Large Crowd

Multiple pod calls audible.

The very large "crowd" that was reported being in Queen Charlotte Strait yesterday, is beginning to arrive. This happens several hours after the A8s rushed out of Blackfish Sound. So far we have heard, the A30s, A4s,A5s and I15s.
Helena
25 Aug 2009 03:50:14 PDT

Multiple pod calls audible.

Moving in... using every available route. We now are hearing Bs and possibly I31 calls already in Johnstone Strait via Blackney Pass as the A4s move through Blackney on their way to the Strait as well. Getting very crowded!
Helena
25 Aug 2009 04:27:06 PDT

Orcas rubbing on the shore bottom.

Some of the orcas have reached the rubbing beaches, others are in Robson Bight, others are headed east past Alert Bay, others are still coming. The movemenr is generally eastward.
Helena
25 Aug 2009 08:37:53 PDT

Multiple pod calls audible.

Boy, this is busy! First a probable correction is needed. the Bs may not be there. It was a mistake of hearing the word "Bs" for "Ds" in the early morning. What is clear is that the A1s, A4s, and A5s came into Johnstone Strait along with the I15s and I31s between 4 and 5am. The Ds never seemed to come very far to the east so we are not sure where they are now. There is a sleepy group west bound between Alert Bay and Haddington Island on the Vancouver Island pointed toward Malcolm Island. This may be the C6s. There is another large group (whales everywhere today) between Cormorant Island and Malcolm Island heading toward Sointula. The Johnstone Strait whales are west bound from the beaches to Robson Bight spread out from the Cracroft Island shore to Vancouver Island. Whew! hang on to your hats!
Helena
25 Aug 2009 09:59:39 PDT

Multiple pod calls audible.

We now know a bit more of today's distribution: the C6s and G25s are the westbound,sleepy group headed to haddington island; the Ds (all) and I22/39 are the sointula group;the i33s just went by the Cliff a short while ago following the A36s. It is not clear where the the rest of the As and I15s are at the moment.
Helena
25 Aug 2009 10:44:42 PDT

No calls but orcas nearby

the orca shuffle continues: westbound in the Strait are the A30s, A36s,I31s and the I15s. They are spread out from Little Kaikash (west of CP) back to Izumi Rock (the A30s,I15s and maybe part of the I31s along the Vacouver Island side, while the A36s and I33s are on the Cracroft Island side). Eastbound are most likely the A4s,A5s and A12s ,now past the Eve River
Helena
25 Aug 2009 11:12:56 PDT

Orcas near mics.

The I33s just went north through Blackney Pass and are now westbound in Blackfish Sound.
Helena
25 Aug 2009 12:12:16 PDT

No calls but orcas nearby

Here is another correction. The A30s are probably back with their regular company heading east at Hickey Point. (A12s,A4s,A5s and A30s). the two males seen on the Vancouver Island side ahead of the I15s earlier may have been the rest of the I31s (the I33s went north through Blackney Pass). the A36s ended up going through Weynton pass and we heard them as they crossed the top end of Blackfish Sound following the I33s out to the west. The I15s are currently off the entrance to Weynton pass deciding on their next move. The I31s may be with them. Complicated day to say the least.
Helena
25 Aug 2009 14:32:32 PDT

Seasmoke reports
What an exciting day it has been! Just moments after leaving the dock in Alert Bay this morning passengers were viewing orcas. Two groups of orcas who were identified as the C6’s and the G25’s. Both pods were travelling very slowly to the west, heading in the direction of Haddington Island when we left them to view other orcas in Cormorant Passage; the D7’s and the I22’s, possibly C10’s were among them. They were resting and we stayed a distance away which made identifying them more difficult. They had travelled via Pearse Passage taking the back route in behind Cormorant Island while the C6’s and the G25’s had carried on past Alert Bay on Cormorant Island. A Minke Whale was also sighted at this time. Travelling back via the Pearse Islands more orcas were sighted in the distance heading out through Weynton Passage, they were likely some of the I33’s who were heading out at this time. On the late afternoon Motor Cruise the weather had changed as had the movement of orcas in Johnstone Strait. Just as we were leaving the dock in Alder Bay the rain cleared and a most beautiful rainbow emerged arching directly across Johnstone Strait. Orcas were sighted travelling east in Johnstone Strait close along the Hanson Island side, they were moving quickly in the flood current, as were some 200+ Pacific White-sided Dolphins centre Strait, other orcas , the I15’s were heading east as well but closer to the Vancouver Island shore. It was amazing viewing, especially when another glorious rainbow emerged arching again across Johnstone Strait and the dolphins were in the middle with white water moving rapidly above them as they swam, a brilliant blue sky above and the brightness of the rainbow; it was a most remarkable and indelible image to have witnessed, with so many dolphins swimming inside of the rainbow. As we neared the south-east end of the Sophia Islands, the I15’s had crossed over, meeting up with the other G-Clan orcas. It is here that we left them and turing back, the seascape had turned to silver and the image of several female orca fins were etched wonderfully in a cloud formation ahead of us, not unlike those of the I15’s! It was an amazing and very special day of viewing.

C10s had 2 new babies!

Distant calls audible.

Sorry, our internet was down for quite a while yesterday. The problem was outside our network. It seems to be working now so time to catch up. Yesterday, after moving back and forth in the Strait, the A30s headed west to Weynton Pass and curled around Hanson Island to meet up with the C10s, who we had heard earlier in the morning. Both groups then came east to Blackney Pass and then Johnstone Strait. They continued east "down" the Strait and past the Ecological Reserve on the Cracroft Island side.By 4pm they were opposite the Adams River and still eastbound. We never heard them return. At 2:30am the A36s came back via Blackney Pass to Johnstone Strait. They then went east to the Bight. At 7:30am the C10s returned west tight along the Cracroft Island shore. At the moment, there are whales near to Telegraph Cove. It is very,very, foggy. We will find out soon who this might be. There are two new babies in the C10s, one for C10 herself and one for C23 (thanks Jared for that info).
Helena
24 Jul 2009 09:22:33 PDT

Distant calls audible.

