Yet another large Fin
Whale has been struck by a cruise ship and carried into Burrard
Inlet. This is the third in just the past few years and it's not
understood why these, second largest of the whales, seem to be struck
in this manner. Perhaps others are as well, but since they tend to be
smaller, perhaps they fall off the bulbous bow whereas the Fin Whales
seem to get caught between the hull and the bulbous part. No matter
what, speed tends to be an item of concern, as with all vessel
strikes.
In our report we have
many Transient Bigg's Killer Whale reports, sightings, photos and
video. Humpback Whales, notably our friend 'KC' has adopted the
Discovery Passage area as home. Some Dolphins and Porpoise reports,
and links in the news round this out.
Susan
MacKay & Lynne Cracknell, Whales
and Dolphins BC
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TRANSIENT
BIGG'S ORCA
Transient Bigg's
Killer Whales T124s
May 10, 2015 – 4
Photos
Susan MacKay, SG
Images
May 10:
8:55 am: 10 Orca
northbound towards Powell River from Albion Point, putting on a show.
Bill Taylor, Powell
River.
May 10:
9:13
am: Just sighted at least 6 Orcas south side of Myrtle
Rocks in Powell River heading toward the city. At least 2 large
males.
Laurette
Hamoline, Powell River
May 10:
9:14 am: About 7 or 8
Orca moving quickly past Myrtle Rocks, Powell River, northbound.
Jim Southern, Powell
River.
May 10:
9:45 am: Found the
Orca. They are between Beach Gardens and VanAnda, on Texada Island,
northbound. I keep getting confused counts but there are between 7 –
10 of them in total with 3 bid males, one young calf and a slightly
older one.
10:50 am: We, the Orca
and I, are not quite to the Blubber Bay (Texada ferry terminal) light
off Powell River. They've taken their time, feeding on a kill while
the calves spend their time spy hopping and tail lobbing.
11:37 pm: They are the
Transient Bigg's Orca T124's, the new calf T124D1 is definitely a
male! Leaving them porpoising very quickly between Vivian Island and
Rebecca Rocks with their noses pointed towards Campbell River/Shelter
Point.
Susan MacKay, Whales
and Dolphins B.C.
 |
| It's a boy! |
Transient Bigg's
Killer Whales T124s
May 10, 2015 – 2
Photos
Susan MacKay, SG
Images
May 9:
10:20 am: Orca in front
of Powell River closer to Harwood Island.
Steve and Susan
Grover, Powell River.
May 9:
10:25 am: While I was
talking on the phone to Steve and Susan (above) I spotted the Orca.
Steve abandoned his guests and came to help me find and photograph
them, and we headed right out.
11:00
am: We got most of the way to Harwood Island and saw a flurry of
activity, looked like Pacific White Sided Dolphins being chased by
Orca off Atrevida Reef, so we headed that way. Never saw them again.
Even with Leif Nordman (Campbell
River Whale Watching)
and Garry Henkel (Aboriginal
Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours)
coming in from both sides of Savary Island, no one could find them.
They
had completely disappeared.
Susan MacKay, Whales
and Dolphins B.C.
May 8:
5:30 pm: Transient
Bigg's Orca T002C's moving south towards Hole in the Wall in Okisollo
Channel, from the Gypsy Shoals area.
Leif
is with them.
Nick Templeman,
Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions.
Transient Bigg's
Killer Whale Chasing a Bird
Photo by Danielle
on a tour with
Campbell River Whale Watching
May 8:
7:30 pm: Sounds like
Nick found the Orca on the east end of Hole in the Wall and they were
heading south down the Maurelle Island shoreline.
Garry Henkel,
Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours.
May 7:
7:30 am: Orca about one
mile south of the red can buoy off Cape Mudge on Quadra Island. No
numbers or direction.
8:24 am: There are two
big bulls about half a mile south of the fishing hump.
Elvis, Eagle Eye
Adventures
May 7:
9:16 am: Just spoke to
Coast Wild, and the Orca at the hump are now moving north up from the
green can buoy towards Francisco Point on Quadra Island along the
edge of the Wilby Shoals. Sounds like there are 4-5 animals and a
couple of big fins.
10:06 am: Killer whales
at Francisco Point, Quadra Island, now. Sharky says he thinks they
are Transient Bigg's Orca T002C's again. They are chasing ducks and
trying to corner some Sea Lions, they have been in 100 feet of water
by Francisco Point for the past 40 minutes with no real direction.
4:55
pm: We are at South Rendezvous Island, just lollygagging along.
