Wednesday, September 07, 2005

07 September Orcalab reports:

10:25 PDT Orcas near mics.
Earlier this morning the A30s came out of the east and went west to the entrance of Blackney Pass. After travelling a bit further the west (by the sounds) they may have crossed over closer to the Vancouver Island side and then back past the entrance of Blackney and into the Reserve. We heard them again briefly at the beaches and believe now they turned back to the wesy yet again and are currently somewhere in the Reserve. Yesterday, was an intyeresting day, especially after the A12s and the I11s entered the Strait. In total there were about 60 whales. Although it was difficult to track all their movements we think the A30s, I15s and G17s formed one large group that kept to the same general movements. The A12s and the I11s may have picked up the A11s and the A8s after they came out of the east. And perhaps the A12s.I11s etc went off back to the west while the I15s, G17s and A30s went east. Hopefully today will sort out and confusion or whether this was a reasonable guess as to what happened. Time will tell but we won't be surprised by diffeent realities. Stand by!

13:33 PDT Orcas near mics.
The overall picture is a bit clearer thanks to two reports;Robson Bight Charters reported that the A12s were off Camp Point in the lower Johnstone Strait earlier this morning and Troy Bright reported hearing both Gs and As pass Black Bluff around 4:30am headed to the west. We still don't know if all the Gclan groups left the area. We certainly did not pick up any sounds off the top end of Blackfish during the night. Meanwhile, the A30s turned between Little Kaikash and Blinkhorn around 1pm and are now headed east past CP. Very nice calls regardless of the boat noise.

Tuesday, September 06, 2005

06 September Orcalab reports:

11:03 PDT Multiple pod calls audible.
Ok! So this is exciting. At some point in the night the G17s moved into the Strait. They found the I15s and the A30s and all three groups are off Kaikash Creek at the moment perhaps waiting for the A12s and the I11s who are off Donegal Head slowly coming into the area. Not sure if the A12s and the I11s will take Weynton Pass or come down by the Lab. The A30s, I15s and G17s are being very quiet and we have only heard a few I11 calls on the Flower Island system. The A36s are further west in Queen Charlotte Strait also headed east.

11:30 PDT Multiple pod calls audible.
Adding to today's mix, the A11s & A8s, are heading west past Adams River, on the Vancouver Island side of the Strait, and could be approaching the Ecological Reserve in an hour or so. Meanwhile, the I15s, A30s & G17s have turnnd back to the east & are heading for Robson Bight, also close to Vancouver Island.

13:58 PDT Superb sounds!!
Despite the boat noise the day continues to be exciting. There about 60 orcas in the Strait at the moment. They are converging. The I11s and the A12s came in via Blackney (past the Lab). They were all mixed up together, playful and in a hurry. They passed CP (some close) and rushed off to the east and the rest of the waiting groups (the A11s, A8s, A30s, I15s and the G17s). The get together will probably happen offf of the Cliff and Robson Bight. It will be interesting to see how they pull it off.

15:17 PDT Orcas rubbing on the shore bottom.
Whales have reached the Beaches.

16:53 PDT Superb sounds!!
The a11s have gone into the Main beach as well. The A30s were heard on Critical Point just before this.

Monday, September 05, 2005

08:08 PDT Distant calls audible.
The transients are still calling in Johnstone strait. Overnight: the resident orcas (the A11s, I15s, A8s and the A30s - in that order) headed east past the reserve. We last heard the A30s around 3:30am. We first heard the transients at 2:43am when they were in Blackfish Sound. They quickly moved to the Strait while the A30s enjoyed a rub before moving on to the east after the other resident groups.
Helena
05 Sep 2005 08:08:09 PDT

Sunday, September 04, 2005

13:50 PDT Orcas (may be) approaching cameras.
Another group of orcas, probably the A11s and A8s, is heading west in Johnstone Strait, some are approaching CP. Channel A. Meanwhile, the I15s are headed west from Blackney Pass, & the A30s are headed east from Blinkhorn.

16:18 PDT Multiple pod calls audible.
it has been a very full afternoon with the A11s/A73 7 a8s coming up from "below" to join the I15s and the A30s. The A30s have blended with the A11s and the a8s west of CP and are now on their way over to join the I15s who are closer now to the Vancouver Island shore. The I15s had been close to CP before their move west and they were followed by the A11s & A8s soon after. The small humpback just went past CP.

19:30 PDT Distant calls audible.
The whales continue to be in the far western section of the Strait and so we are still hearing distant calls.

22:16 PDT Superb sounds!!
After moving west slowly in Johnstone Strait for most of the day, the whales turned to the east at about 7pm. The A11s are probably ahead and have passed CP with the A8s, A30s and I15s making their way to the east behind them under a beautiful star filled sky.

Friday, September 02, 2005

05:18 PDT Multiple pod calls audible.
It sounds like the A11s & A8s have come back from the east again & are with the A30s & I15s in Robson Bight again... we are listening to them on the Critical Point hydrophone.

09:55 PDT Distant calls audible.
Good morning everyone! We're hearing distant calls from the I15s & A30s as they make their way to the west in Johnstone Strait. We're not sure what happened to the A4s & A5s after their brief appearance earlier this morning.

12:17 PDT Multiple pod calls audible.
We have now been listening to A4 & I15 calls as well as the A30s.

16:16 PDT Multiple pod calls audible.
Time again to catch up: The A30s stayed forever off of CP while the I15s went off to the Rerserve with the A11s and the A8s. After their rub we heard the I15s,A4s and the A5s return to tthe Robson Bight area. The A30s left to the east and were last seen angling over towards Izumi.

18:22 PDT Multiple pod calls audible.
The groups are moving up the Vancouver Island shore to the west, the lead group is approaching Little Kaikash just past the Blackney Pass entrance.

19:10 PDT Multiple pod calls audible.
As we suspected the whales have turned. Straitwatch confirmed this for us and apparently they turned just shy of Blinkhorn and began to angle towards CP.

21:17 PDT Orcas near mics.
it sounds like everyone (A11s,A8s,A73,A30s & I15s) have returned to the area off the Bight. There has already been one cruiseship pass through and perhaps another is on its way through Blackfish. In between is nice.