Whales Wave and Celebrate With Us
Cover Image:
Humpback fluking off of Powell River Westview Harbour
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
Happy New Year! Whales and dolphins have been sighted around Nanaimo, Powell River, Lund, and waterways around Johnstone Strait. Many of these sightings took place from land; with patience and diligence in scanning waterways from land, one can often see Cetaceans. The tails of whales can be seen when they dive and spouts (or blows) can be seen when whales surface to breathe. On Christmas Day, a pod of Northern Resident Orca travelled past Powell River heading south delighting many observers in the area. They left as quick as they came as no sightings of them were reported the following day. Other Orca have been spotted but it is uncertain as to whether they were Transients Orca or Resident Orca. Humpback whales were observed in a few areas, including a couple that appeared off Entrance Island near Nanaimo on Christmas Eve. Noteworthy is a group of Pacific White-Sided dolphins that were travelling near Atrevida Reef in close proximity to an unidentified Orca and a large pod of Dall’s porpoise in Toba Inlet.
WOWs works throught the year, so please continue to keep your eyes open, and report your sightings to us.
Ivan Ng, Wild Ocean Whale Society
Society News & Events
Charity Donation Receipts:
2018 Donation receipts will be issued starting in January and in time for tax season. Please ensure we have your correct email address on file.
We appreciate and thank you for your kind donations. Our Donations page
Real Time Monitoring Station Live Update
Our Cetacean Web Camera YouTube Channel is live. We’re continueing to work on resolving transmission problems causing the intermittent bouncy images from the Beach Gardens Marina camera. Our second (backup) live stream mounted in Powell River appears when the Beach Gardens camera is down. We appreciate your patience.
Thank You to our Volunteers and Contributors!
Our team of online Volunteers continue to do a great job in making sure all your sightings reports are mapped and published regularly. Would you like to join us?
Review our current Volunteer Job Postings
Review our current Volunteer Job Postings
Sightings Update
SIGHTINGS MAP – ISSUE: 2019-001
TRANSIENT BIGGS KILLER WHALES
Thu Dec 20 2018
15:27 • Biggs Orca ◦T002Cs◦ passing by Blind Channel. A few Orca, including a young one.
Eliot Richter, Blind Channel Resort
Mon Dec 31 2018
14:53 • est. 5 Biggs Orca just south of Dodd Narrows, Stuart Channel. Two babies. They seemingly fed and hung around moving slowly for an hour.
Moira Parkinson, DeCourcy Island, BC
Transient Biggs Killer Whales
Five Bigg’s just south of Dodd Narrows
Mon, 31 Dec 2018 – 4 items
Moira Parkinson, DeCourcy Island, BC
Transient Biggs Killer Whales
Five Bigg’s just south of Dodd Narrows
Mon, 31 Dec 2018 – 4 items
Moira Parkinson, DeCourcy Island, BC
NORTHERN RESIDENT KILLER WHALES
Tue Dec 25 2018
11:15 • NRKW Orca off Mystery Reef, Malaspina Strait. One big fin seen. ▫ Observed from Shore
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
Northern Resident Killer Whales
Northern Resident Killer Whales off of Mystery Reef
Tue, 25 Dec 2018 – 8 items
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
Northern Resident Killer Whales
Northern Resident Killer Whales off of Mystery Reef
Tue, 25 Dec 2018 – 8 items
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
12:11 • NRKW Orca off the Powell River Mill (Pulp & Paper), Malaspina Strait.
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
12:50 • NRKW Orca ◦A42s◦ heading south off the Powell River Viewpoint, Malaspina Strait. ▫ Observed from Shore
13:20 • NRKW Orca ◦A42s◦ off Grief Point, Powell River, Malaspina Strait. Observed through webcam.
Susan MacKay, Wild Ocean Whale Society
13:45 • est. 5-6 NRKW Orca heading south off Myrtle Rocks, Malaspina Strait.
Wendy Heathcote, Powell River, BC
13:45 • NRKW Orca ◦A42s◦ moving quickly, passing Myrtle Rocks. Aimed towards Lang Bay.
Susan MacKay, Wild Ocean Whale Society
14:10 • est. 4 NRKW Orca foraging, heading south, south of Myrtle Rocks. Seemed to be feeding – going back and forth for about 10 minutes before moving on south bound. ▫ Observed from Shore
CM, Powell River, BC
14:15 • NRKW Orca foraging, off Myrtle Point, Malaspina Strait. Off Myrtle Point till about 2:15pm, then headed south.
