Bigg’s and Northern Residents crossing paths, Breaching Humpback Whale and so much more!
Transient Bigg’s and Northern Resident Orca passing each other in channels helps create a bit of confusion in sorting some the reports when they come in as ‘Orca’. We hope we have organized them correctly from piecing their travels together. There is also some excitement in the posibility that our Powell River baby A103, ‘Albion’ is a girl! But we need to be sure before posting. We have our ‘Sea Fair’ Humpback Whale spotted again, a small Grey Whale in Nitnat Lake, Dolphins, Porpoise and a beached whale report update for those of you who may have heard this on the radio.
Susan MacKay & Lynne Cracknell, Whalesand Dolphins BC
Have you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise?
Every sighting report is valuable!
TRANSIENT BIGG’S KILLER WHALES
Transient Bigg’s Orca
Aug. 5, 2014
Bradden Kiley
August 5:
5:10 pm: After leaving the Northern Resident pod hugging the Vancouver Island side westing, we came across another group of Orca, (Transient Bigg’s) hugging the Thurlow Island side.
(This is usual when the Resident and Transient Bigg’s pass each other in tighter quarters. They tend to stay as far apart as possible. – SM)
There’s One big male, one that looks like a sprouter (juvenile male sprouting the large dorsal)
5:30 pm: Transients slid over to Vancouver Island side approaching Humpback Bay, near Chatham Point.
6:22 pm There are 4 Transient Bigg’s, not 5 as thought. We’re at Ripple Point now still Eastbound. Lots of zig zagging, hard to keep track of them.
Leif Nordman, Campbell River Whale Watching.
August 4:
9:50 am: Transient Bigg’s Orca heading north towards Powell River proper, in Malaspina Strait near Black Point. There were 6 or 7 of them, one big male, they were feeding.
Michael Stewart, Powell River
August 4:
10:10 am: There are 5 Orca in front of my place right now. They are between Albion Point and Myrtle Rocks, (Powell River) northbound.
Bill Taylor, Powell River.
August 4:
12:06 pm: Large group of Transient Bigg’s Orca just below VanAnda by Raven Bay (Texada Island) southbound now. It’s a big group – at least 7 small fins and two small calves.
(from talking to a number of the whale watching guides on radio – SM)
August 4:
12:55 pm: So we have the T090’s and T046B’s – still southbound along the Texada shoreline.
1:52 pm: Now they are at Northeast Point, Texada Island, still southbound…Vancouver, anyone?
Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions.
August 4:
2:30 pm: The Orca are now past Northeast Point and still heading slowly south.
2:35 pm: Leaving them now, they are still heading south and staying close to the beach.
Aaron Webber, Campbell River Whale Watching.
August 3:
8:10 am: Reports of 6 – 7 Orca southbound at Separation Head, Quadra Island, heading for Seymour Narrows.
9:46 am: ID’s as follows: T018’s and T019B, T046B’s, T002C’s. There is a big gang at the Fishing Pier now.
11:07 am: Leaving the scene. Transient Bigg’s Orca spread out almost to Salmon Point, South of Cape Mudge, many boats on scene.
Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions.
Transient Bigg’s Killer Whales
August 3, 2014
Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions.
August 3:
9:04 am: 5 Transient Bigg’s Orca southbound by Painter’s Lodge, also Oak Bay has 7 or so Orca by the Mill. Actually, Oak Bay has 9 Transient Bigg’s Orca.
5:05 pm: Leaving the 8 transient Orca at Favada Point on Texada, they are southbound at 4 knots very close to the shoreline. Have been very active: breaching, tail flapping and so on.
Fabien Minfray, Eagle Eye Adventures.
August 3:
9:43 pm 5 Orca at Willow Point, Campbell River, Southbound along the shore.
Jack Springer, Campbell River Whale Watching
August 3:
12:06 pm: Orca between Mitlenatch Island and Sentry Shoals, southbound and performing.
1:00 pm: We’re with all the Transient Bigg’s Orca on the north west side of Savary Island, southbound.
2:15 pm: Leaving Orca 4 miles off Vivian Island, between Grant’s Reef and Vivian Island, southbound.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whales and Grizzly Bear Tours.
