16 August Orcalab reports:

09:19 PDT Multiple pod calls audible.

The A12s with A12 and A33 in the lead led the A35s and the C10s into Blackfish Sound. Meanwhile, other groups moved past CP and into the entrance of Blackney Pass. One group may be heading up the Hanson shore to the west, some might come into Blackney after the others.

10:52 PDT Distant calls audible.
here is a surprise. Around 10am Stubbs Island Whale Watching and the Bluefjord reported that the Bs popped up, unanounced, in the middle of Blackfish Sound! This was as the A12s/A35s/C10s moved westward through Blackfish. We think it is the A5s (A8s+) and A11s who are still in the Strait. Noone has seen the A30s and A36s this morning. Are they still to the east in Johnstone Strait?

11:22 PDT Distant calls audible.
The Bs just entered the Strait after travelling through Weynton Pass. The A8s and A11s are in the Bight. The A12s & the A35s are heading into Queen charlotte Strait. The C10s have disappeared.

23:34 PDT No orcas present.
We've heard no calls so far this evening, and are not sure what happened to the A36s as they headed west in Johnstone Strait this afternoon. We think the A11s, A8s, & Bs all headed east after an intense rub, and that the A12s, A35s & C10s headed north into Queen Charlotte Strait. We are waiting.

15 August Orcalab reports

04:26 PDT Superb sounds!!
We are listening to the Cs on CRPT hydrophone.

08:21 PDT Distant calls audible.
Good morning everyone! We've been listening to calls from the C10s on the CP hydrophone for the past while... it sounds like they are mostly on the Vancouver Island side of Johnstone Strait, making their way to the west. It's another very foggy morning here, so we haven't sighted them yet.

11:06 PDT No calls but orcas nearby
Oh Boy! It was very difficult to read the c10 calls and figure out what direction they ended up going. max flood was happening just when we stopped hearing their calls and logic would have them taking advantage of the tide to go east but we never heard the calls get very loud on the critical Point station. Meanwhile the a12s and the A4s have been seen in Queen Charlotte Strait. They are slowly east bound at Black Bluff. (Tuan/Seasmoke Whale Watching report).

14 August Orcalab reports

10:03 PDT No orcas present.
Another foggy morning here. We think the A12s continued up into Queen Charlotte Strait after passing through blackney pass at 4:30am. There has been a report of whales off Lizard Point milling. As of now there has been no identifications. Down to the east the A36s are off Kelsey Bay (Robson Bight Charters report). They are headed east with others yet to be identified. We thought that after the 1:30am rub the A30s, A4s, A5s, Cs and A36s went off to the east. The A5s we believe came up from the east to have the rub and encourage the others to follow them back to the east. We will keep you updated when the information comes in. meanwhile, we are waiting for the thick fog to lift and begin our day.

13 August Orcalab reports

08:17 PDT Distant calls audible.
We think we are getting the next wave of orcas coming up out of the east. We are now listening to the Cs and possibly the A5s as well. The A36s,A11s and the A12s faded off to the west a short while ago. Very foggy this morning.

09:34 PDT Multiple pod calls audible.
The A30s have arrived back in the Strait and have met up with the A12s,A4s,A36s and Cs. they are eastbound from the west end of Hanson Island. meanwhile the very big group of transients of the last couple of days just went through Blackney to blackfish Sound after passing CP.

10:01 PDT Orcas (may be) approaching cameras.
The whales have moved down the hanson shore and approaching the entrance to Blackney Pass. We may be filming soon.

11:30 PDT Multiple pod calls audible.
It is certainly one of those days - very intense. The transients are continuing west from the west end of Blackfish Sound while the residents (the A36s, Cs (C10s,C6s), A4s (A11s at least) and A30s continue to move into the Reserve. The A12s turned back to the west at the Sophias and are moving towards CP once more.

12:37 PDT Orcas rubbing on the shore bottom.
The Cs have entered the Beaches. We are sending an alert.

15:01 PDT Orcas (may be) approaching cameras.
the A12s are up to (but not in) Weynton Passage and the A36s & Cs are moving west towards CP. Surface camera is on Ch. B

17:46 PDT Distant calls audible.
all the groups have turned. Spread out, heading to the east.

18:23 PDT Multiple pod calls audible.
As the A12s went the farthest east they became last on the turn. We are currently listening to the A30s closing in on the bight & Critical Point .
Helena
13 Aug 2005 18:23:38 PDT

19:16 PDT Orcas rubbing on the shore bottom.
Old news by now- but the whales are having a lovely rub this evening. A30s first.

21:16 PDT Orcas rubbing on the shore bottom.
It is getting very dark at the beaches but the A36s and the C10s are very much there, taking their turn after the A4s and A30s. Perhaps they will go back and join in again.

22:27 PDT Distant calls audible.
Westbound? The night begins!

12 August Oraclab reports

09:55 PDT No orcas present.
Rather a late start this morning. But it was quiet through the night. There are still whales to the east (most likely the A4s/A5s/C10s and A12s). There is no further word on the Rs or the transients of yesterday. Calm day and we will see what unfolds.

11:43 PDT No orcas present.
Everyone in the western Johnstone Strait is happily watching various humpbacks in different locales. There are 3 in Blackney Pass at the moment. Meanwhile,the C10s are far to the east,at Camp Point, while the A12s are travelling with the A4s and A5s in Nodales Channel which is not too far from the Cs.

15:58 PDT No orcas present.
Over the afternoon there have been a few developments: a group of orcas may be nearing the Eve River on their way to the west. This may be the C10s who were reported earlier going west from Camp Point. The a36s apparently turned up in Nodales! We lost track of them days ago and they must have gone east and not out to the west as first guessed. The other surprise is that there have been persistent reports of the A12s off Campbell River. Earlier it was reported that they and the A4s and A5s were in Nodales.The latest report has them and the A11s heading north through Seymour Narrows (north of Campbell River).

10 August Orcalab reports

16:40 PDT No calls but orcas nearby
Lots happening! the A12s turned off big bay and are now headed across to the Vancouver Island shore. A group of transient orcas have come out of Knight Inlet and are headed toward Donegal Head. And finally, the very BIG group which was seen earlier in the day is still far to the west of the "core area". Some of the groups have broken off and moved away while another group remains off the Port Hardy airport and is still eastbound. There is not yet a complete description of who has been positively sighted but it may include A4s, A5s along with Cs.

21:29 PDT Multiple pod calls audible.
If you are watching Channel A you will have realised that a silent group came through Blackney and are passing CP. For us at the Lab the whales were on the far side in fading light but we think that the A4s and A5s were in the two groups which passed. While they were entering the last part of Blackney, just before entering the Strait, we began to hear R clan calls on Flower Island. There is currently a large boat in Blackfish which is drowning the calls. This could soon be very exciting!

21:58 PDT Multiple pod calls audible.
The Rs, who are very vocal are still in Blackfish Sound, close to the Flower Island hydrophone. Ahead of them, the C10s, A5s, &A4s are already in Johnstone Strait, heading east.

22:53 PDT Multiple pod calls audible.
Everyone is momentarily quiet BUT the Rs are negotiating the last part of Blackney while the A12s,A4s, A5s and Cs are passing Critical Point. Strange how they all fell silent at the same time!