Jim Southern, Powell River, BC
14:30 • est. 7 NRKW Orca travelling, heading south midway between Black (Albion) Point and Myrtle Rocks, Malaspina Strait. 1 Male, 2 young, 1 juvenile, and 2-3 females all close to shore. ▫ Observed from Shore
Liz Kennedy, Powell River, BC
14:51 • est. 5-6 NRKW Orca heading south off Black (Albion) Point, Malaspina Strait. Looks like 2 adults and 3-4 very small ones.
Bill Taylor, Powell River, BC
UNIDENTIFIED KILLER WHALES
Mon Dec 03 2018
14:00 • est. 2 Orca milling, just north of Lund, Malaspina Strait. ▫ Observed from Shore
Brian Voth, Lund, BC
Fri Dec 21 2018
08:19 • est. 6 Orca breaching and playing, off Kelsey Bay and Helmcken Island, Johnstone Strait.
Eliot Richter, Blind Channel Resort
13:15 • est. 6 Orca milling, around Tucker Point, West Thurlow Island, Chancellor Channel. Couple of big fins.
Reuben Buerge, Eagle Eye Adventures
Mon Dec 24 2018
07:00 • 5 Orca moving slowly, heading south between Sarah Point and Malaspina Inlet, Desolation Sound. This family group travels through monthly for the past 2 years. ▫ From Power or Sail Boat
RT, Galley Bay, BC
Tue Dec 25 2018
16:00 • 2 Orca inside Rebecca Spit, Drew Harbour. Small fins. ▫ Second Hand
Reuben Buerge, Eagle Eye Adventures
Sun Dec 30 2018
16:00 • 1 Orca moving quickly, heading north between the shore and Atrevida Reef north of Powell River, Malaspina Strait. Looked to be moving with a pod of dolphins. ▫ Observed from Shore
CA, Powell River, BC
HUMPBACK WHALES
Tue Nov 06 2018
15:00 • 2 Humpback Whales heading north-west just north of Lund, Malaspina Strait. ▫ Observed from Shore
18:00 • 2 Humpback Whales moving slowly, heading south-east just north of Lund. ▫ Observed from Shore
23:00 • est. 2 Humpback Whales moving slowly, heading north-west just north of Lund. Sighting was from our patio and by hearing only. It was pitch black but we had seen 2 Humpbacks in the same area twice earlier in the day. This ‘sighting’ sounded very close to shore. Our house is on the waterfront and the water is quite deep close to shore. ▫ Observed from Shore
Brian Voth, Lund, BC
Wed Nov 07 2018
12:05 • 2 Humpback Whales breaching, just north of Lund. On November 6th, we had seen two mature Humpbacks from our house at 3pm, 6 pm, and 11 pm. Today around noon, we again saw two mature Humpbacks, this time about two or three hundred feet directly in front of our house – they were just kind of milling around. It was calm and sunny. After a few minutes they both dove under. I expected they would be under for about 5 minutes, and it was cool so I went into the house to put on another layer. I came back to the patio and was just pulling up a chair to wait for them to surface when they both came shooting straight up out of the water, perfectly vertical and synchronized. Their bellies were directly facing me, streaming with sunlit sea foam. I’m sure their tails reached at least 10’ above the ocean. It happened so fast and I was so gobsmacked I didn’t’ even think of grabbing the camera that was only a few feet away but I’m sure that sight will be etched into my memory for a very long time!. ▫ Observed from Shore
Brian Voth, Lund, BC
Wed Dec 12 2018
11:00 • 1 Humpback Whales just north of Lund. Short sighting – it dove, and I didn’t see it again. ▫ Observed from Shore
Brian Voth, Lund, BC
Fri Dec 21 2018
16:11 • est. 2 Humpback Whales foraging, halfway between Harwood Island Bluffs and south-west end of Harwood Island, Malaspina Strait.
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
Sat Dec 22 2018
10:55 • Humpback Whales off Powell River Westview Harbour mid-channel of Malaspina Strait.
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
Humpback Whales
Humpback off of the Powell River Westview Harbour
Sat, 22 Dec 2018 – 4 items
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
Humpback Whales
Humpback off of the Powell River Westview Harbour
Sat, 22 Dec 2018 – 4 items
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
11:27 • 2 Humpback Whales out from Powell River Ferry Terminal, Malaspina Strait. Humpbacks were rolling around doing pec slaps.