August 3:
12:30 pm: Orca two cables off the Sentry Shoal radio marker, southbound and picking up speed when we left them.
3:15 pm: Orca 1 km. off Vivian Island, out from Powell River, heading towards Vancouver Island.
4:08 pm: Orca are still southbound along the west side of Texada, below Coho Point.
Jos Krijnen, Eagle Eye Adventures.
August 2:
Afternoon: 5 Orca in Sechelt Rapids. They were headed into the inlet as we passed.
Bob and Joan Nichol (sp?), Powell River
August 2:
9:40 am: 5 Orca northbound by Hidden Harbour, Campbell River, mid strait.
3:18 pm: 2 Orca at Duncan Bay approaching Race Point northbound. Make that 3 Orca now.
3:35 pm 2 big male Orca now – I think possibly the T18/19s.
Leigh Nelson, Adventure Quest Tours.
August 2:
10:00am: The 5 Transient Bigg’s are the T46B’s complete with calf.
Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions.
August 2:
9:18 am: There are apparently 5 Orca northbound heading for Cape Mudge. This is from a fishing guide.
3:05 pm: 7 Phantom Orca appeared above Chatham Point westbound. Long dives and bumpy seas.
4:17 pm: Transient Bigg’s T18 and T19’s northbound at Brown’s Bay.Guess that answers the Phantom Orca.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whales and Grizzly Bear Tours.
Transient Bigg’s Killer Whales
August 2, 2014
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whales and Grizzly Bear Tours.
August 2:
4:34 pm: They are past Brown’s Bay already, split up with two on the Vancouver Island side and two on the Quadra side of Johnstone Strait.
Jos Krijnen, Eagle Eye Adventures.
July 31:
9:23 am: Possibly 6 Transient Bigg’s Orca southbound by Chatham Point. Fabien is on his way.
Bradden Kiley, Painters Lodge.
July 31:
9:30 am: Orca at Chatham Point.
11:00 am: The Transient Bigg’s KW’s are at Cinque Islands, southbound. A couple of Pacific white Sided Dolphins went flying past us and the whales.
2:56 pm: The Transient Bigg’s are now off April Point, slowly moving southward.
Geord Dunstan, Discovery Marine Safaris.
July 31:
11:30 am: Transient Bigg’s T018’s and T019B still southbound in Discovery Passage, two nautical miles west of Brown’s Bay. They are travelling and resting – no hunting.
12:00 pm: T018’s and T019B are fanned out over one nautical mile three nautical miles off of Vancouver island shoreline, heading for the Mittlenatch Island /Sentry Shoals area, 4 miles south of Cape Mudge.
4:45 pm:Orca between Mittlenatch Island and Vancouver Island, still moving slowly south.
Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions.
July 31:
1:20 pm Left the Transient Bigg’s Orca by Maude Island, Southbound.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whales and Grizzly Bear Tours.
July 31:
1:20 pm 2 Orca mid-strait off Race Point, Seymour Narrows, heading South with another 2 at the mouth of Menzies Bay also Southbound.
1:56 pm: Leading Orca are now on Quadra side, opposite Race Point, heading towards Copper Cliffs, leaving the scene now.
Mark Evans, Campbell River Whale Watching.
July 31:
3:13 pm: The four of them (Orca) are across from Quathiaski Cove on Quadra island, southbound at 5 knots.
Fabien Minfray, Eagle Eye Adventures.
July 31:
5:38 pm: Transient Bigg’s Orca approaching Mitlenatch Island after a possible meal and a play session.
6:58 pm: Leaving Orca between Mitlenatch Island and Sentry, heading towards Sentry.
Bradden Kiley, Painters Lodge.
NORTHERN RESIDENT KILLER WHALES
August 5:
7:49 am: Lee (Leigh?) has Orca at Hall Point, Nodales Channel, east bound.
Jack Springer, Campbell River Whale Watching.
August 5:
8:00 am: Leigh is up early, he has one male and 4-5 others in Nodales at Hall Point. He is slowly easting with them, they are just basically foraging.
3:35 pm: Coming up to Palmer Bay, we’re still westing with NRKW Orca.
Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions.
August 5:
8:00 am: With the A8’s at Hall Point.
8:30 am: They’re just foraging between Hall and Owen Point in Nodales, no direction.