Pretty sure Mom caught a seal and waited for Scoliosis (Transient
Bigg's Orca T02C2 has scoliosis, and a distinctive spinal deformity)
to come up to her from a ways away and they all shared it. Sure
looked like it. He is quite slow and breathes three cycles to the
rest of the gangs one dive cycle. Hope he is okay. Leaving them now
heading west/northwest up the east side of Read Island shoreline now.
They are coming together and then separating to hunt. T002C2 “Tumbo”
as always bringing up the rear.
Nick Templeman,
Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions.
May 7:
12:56 pm: Killer whales
heading towards Evans Bay in Sutil Channel; they're at Twin Bay now.
1:59 pm: Left Orca in
Evans Bay. Jos is on scene.
Garry Henkel,
Aboriginal Journeys Whales and Grizzly Bear Tours.
May 7:
3:47 pm: Leaving Orca
at Frederick Point, Nick on scene.
Jos Krijnen, Eagle
Eye Adventures.
May 6:
2:49 pm: Transient
Bigg's Orca seen by the green can buoy and Francisco Point, south
east end of Quadra Island, northbound. Only two so far, one big male.
(from radio)
Transient Bigg's
Killer Whales – T086As
May 6, 2015 – 4
photos
Susan MacKay, SG
Images
May 6:
2:50 pm: Orca reported
near the green can buoy and Francisco Point. There are 5 Orca in
total, two big fins. They are the Transient Bigg's T002C's.
4:54 pm: Leaving the
Transient Bigg's Orca at Rebecca Spit on Quadra Island. They are one
mile off Quadra and heading north.
Garry
Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours.
May 6:
3:42 pm: Looks like
Transient Bigg's Orca T002c's with the family cruising slowly
northbound 400 meters offshore 2 km north of Francisco Point.
Jos Krijnen, Eagle
Eye Adventures.
May 6:
7:30 pm: I finally
found the Transient Bigg's T002C's up in Hoskyns Channel and left
them up across from Beazley Passage in Hoskyns Channel 8:30 pm.
Coolest thing was when I first arrived they dove...I started timing
and it was 14 minutes till they surfaced. As they surfaced and moved
on very slowly I looked and something was swimming away from where
they had come up – it was a small buck deer! He swam across Hoskyns
from Quadra Island to Read Island.
Nick Templeman,
Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions
May 6:
7:53 pm: Transient
Bigg's Orca T065A's off Steamboat Island in Puget Sound. Last sighted
heading north. Made one kill on an unidentified prey. And the
Transient Bigg's T049As and T049C sighted heading north in Moresby
Passage.
Josh McInnes,
Victoria.
May 6:
7:55 pm: Orca reported
right off the harbour breakwater in Powell River.
Fabien Minfray,
Campbell River Whale Watching.
May 6:
8:14 pm Was out on the
water just off the Powell River ferry terminal trying out a new
camera. Talk about right place at the right time! See the video
below:
Peter Harvey, Powell
River
May 6:
8:30 pm: Spotted one
from the shore on the way down to the boat and got out around the
breakwater pretty quickly. It was obvious they were on some food,
with the manouvers.
8:48 pm: There are
three Transient Bigg's Orca southbound, no big fins but one of the
juveniles has a distinctive nick on dorsal fin. They are the T086A's.
Susan MacKay, Whales
and Dolphins B.C.
May 6:
8:30 pm: I took this
photo about 8:30 tonight as a few Transients were making their way
south past Westview, Powell River. Not a great photo, and cropped a
couple of times but it does show what it looks to me to be a damaged
dorsal fin?
(we apologize, but could not get the photo to download for this
posting - SM)
Wendy Blaikie,
Powell River.
May 6:
Confirmed
ID's on the four Orca we reported seeing between Campbell River and
Quadra Island on May 4th.
They are the Transient Bigg's T099's and it is T099 who has the new
calf.
Nick Templeman,
Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions.
UNIDENTIFIED
KILLER WHALES
(presumed
Transient Bigg's)
May 8:
1:54 pm: Whales by
Waiatt Bay, Octopus Islands on Quadra Island. (assuming Orca)
(from radio)
May 8:
8:25 pm: Pod of 4-5
Orca northbound from Saltery Bay, and should be almost at Myrtle
Rocks in Powell River by now. (no further reports or visuals, even
though I watched - SM)
Gerry Chabot, Powell
River
May 7:
3:00 pm: Today, at
1500, while boating off Tribune Bay, Hornby Island, we saw a small
pod of Orca. We saw at least four whales and one appeared to be a
calf.
