A24s, A5s and A30s

Multiple pod calls audible.

Maybe this is a real push to the west and the previous one a dress rehearsal. However, the tide has turned to the flood and one would think the whales would like the easy road. This has not been their rule all day and most of their travel has been against the tide. So we will see but so far we have heard the A5s,A4s and A30s on the Critical Point system.
Helena
06 Aug 2009 00:01:35 PDT

Distant calls audible.

After a period of heavy boat noise (cruise ships) we're hearing frequent distant calls on the Rubbing Beach hydrophone. Sounds like the groups are still energetic, & have moved to the east a bit.
Helena
06 Aug 2009 04:13:39 PDT

Superb sounds!!

The A30s are within Robson Bight now after stalling off the east end with the A4s and A5s for quite some time.
Helena
06 Aug 2009 05:26:21 PDT

No calls but orcas nearby

Since the last note, all the groups made it back to Robson Bight, following the A30s lead. Except for the A36s and A12, who made it all the way to the entrance of Blackney Pass by 7:19am, the majority shifted back and forth from Critical Point to a little further west. After great some great excitment when perhaps finding fish, the whales finally decided collectively to rest and move west with the help of the tide. They are slowly moving that direction now opposite the "Cliff".
Helena
06 Aug 2009 09:48:32 PDT

No calls but orcas nearby

Believe it or not, there are orcas out there in Johnstone Strait. After the party there is a whole lot of resting going on!. The A30s made it to Blinkhorn and the A24s crossed over towards them, then everyone turned eastward again. The A30s moved away from Vancouver Island on the turn and are mid strait slowly,silently moving east with the A5s. The A24s are past the Baron Reefs. Earlier today, the A36s with A12 were slipped into Blackney Pass around 7:19am. There have been no further reports about their whereabouts.
Helena
06 Aug 2009 15:44:07 PDT

Multiple pod calls audible.

All the groups are eastbound moving slowly from midstrait towards Vancouver Island. A39 is lingering off CP doing a bit of foraging. The A36s have been found off of Lizard Point without A12. CP thinks she went by them earlier today.
Helena
06 Aug 2009 16:06:45 PDT

Multiple pod calls audible.

Suddenly we heard A12/A36 on Flower Island and we are waiting to see what happens next. After A12 rushed through to the north earlier, the other (the A30s,A4s and A5s) made a move toward Blackney Pass (they had come back quietly to the west) but they decided to turn tail and go back to the Strait. We never saw them but CP was able to keep track of their in and out of Blackney movement. apparently, they were either all tight together or in a long resting line as they moved about. Long resting lines used to be quite common so it is good to see this tradition once again. These groups went west briefly once back in the Strait but then turned east. They are now approaching Robson Bight and have found their voices once again! lovely, like last night.
Helena
06 Aug 2009 22:12:16 PDT

Superb sounds!!

Lovely, lovely,lovely A30s, A5s and A24s!!!!
Helena
06 Aug 2009 22:50:42 PDT

Seasmoke reports
The day was a truly amazing one with wonderful viewing of orcas in Johnstone Strait. Today we were able to clearly view and enjoy all of the pods in Johnstone Strait, they were the A30’s, the A24’s and the A5’s. Our first encounter began with sighting the A24’s traveling very close along the shoreline of West Cracroft Island and close to the Baron Reefs near Cracroft Point.
They crossed Blackney Passage and continued to travel west but as we watched from a distance they turned back towards Cracroft Point. Crossing Johnstone Strait we sighted two more groups of orcas moving to the west slowly, the A5’s were altogether in the lead followed by the A30’s. They were at a distance from the Vancouver Island shore and it was beautiful to observe the resting lines of orcas. One male orca, A39 separated from his pod and foraged further west beyond Blinkhorn and while the hydrophone was deployed we heard their A-Clan calls, at this point both groups of orcas turned back to the east and A39 was observed turning back as well, moving quickly to catch up with his pod. The orcas had been relaxed and resting and some spyhops were seen amongst the A24’s that included A73.