoreline and heading towards Gibsons. One large whale had a straight, very large, prominent dorsal fin. The second whale was slightly smaller with a smaller, slightly curved, (but not flopped or curled) dorsal, and the third was a smaller one, maybe a baby? with a small straight dorsal.(Possibly the same group by Powell River on the 24th– SM)
Kerry Mahlman.
Orca by Powell River
December 24, 2013
Steve Grover
December 24:
4:20-ish pm Went down to see about getting a few photos of the Orca as they passed by Grief Point, Powell River. I’ve worked on one of the photos I can see 6 animals in the pod including the calf.
Steve Grover, Powell River
December 24:
4:15 pm A pod of at least 1 large male and 3 smaller Orca seen heading south in front of Beacon By the Sea Bed and Breakfast, Penticton Street, Powell River.
Shirley Randall, Powell River
Orca close to shore Powell River
December 24, 2013
Shirley Randall
December 24:
We watched a small pod of 4 killer whales (1 big one, 2 medium size ones and a small one) pass by in front of the house here in Westview just off the ferry terminal. They were slowly heading southbound.
Julie Leon, Powell River
December 24:
4:00 pm: There are four Orca southbound and moving slowly in front of Powell River. Darn, too bad it’s too late to head out!
5:30 pm: Five Orca have now been confirmed, and photos submitted. There is a possible 6th, looking at one of Steve Grover’s photos, including a calf. Possibly these are the Northern Resident Killer Whales known as the A8’s.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC
Orca by Powell River
December 24, 2013
Steve Grover
December 24:
2:39 pm: I have a second hand report that there were Orca between Lund and Savary Island this morning. No indication of numbers or direction or behaviour. Sorry for the scant details.
4:15 pm There are 3 or 4 Orca just passing our place in Powell River. So glad the earlier report was for real!
Grant Rainsley, Powell River
December 24:
8:00 am: Orca have been reported between Lund and Savary Island. No numbers or travel direction given. Will call again if I find out more.
Rick Thaddeus, Savary Island
Orca by Cape Lazo
December 28, 2013
Malcolm Jolly, Comox
December 17:
Just heard there were 7 or 8 Orca in Howe Sound that were spotted from the ferry.
Michael Stewart, Powell River
PACIFIC WHITE SIDED DOLPHINS
December 22:
4 pm Some friends were on the Nanaimo to Horseshoe Bay ferry just now and the Captain announced that dolphins could be seen on all sides of the ferry. There were hundreds, they said! The ferry was midway to Horseshoe Bay at the time. My Grandson says they were travelling in an easterly direction.
Michael Stewart, Powell River
HARBOUR PORPOISE
December 30:
We took a picnic down to the small beach/rock bluffs just to the east of the lighthouse at Lighthouse Park in West Van this afternoon (Monday,December 30, 2013) and had the luck to spot a few small porpoises repeatedly surfacing for air, then diving under and, presumably, fishing in the waters about a half mile to a mile offshore. We were looking over towards UBC. They stayed in the area for at least 30 minutes while we watched. My guess would be harbour porpoises based on the little I know about the different species in the area; they were certainly rather small looking, dark, with a triangular dorsal fin. They weren’t splashing or moving fast so we just saw the top of the head, the back and the fin as they took air and went under again. It was hard to know how many but perhaps 4 or 5 were in the group. Eventually, they headed around the corner (towards Bowen) and out of our sight lines. Made 3 little kids (and 4 adults) very happy to have seen such a rare treat!
J Henry & Family
Orca by Powell River
December 24, 2013
Steve Grover
LINKS
VICTORIA – Record numbers of transient orcas and humpbacks have been sighted in Island waters.
Whale ‘Traffic Jam’ In Southern California Clogs Port; Scientists Can’t Figure Out Mass Gathering
Have you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise?
Every sighting report is valuable!
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