Patricia Nelson and
Murray Cree.
HUMPBACK
WHALES
Humpback Whale 'KC'
or 'Kelp Creature'
May 10, 2015 – 3
photos
Garry Henkel,
Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
May 11:
8:00 am: Two Humpback
whales southbound at Race Point, Seymour Narrows.
Jack Springer,
Campbell River Whale Watching.
May 10:
12:25 pm: Humpback
whale mid channel Discovery Passage in front of Tyee Pool, Campbell
River.
Leigh Nelson,
Adventure Quest Tours.
May 10:
1:02 pm: Humpback(s)
breaching south of April Point. One of them is definitely 'K.C.'
There may be just the one Humpback, but thought we saw two to begin
with.
Jack Springer,
Campbell River Whale Watching.
May 10:
3:22 pm: The Humpback
Whale (K.C.) is dining on herring. The herring are flipping all over
the place here!
Garry Henkel,
Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours.
May 9:
7:45 am: Humpback Whale
southbound in front of the Dolphins Inn, Campbell River.
10:25
am Humpback is feeding in front of April Point.
Jack
Springer, Campbell River Whale Watching.
May 9:
12:12 pm: Reports of a
Humpback off Miracle Beach, between Campbell River and Courtenay, on
Vancouver Island.
Geord Dunstan,
Discovery Marine Safaris.
May 9:
4:59 pm: Humpback Whale
by Copper Bluffs, Quadra Island.
Garry Henkel,
Aboriginal Journeys Whales and Grizzly Bear Tours.
May 9:
5:26 pm: Humpback whale
known as 'KC' Southbound off the Campbell River Spit.
Jos Krijnen, Eagle
Eye Adventures.
May 9:
7:17 pm: Report from a
fisherman, there was a Humpback whale hanging out in Gowlland
Harbour, Quadra Island, all day.
Leif Nordman,
Campbell River Whale Watching
May 8:
10:25 am: Two Humpback
whales at Separation Head, Quadra island, going into Plumper Bay.
Jos Krijnen, Eagle
Eye Adventures.
PACIFIC
WHITE SIDED DOLPHINS
Pacific White Sided
Dolphins
May 8, 2015
Garry
Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
May 8:
2:17
pm: 50 Pacific White Sided Dolphins spread out near Lawrence Point in
Bute Inlet.
Garry
Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours.
DALL'S
PORPOISE
May 9:
11:24 am: Three Dall's
Porpoise off the North side Harwood Island.
Susan MacKay, Whales
and Dolphins B.C.
HARBOUR
PORPOISE
May 10:
2:58 pm: Two Harbour
Porpoise at April Point, near Campbell River.
Garry Henkel,
Aboriginal Journeys Whales and Grizzly Bear Tours.
May 10:
3
pm: While sailing, we sighted (seemingly) many Harbour
porpoise, heading north-eastward in the Georgia Straight (see map)
toward Howe Sound. There seemed to be many in the area, not the same
group moving around. It seemed like 3 or four groups, rather than one
group. I’d guess each group was made up of 2-4 porpoises. Not
certain of the numbers of course, but they were jumping all over the
place! (Jumping leads me to think that this may possibly a bit of
mistaken identity since Harbour Porpoise tend to be quite shy and
mild in their actions - SM)
Loree
May 10:
3:16 pm: About 20
Porpoise at Smelt Bay.
Jos Krijnen, Eagle
Eye Adventures.
May 7:
3:15 pm: On the 3:15 pm
ferry from Comox to Powell River we sighted on two occasions very
small porpoise. The ferry was just past the halfway mark when a
single was seen, and a few minutes later two together were seen. In
both cases the animals were headed towards Vancouver Island. The two
were also observed using binoculars. They were small with a small
triangular dorsal fins, and about 30 cms. was seen on either side of
the fin. We concluded from what we observed that these were most
probably Harbour Porpoise.
Anitra Laycock.
LINKS
Thanks
to Randy Hodge for sending us the link to Mathew Heines' video of a
thrilling encounter with Orca off the San Juan Islands:
Unfortunately,
the rest of the news isn't good:
An
endangered Fin whale has been killed by a cruise ship hit and washed
up into Vancouver's Harbour:
Sadly,
more than 20 dead protected Sei whales were found beached in Chile in
April of this year:
And
a young female Humpback is the fifth dead whale in 3 weeks to be
washed ashore on a Northern California Beach:
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