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
12:13 • Humpback Whales heading south by Willingdon Beach, Powell River, Malaspina Strait.
John Hanna, Powell River, BC
Sun Dec 23 2018
10:33 • 2 Humpback Whales mid-strait out from Sliammon, Malaspina Strait.
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
Mon Dec 24 2018
13:05 • 2 Humpback Whales by Sliammon.
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
13:15 • 2 Humpback Whales heading north off the lightstation on Entrance Island near Nanaimo, Georgia Strait. The two whales came from a easterly direction into forwood Channel, then turned and came around the island’s north east end. Last seen heading in a northernly direction towards the Sunshine Coast. We saw them breathing if that is the correct term, then tail flukeing!.
Mark Quiring, Entrance Island Lightstation
16:36 • 2 Humpback Whales heading south from the Powell River Ferry Terminal towards Westview, Malaspina Strait.
Micheline Macauley, Texada Island, BC
Wed Dec 26 2018
11:10 • 1 Humpback Whales heading south at Ripple Point, Johnstone Strait.
Jess Cavanagh, Blind Channel Resort
PACIFIC WHITE SIDED DOLPHINS
Fri Dec 21 2018
09:35 • PWS Dolphins heading south in front of Powell River Viewpoint, Malaspina Strait. Small group with sea lions.
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
Pacific White Sided Dolphins
Pacific White Sided Dolphins heading south in front of the Powell River Viewpoint
Fri, 21 Dec 2018 – 3 items
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
Pacific White Sided Dolphins
Pacific White Sided Dolphins heading south in front of the Powell River Viewpoint
Fri, 21 Dec 2018 – 3 items
Michelle Pennell, Powell River, BC
Sun Dec 30 2018
16:00 • est. 5-10 PWS Dolphins moving quickly, heading north between the shore and Atrevida Reef north of Powell River, Malaspina Strait. Moving fast with an unidentified type of Orca. ▫ Observed from Shore
CA, Powell River, BC
Wed Jan 02 2019
09:40 • est. 10 PWS Dolphins off Doctor Islets, Knight Inlet.
Jess Cavanagh, Blind Channel Resort
DALLS PORPOISE
Thu Dec 27 2018
11:17 • Dalls Porpoise, Toba Inlet. Just got to the dock in Toba Inlet. We saw a massive group of Dalls up here stretched across the inlet. I’ve never seen so many in one place.
Wayne Wright, Campbell River, BC
HARBOUR PORPOISE
Wed Dec 26 2018
09:20 • 4 Harbour Porpoise off Venture Point, Sonora Island, Okisollo Channel.
Jess Cavanagh, Blind Channel Resort
Archive Explorer
Archive Explorer navigates 15,000+ Cetacean Sightings, images, videos and audio recordings.
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dives into the Coastal Cetacean world. View Cetacean sighting locations, photos and videos:
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Sightings
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The Magazine
WEST COAST + NATIONAL
CBC
For the first time in more than a year, a North Atlantic right whale calf has been spotted.
The finding is significant, as there are only an estimated 411 members of the endangered species left, and until now there have been no sightings of calves in 2018….
read on
The finding is significant, as there are only an estimated 411 members of the endangered species left, and until now there have been no sightings of calves in 2018….
read on
Hakai Magazine, BC
For the past 14 years, scientists have been watching manta rays pick each other up at a known hotspot in the Maldives, recording 229 courtship events. They recently compiled their observations into a report that is, according to Guy Stevens, founder of Manta Trust and lead author, "the most detailed window into the sex lives of mantas."
While the two species of manta rays documented in the study, giant oceanic manta rays and reef manta rays, mate in different places and usually at different times of the year, their mating rituals are quite similar.
The courtship often begins when a female releases pheromones that draw the attention of males in the vicinity. But when a male moves in, the female zooms off. Other males may also join the chase, and with the males in hot pursuit, the female twists and turns in the water, deking around obstacles and navigating at high speed in an effort to judge her suitors’ physical prowess. To attract more males to choose from, she may breach the surface in acrobatic leaps.
"It appears that it’s all building the excitement, trying to engage as many males in the event as possible, which gives her maximum choice later on in the process," Stevens says….
read on
INTERNATIONAL