9:40 am: Orca now heading south out of Frederick Arm.
2:57 pm Leaving the A8’s at Ripple Point, Johnstone Strait, Westbound.
Leigh Nelson, Adventure Quest Tours.
August 5:
1:35 pm: The A8’s are at Rock Bay.
2:50 pm: Leaving A8’s at Ripple Point, westbound.
John Lapp, Discovery Marine Safaris.
August 5:
5 pm Leaving the A8’s still Westbound 1 mile past Palmer Bay along the Vancouver Island shoreline making a line towards Camp Point, Johnstone Strait.
5:10 pm: After leaving the A8’s hugging the Vancouver Island side westing, we came across another group hugging the Thurlow Island side.
(See Transient Bigg’s report for balance. This is usual when the Resident and Transient Bigg’s pass each other in tighter quarters. They tend to stay as far apart as possible. – SM)
Leif Nordman, Campbell River Whale Watching.
August 3:
3:47 pm: 6 Orca easting past Adam River – believe that A42’s (two brothers) are with them.
John Lewis, Discovery Marine Safaris.
August 2:
9:30 am: Orca (assumed NRKW’s) by Turn Island.
(from radio)
August 2:
11:20 am: One male Orca approaching Ripple point westbound.
Leigh Nelson, Adventure Quest Tours.
August 2:
11:50 am: The lone male at Ripple is A37 Plumper. He is westbound at 4 knots. Leaving him now.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whales and Grizzly Bear Tours.
August 2:
11:30 am: The NRKWs A8’s are at Camp Point, east bound.
11:40 am: they have just turned and now Westbound.
Jen Furst, Campbell River Whale Watching.
NRKW A88
August
Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions
August 2:
12:09 pm: Having a tickle at Camp Point now…sure hope they come back east! Plumper, one of the A36 brothers) is sure way behind from radio chatter. We didn’t go up; will try to get a handle on the whereabouts of the Transient Bigg’s later and let you know.
Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions.
August 2:
3:58 pm: 6 NRKW Orca westing mid Johnstone strait off Little Bear Bay. Tenacious 3 leaving the scene now.
John Lewis, Discovery Marine Safaris.
August 1:
10:55 am: I have Orca between Kelsey Bay and Camp Point, easting.
Leigh Nelson, Adventure Quest Tours.
August 1:
12:02 pm: With A42’s and A46, at Camp Point.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whales and Grizzly Bear Tours.
August 1:
12:05 pm: At Camp Point with A5’s and the A36 matriline A46, no A37 ‘Plumper’, still easting.
4:27 pm Both the A36 brothers were found. 🙂
Aaron Webber, Campbell River Whale Watching.
August 1:
4:06 pm:Northern Resident Killer Whales easting at Walkem Islands group, mid channel of Johnstone Strait.
John Lewis, Discovery Marine Safaris
August 1:
4:27 pm: Northern Resident Killer Whales at the Light heading at 7 knots into Nodales Channel.
Aaron Nagler, Sonora Lodge.
HUMPBACK WHALES
Humpback Whale ‘Cassiopeia’
August 2, 2014
Broderick (Rick) Warren
(more photos below)
August 4:
11:56 am: Humpback whale reported off Sara Point, north of Lund.
Aaron Webber, Campbell River Whale Watching.
August 3:
6:30 am: Humpback whale off the Little River Ferry Terminal near Comox.
Mike, working at Westview Harbour, Powell River
August 3:
12:30 pm: There is a Humpback at the north end of Marina Island… Leif is on the scene.
Jack Springer, Campbell River Whale Watching.
(I spoke to Leif on the radio and the Humpback is BCX0380 I nicknamed Zed, pending correction, if any, with the missing part of tail fluke and the perfect "Z" marking on the other. This is one of the Humpback Whales we had in front of Sea Fair in Powell River. See archived reports for photos.)
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins B.C.
August 3:
1:36 pm: Leaving the Humpback southbound half a mile off the Marina Island Reef Marker.
Jen Furst, Campbell River Whale Watching.
August 2:
10:00 am: Humpback whale sighted south of Mink Island in Desolation Sound in approximately 380m of water.