At about 10:15am the A36s with A12 (!) were headed east to Blinkhorn. They have continued and are now passing Cracroft Point. No sign of the C10s who probably left silently earlier this morning. The fog is slowly lifting out of Blackney Pas.
Helena
24 Jul 2009 12:22:10 PDT

Cs arriving in Johnstone Strait area

Multiple pod calls audible.

New visitors! being brought in by an A1 group.
Helena
23 Jul 2009 05:46:52 PDT

Multiple pod calls audible.

I forgot to mention that it sounds like the Cs.
Helena
23 Jul 2009 05:51:05 PDT

Seasmoke reports
Today we encountered two groups of resident orcas heading east of Burnt Point in Blackfish Sound, they were the A30’s who were in the lead followed by the C10’s; both pods were favoring the Hanson Island shore and traveling slowly against a strong ebb current. As the groups neared the bottom of Hanson Island the A30’s stalled, were milling about and resting against the current while the C10’s moved ahead milling just at Cracroft Point allowing the A30’s to enter Johnstone Strait first. This is the first time for seeing the C10’s this summer so it was very exciting indeed. It has been confirmed by DFO that both C23 and C10 each have new calves. With both the pods in Johnstone Strait, they began heading to the east. The viewing was beautiful throughout and it was wonderful observing the dynamics between the two pods. There was a lot of interaction between family members with pectoral and tail slapping and spy-hopping being observed.

C6s also in the area

Distant calls audible.

There are faint calls through the heavy boat noise in Johnstone Strait!
Helena
05 Apr 2009 05:05:15 PDT

No calls but orcas nearby

Most likely the group that was off the Bight early this morning has headed west into Queen Charlotte Strait via Blackney Pass. At this point we think the C6s were part of this group.
Helena
05 Apr 2009 12:15:31 PDT

No orcas present.

It has been quiet (except for boat noise) since around 1am. We think several of the groups from yesterday (A12s, A5s, at least some A4s) remained in Johnstone Srtrait & were probably headed east by midnight. At least one C group headed north via Blackney Pass around 12:30am. It's a quiet morning here, on & under the water. We are waiting.
Helena
23 Jul 2008 08:01:17 PDT

Distant calls audible.

Curious. More questions. We are hearing both A4 and Cs in Johnstone Strait. Have the A11s come west after the rub? Did all the Cs go out to Blackfish Sound? Did some stay? Or have they looped around Hanson Island?
Helena
22 Jul 2008 22:41:35 PDT

Multiple pod calls audible

.

Oh boy! The A11s are rubbing while the Cs travel into Blackfish Sound. Both are vocal.
Helena
22 Jul 2008 20:47:09 PDT

No calls but orcas nearby

Marie, staying late on the Cliff, reports that the Cs are with the A11s opposite Robson Bight headed east.
Helena
22 Jul 2008 20:16:37 PDT

Multiple pod calls audible.

It has been interesting trying to figure out all of the movement around the area. It now appears the A11s (including Springer) arrived in the Strait possibly past Alert bay. As they were making their way east, the Cs went past the Cliff to the west, ignoring the A5s, A34s and possibly the A24s (an earlier arrival this afternoon) who continued east to the eastern end of the Reserve. We still have plenty of questions and tracking.
Helena
22 Jul 2008 19:22:26 PDT

Multiple pod calls audible.

Several developments! More orcas have been sighted heading east past Alert Bay; the A4 group that came in via Weynton Pass has made it as far as the rubbing beaches; the A5s & A34s are headed towards the Cracroft side from Robson Bight; and the Cs are westbound again, now off the Sophias.
Helena
22 Jul 2008 18:44:33 PDT

Multiple pod calls audible.

The Cs and the A34s are headed to the Ecological Reserve and the whales coming from the east have been identified as the A23s and A28.
Helena
22 Jul 2008 13:52:27 PDT

Orcas near mics.

The Cs just went south through Blackney Pass. They were very spread out but we believe both matrilines (C10s and C6s) were there. They are entering Johnstone Strait now. The A34s headed west past the entrance of Blackney Pass along the Vancouver Island shore earlier. Another group of orcas were also seen heading west at the Broken Islands (lower Johnstone Strait).
Helena
22 Jul 2008 12:21:30 PDT

23 june 2008, Cetaceanlab reports:

Since about two weeks we are listening to a whole new part of the north coast, as we installed a new hydrophone station at the north east side of Aristabazal Island. We are now able to listen to Caamano and Estevan Sound which the whales use quite often during their travels through this area. The timing of installation could not have been better as late last night the under water world of Caamano Sound was filled by the excited calls from A, G and R-Clan members of the northern resident orcas. The whales were first vocal on our “Home station” as they traveled south in Squally Channel at about 11pm. By that time the ocean was totally quiet below the surface after another noise polluted day filled with up by 100 sport fishing lodge boats operating day after day during the summer months in this area. We got the impression that the whales really enjoyed the silence underwater as their calls were so absolutely excited and did not stop for another four (!) hours. It was one of these rare occasions where no man-made noise interrupted their “All-Clan” meeting. Acoustically, we were able to make out the: A36, A4, A5, a B,C,D group, G and R-Clan matrilines, this may have been well over 100 whales. The whales were very close to the hydrophone at Aristazabal Island at 4:10am before fading away towards perhaps Laredo Channel.