A4s, A5s and A30s travel together

No calls but orcas nearby

A fairly busy night until 3am. The last calls of the A30s and A5s were at 2:55am. At that point they were still fairly close to Robson Bight. Then at 5:34am 3 blows were heard going south in Blackney Pass and after a short bout of echolocation which was not sourced. The cruise ships (a parade) will have to clear before we are able to hear clearly.
Helena
10 Aug 2009 06:04:35 PDT

No calls but orcas nearby

Just talked with Marie, the A30s, A5s and possibly the A24s are grouped together mid strait off hte Western Boundary of the Ecological Reserve heading east. We have not heard them since 3am, a long snooze. Perhaps the A36s and A12 didn't want to wake so they tip-toed out again via Blackney pass !
Helena
10 Aug 2009 09:21:26 PDT

No calls but orcas nearby

The A30s,A24s,and A5s have been asleep for the entire time, slowly drifting eastward together mid strait until they wee opposite the east end of the Reserve. They are now reported heading west. No sign of the A36s and A12.
Helena
10 Aug 2009 12:36:33 PDT

Distant calls audible.

The A30s,a24s and A5s are moving quickly after their deep slumber, now between Izumi Rock and Kaikash Creek.
Helena
10 Aug 2009 13:22:49 PDT

Distant calls audible.

Around 3pm the A30s began to go east when west of Blinkhorn. They stalled there and waited for the rest to catch up. The A24s had gone west to Telegraph Cove, the A5s were opposite Weynton Passage. The whales all gathered together close to Vancouver Island shore. except one of the A30 males, perhaps A39, who elected to remain mid strait. They are now east of Blinkhorn approaching Little Kaikash and travelling fairly quickly.
Helena
10 Aug 2009 16:07:21 PDT

Orcas rubbing on the shore bottom.

These crazy good (even if somewhat distorted) calls from the A30s,A5s and A24s are now on the Rubbing beaches. The sad news is that a small sailboat called the "Heron", ignoring all the calls from the Cliff observation post, has been travelling through the Reserve and the whales. A party crasher for sure.
Helena
10 Aug 2009 18:32:58 PDT

Distant calls audible.

The A30s and A5s spent some time at the Beaches and we could hear them on that system from 8:30pm to 10:04pm. Very soon after Critical Point picked up the whales as they moved away from the Beaches back to the west. The whales rounded the corner at 10:33pm. It seems as if they are quite spread out. We are still hearing fairly strong A30 calls but calls are now being heard further west as the whales continue to move in that direction.
Helena
10 Aug 2009 23:33:14 PDT

Seasmoke reports
In the afternoon, the orcas who had been further east in the morning had returned rapidly to the west: the A30’s, A5’s and the A24’s. Our first sighting was along the Vancouver Island shoreline west of Kaikash. The pods were spread out, travelling west at a steady rate, foraging as they went. Some pods were also on the Hanson Island side of the Strait just as they had been yesterday afternoon. The A24’s and A23’s foraged near to the Bauza Islets while the A30’s crossed back towards Vancouver Island and with the A8’s and A25’s they stalled west of Blinkhorn waiting for the others to catch up. It was wonderful viewing with multiple spyhopping, tail and pectoral slapping, breaching, porpoising and resting behaviour all being observed. When all of the orcas were close together, they began proceeding rapidly to the east. Heading for home the lighting was beautiful and looking back down Johnstone Strait to the east a Rainbow could be seen.