30 July Orcalab reports:

01:38 PDT Distant calls audible.
The Cs have gone to the north through Blakney Pass.

12:55 PDT No calls but orcas nearby
The A12s are heading back to the west after a fabulous rub. The C10s have been seen heading east from Lizard Point.

14:52 PDT Orcas near mics.
The A12s are off CP qand we are hearing the Cs approaching Weynton Passage/Blackfish Sound from Donegal Head.

15:19 PDT Distant calls audible.
The C10s rounded Donegal with an unusual choice to head west past Mitchell Bay. The A12s are still near Kaikash Creek headed west.

18:03 PDT Distant calls audible.
The A12s are getting closer to Robson Bight - we're hearing their calls, along with persistent boat noise, on the Critical Point hydrophone. They are heading east. Meanwhile, the Cs have re-entered Johnstone Strait via Pearse Passage, at the western end of Pearse Islands, and are also heading east. Further out, near Numas Island, a large group of orcas has been sighted.

19:00 PDT No orcas present.
The C10s never did actually make it to the Strait but carried on past Sointula instead. We have had surpising and possibly wonderful news of an extraordinary large group of orcas making their way into the area. Some are actually not too,too far away.

29 July Orcalab reports

06:54 PDT Orcas hunting fish. Good morning everyone! We are listening to echolocation and a few "B subclan" calls on the Critical Point hydrophone. It sounds like at least the C6s have returned from the east, and are fishing in Robson Bight as they make their way to the west in Johnstone Strait.

08:23 PDT Distant calls audible.We're hearing occasional distant calls on the CP hydrophone as the (probably) C6s make their way to the west. They are close to Vancouver Island, a little to the west of Kaikash.

10:14 PDT Orcas approaching Orcalab. The C6s have turned and moved over to the Hanson Island side and are nearing the east end of the island & Blackney Pass. Cp is going to start filming.

11:37 Superb sounds!!The whales are eastbound and after passing CP have headed over to the reserve.


Screenshot taken by Mousey

12:34 PDT Orcas rubbing on the shore bottom. The Cs have been in for a rub at the Main rubbing beach. It may not be over.

13:14 PDT Orcas hunting fish. The Cs turned back to the west after their rub, & are now back in Robson Bight, fishing. We're hearing their echolocation on the Critical Point hydrophone.

14:41 PDT Distant calls audible. the Cs have moved back toward th Cracroft Point area.

15:54 PDT Distant calls audible. The Cs have turned again. This time just shy of Blinkhorn. Just like this morning they are now eastbound angling toward Big Bay on the Hanson side.

16:14 PDT No orcas present. The Cs are headed across the opening of Blackney Pass towards Cracroft Point.

17:11 PDT Distant calls audible. The whales have repeated themselves and after reaching the bottom edge of Hanson Island they crossed Blackney Pass and are now going east aiming for the reserve again.

18:21 PDT Orcas near mics. The Cs are now in the Reserve and by the sounds not far from Critical Point.

20:18 PDT Orcas rubbing on the shore bottom. The C's have made it to the beaches.

20:31 PDT No calls but orcas nearby. The C's seem to have left the beaches and carried on to the east. We shall see.

28 July Orcalab reports

08:35 PDT No orcas present. Good morning everyone! We were hearing distant "A" calls on the Flower Island hydrophone until around 4am, and nothing since (except boat noise). We think the groups that headed north through Blackney Pass late last evening (A11s, A8s, probably A12s) continued to the west, as did the A36s (probably), though we're not completely sure. We think some A5s & A4s, along with the C6s, are still to the east in Johnstone Strait. It's another foggy morning here, & we are waiting.

12:26 PDT No orcas present. Again we are in the middle with activity to the west and east of us. There are reports of the groups which went through last night far to the west nearing Port Hardy while there is still at least one group to the east. It is still unclear who is where. We never did hear the C6s return and wonder if there is still A5s in the eastern regions. All the A4s may now be to the west with at least the A8s & A36s. We will know soon if the A12s followed everyone west or stayed in the Strait. Lots of humpbacks not too far away.

17:52 PDT No orcas present. The Naiad Explorer (MacKay Whale Watching) reported that they left the A36s, A12s,A24s,A11s,A73 near the Jeanette Islands (Queen Charlotte Strait). They were still west bound and still moving quite fast. No reports from the east.

25 July Orcalab reports

20:29 PDT Distant calls audible.We have heard from someone from the B/C/D group on Flower Island!

20:32 PDT Multiple pod calls audible. And the A4s as well. (It is C6s).

21:18 PDT Multiple pod calls audible. The A30s, A11s, A23s, & others, are about to enter Johnstone Strait. We're listening to them on the Parson Island hydrophone & they should be visible from CP soon.

22:13 PDT Multiple pod calls audible. The A11s, A35s,A24s, A25s, probably the A43s, A30s and the C6s have joined the A12s in the Strait.

23:14 PDT Orcas rubbing on the shore bottom. The whales have gone into the Beaches.