Delayed Cetacean Sightings Report for July 30 and 31 – Plenty to See

August 8, 2015 — issue No. 2015-027

With so much going on, we’ve managed to get behind with our long reports. There will be a couple of reports run back to back to get us updated. There is still plenty to read and see. Some excellent Dall’s Porpoise photos and the map is at the bottom of the report this time.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC

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TRANSIENT BIGG’S KILLER WHALES

Fri Jul 31 2015

16:00 • 3 Bigg`s Orca between Savary Island and Hernando Island in Georgia Strait.

Evan Ford, Savary Island

Thu Jul 30 2015

20:30 • 4 Bigg`s Orca heading North heading into Seymour Narrows after Menzies Bay, Discovery passage. ?T35As? Left T35As heading to Seymour Narrows after Menzies bay around 2030. They’re ones with brand new calf. ▫ Leaving the Scene

Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions

Transient Bigg’ s Killer Whales

Thu Jul 30 2015 – 9 photos
Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions

18:36 • 5 Bigg`s Orca turned, heading South by the Big Rock, Campbell River, Discovery passage. ?T035As? ▫ On Scene

Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours

Transient Bigg’ s Killer Whales

Thu Jul 30 2015 – 9 photos
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours

18:09 • 5 Bigg`s Orca heading North There’s one really small and pod appears to be all females. ▫ On Scene

Jos Krijnen, Eagle Eye Adventures

14:04 • 4 Bigg`s Orca off Northeast Point There was a call on Ch 16 about an entangled and distressed Orca just a few minutes after the tours had departed. In attempts to find more information and confirmation of possible entanglement, we managed to get someone who had been fishing in the area to confirm that all the whales looked fine. We had all held our breath for a bit though.

Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins B.C.

12:58 • 4 Bigg`s Orca between Lang Bay and Northeast Point They’ve stayed pretty much in the same spot. No-one is left on scene. ▫ Leaving the Scene

Kurt Staples, Eagle Eye Adventures

12:50 • 4 Bigg`s Orca zig zagging, ?T002Cs? ▫ Leaving the Scene

Leigh Nelson, Adventure Quest Tours

11:16 • 4 Bigg`s Orca heading South ?T002Cs? Mom and calf together and the two males are together. ▫ On Scene

Leif Nordman, Campbell River Whale Watching

10:29 • 4 Bigg`s Orca heading South between Myrtle Rocks and Brew Bay, Malaspina Channel. ?T002Cs? They’ve moved closer to center strait at a slow 1 knot. ▫ Leaving the Scene

Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours

Transient Bigg’ s Killer Whales

Thu Jul 30 2015 – 1 photos
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours

09:37 • 4 Bigg`s Orca heading South off Myrtle Rocks, Powell River, Malaspna Strait. ?T002Cs? ▫ On Scene

Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours

09:30 • 4 Bigg`s Orca by Myrtle Rocks, Malaspina Strait. ?T002Cs? They were rolling and splashing – looked like possible mating behaviour. (From discussion; A ‘sea snake’ from one male was obvious, and an explanation that this male may have just been showing off since it was a family unit – SM).

Liz Kennedy, Powell River

08:40 • 4 Bigg`s Orca doing circles, at the bottom of Myrtle Rocks.

Nina Falls, Powell River

08:15 • 3 Bigg`s Orca off Myrtle Rocks. There are 3 orca off Myrtle Rocks this morning. I saw them about 8:15 am and they are still off the point. Here are some pictures.

Wendy Heathcote, Powell River

Transient Bigg’ s Killer Whales

Thu Jul 30 2015 – 3 photos
Wendy Heathcote, Powell River

08:00 • 3 Bigg`s Orca milling, around Myrtle Rocks. ?T002Cs? They’ve been there for the past hour.

Nick, Pebble Beach, Powell River

07:16 • 6 Bigg`s Orca heading South-East off Myrtle Rocks. ?T002Cs? First one group of about two, then three together and then shortly after a mum and calf ( I think ). Mum and calf did a fair amount of tail slapping and playing around. Too bad, I missed the breaching !.

Holly Roy, Powell River, BC

NORTHERN RESIDENT KILLER WHALES

Fri Jul 31 2015

15:47 • NRKW Orca heading West by Adam River, Johnstone Strait. ?A23s, A25s?

John Lewis, Discovery Marine Safaris

13:21 • NRKW Orca 1.5 miles West of Hickey Point. ?A23s, A25s? They’re tight against the Vancouver Island shore. ▫ Leaving the Scene

Leigh Nelson, Adventure Quest Tours

12:45 • NRKW Orca heading West at Hickey Point.

Jos Krijnen, Eagle Eye Adventures

Northern Resident Killer Whales

Fri Jul 31 2015 – 9 photos
Jos Krijnen, Eagle Eye Adventures

06:49 • 9 NRKW Orca heading East past Windy Point.

06:45 • 1 NRKW Orca heading East, Hickey Point, Johnstone Strait. One lone male Orca.