Rick Warren, visiting Powell River Harbour
August 1:
3:27 pm: Humpback reported at Island from the SV Island Odyssey.
John Lapp, Discovery Marine Safaris.
GREY WHALES
August 1, 2, 3:
Over three days, Friday, Saturday and Sunday there was a small Grey Whale see having gone through the extremely treacherous Nitnat Narrows, slightly North-East of Carmanah Point, into what’s called Nitnat Lake, a deep salt water lagoon. I observed it on the East side of the lake, others had seen it on West side, and then it was seen on the North side of the lake on Sunday. I didn’t hear of anyone having seen it on Monday, so hopefully it made it back out of the lake safely into the open ocean.
Yvonne Coors, West Coast Vancouver Island
PACIFIC WHITE SIDED DOLPHINS
August 3:
11:00 am: 7 Pacific White Sided Dolphins reported at Horn Point.
Aaron Nagler, Sonora Lodge.
August 1:
9:45 am: Huge – 1000? – group of Pacific White Sided Dolphins by Cordero Lodge.
Radio
August 1:
4:27 pm: 6 or so Pacific White Sided Dolphins at entrance to Frederick Arm, top of Nodales Channel, earlier.
Aaron Nagler, Sonora Lodge.
July 31:
8:29 am: One dozen Pacific White Sided Dolphins at Plumper Bay, northbound. From Brad at Painter’s Lodge.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whales and Grizzly Bear Tours.
July 31:
9:30 am: Pacific White Sided Dolphins at 45 Point. Possibly two groups northbound.
11:00 am: A couple of Pacific White Sided Dolphins have just gone flying by us at the Cinque Islands where we are observing some Transient Bigg’s Killer Whales Southbound in Discovery Passage.
Geord Dunstan, Discovery Marine Safaris.
July 31:
12:45 pm: Pacific White Sided Dolphins splashing along the shoreline towards Hall Point in Nodales channel.
1:50 pm: 15 Pacific White Sided Dolphins at the mouth of Frederick Arm.
Leif Nordman, Campbell River Whale Watching.
DALL’S PORPOISE
August 4:
9:00 am: 6 playful Dall’s Porpoise between the Little Dent Island light and Horn Point, also saw 6 Stellers Sea Lions on Jimmy Judd in Yuculta Rapids this morning.
Aaron Nagler, Sonora Lodge.
August 4:
4:00 pm: 10 Dall’s Porpoise at Garner island, very playful!
Fabian Minfray, Eagle Eye Adventures.
August 1:
4:27 pm: Small group of Dall’s Porpoise at entrance to Frederick Arm earlier today.
Aaron Nagler, Sonora Lodge.
August 1:
4:30 pm: About 10 or so Dall’s Porpoise at Owen Point.
(from radio)
July 31:
1:50 pm Dall’s Porpoise seem to be around every corner in Nodales Channel. Smaller groups of them, but we’ve seen them through our trip so far.
Leif Nordman, Campbell River Whale Watching
July 31:
6:00 pm: 20 Dall’s at Owen Point, very playful.
Fabian Minfray, Eagle Eye Adventures.
July 31:
7:00 pm: Group off small sized Orca in Sutil Channel northbound direction. May be heading to Viner Island. Dall’s Porpoise also in the vicinity.
Colin Griffinson, Pacific Yellowfin.
HARBOUR PORPOISE
August 1:
3:45 pm: 5-6 Harbour Porpoise way at the back of Thurston Bay.
Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions.
July 31:
4:43 pm: 4 Harbour Porpoise at Cape Mudge.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whales and Grizzly Bear Tours.
Humpback Whale ‘Cassiopeia’
August 2, 2014
Broderick (Rick) Warren
EXTRA
July 31:
11:45 am: Report of a beached whale at Flora Island, south end of Hornby Island. Person later reported that someone had confirmed that it was actually an Elephant Seal.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC
LINKS
Health concerns for Kiska, the only Killer Whale presently held in captivity in Canada. Officials at Marineland in Niagara Falls, Ontario, deny that there is anything amiss.
The False Killer Whale Calf who was rescued near Tofino in July is nursing and seems to be slowly gaining strength, giving staff at the Vancouver Aquarium hope for a full recovery.
Have you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise?
Every sighting report is valuable!
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