Roger McDonnell, Stubbs Island Whale Watching

UNIDENTIFIED KILLER WHALES

Fri Jul 31 2015

11:45 • Orca playing, in Baker pass by Hernando Island Apparently just playing around. No direction. ▫ Second Hand

Jack Springer, Campbell River Whale Watching

Thu Jul 30 2015

16:45 • 2 Orca off Miracle Beach Park

Radio, overheard or call out

10:17 • Orca in Homfray Channel Water taxi reported blows. No idea if Orca or Humpbacks no direction. ▫ Second Hand

Aaron Webber, Campbell River Whale Watching

HUMPBACK WHALES

Fri Jul 31 2015

17:09 • 2 Humpback Whale milling, at West side of Subtle Island, Sutil Channel. ?BCX0380, Z and friend?

Jos Krijnen, Eagle Eye Adventures

Humpback Whales

Fri Jul 31 2015 – 1 photos
Jos Krijnen, Eagle Eye Adventures

15:04 • 2 Humpback Whale between Whaletown and North end of Marina Island, Uganda Passage

Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours

14:52 • 1 Humpback Whale heading South mid passage by Greensea Bay, Discovery Passage.

Jen Furst, Campbell River Whale Watching

14:28 • 2 Humpback Whale half mile North of Marina Island, Sutil Channel.

Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours

12:06 • 2 Humpback Whale crossing over to Marina Island on the outside of Scallop farm, Sutil Channel.

Aaron Webber, Campbell River Whale Watching

11:42 • 2 Humpback Whale right at the Scallop farm below Heriot Bay, Sutil Channel.

Radio, overheard or call out

11:24 • 2 Humpback Whale heading West by Kelsey Bay, Johnstone Strait.

Jen Furst, Campbell River Whale Watching

10:59 • 1 Humpback Whale heading West in front of Kelsey Bay.

Ed Sharkey, Painter’s Lodge

09:49 • 1 Humpback Whale heading South by Yorke Island, Sunderland Channel.

Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours

Thu Jul 30 2015

17:30 • 1 Humpback Whale heading North went past our wharf in Kelsey Bay, Johnstone Strait.

Joyce Ellis, Kelsey Bay

15:21 • 2 Humpback Whale breaching, by Viner Point, Read Island, Sutil Channel. Kurt is with them.

Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions

09:24 • 2 Humpback Whale between Rebecca Spit and Breton Islands, Sutil Channel. ▫ Leaving the Scene

Jen Furst, Campbell River Whale Watching

09:12 • 1 Humpback Whale off Kelsey Bay, Johnstone Strait

John Lewis, Discovery Marine Safaris

08:51 • 2 Humpback Whale heading North-West between Rebecca Spit and Cortez heading towards Hoskyn Channel.

Jordan McLean, Painter’s Lodge

08:47 • 2 Humpback Whale off Heriot Bay Jordan is with them.

Aaron Webber, Campbell River Whale Watching

GREY WHALES

Fri Jul 31 2015

21:00 • 1 Grey Whale in the Roberts Creek, Georgia Strait. Hi there, I know it’s not a good picture. But we saw a whale yesterday, a Gray Whale I assume, we never saw it’s tale, but it came swimming along the shore off Roberts Creek, all afternoon, we were at the beach (south of Flume Park Beach, down at a small beach at Marlene Road) from 5 – 9 pm and saw it 3 times. 1. Coming from the south around 5:30 staying around at least until 6 pm, 2. and the going back south around 7 pm staying for around 10-15 minutes and 3. then heading back north at around 7:45 pm, not staying for more than 5 minutes. It would come up regularly to breath and then dive back down.

Anna Schuhbauer

20:30 • 1 Grey Whale at Gower Point, Bonniebrook, Howe Sound I watched the grey whale that has been visiting the Sunshine Coast for about a week now at Gower Point (Bonniebrook, Chaster beach) tonight. The whale was in the area from approx. 8 pm – 9:30 pm, lost sight when it went dark.

Karen Holland, Gibsons, BC

Grey Whale

Fri Jul 31 2015 – 4 photos

Karen Holland, Gibsons, BC

??:?? • 1 Grey Whale cruising between Davis Bay and Roberts Creek, Georgia Strait. I just wanted to let you know we have had a grey cruising Davis Bay and Roberts Creek for about a week now. It likes to come in real close and lots of folks excited about getting their first real look at a whale. Photo by Allan Forest.

Geordie Harrower, Sechelt

Grey Whale

July 31, 2015

Allan Forest

??:?? • 1 Grey Whale close to Wilson Creek, Sechelt area Georgia Strait. Georgy Good: July 31 We’ve had a BIG grey whale up and down the coast for a few weeks now. My son and daughter in law were paddle boarding and he swam right under them. We are close to Wilson Creek, last night he and the blue moon rising were a beautiful sight.

Georgy Good, Wilson Creek

Thu Jul 30 2015

16:45 • 1 Grey Whale off Willow Point, Georgia Strait. ?Patches? First thought it was a Humpback, and surprised to see this well known, friendly, small Grey Whale who had recently been attacked by some Orca.

Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions