25 July 2007, Orcalab reports:
No orcas present.
We have fixed our internet problem and so can once again post comments. The morning before last the A36s came back to the area. They travelled through Blackney Pass and on to eastern Johnstone Strait. Following several hours behind were the A24s. Prior to these visits, we had the C10s, C6s and D7s pass through. They followed (by a day or so) the A12s, A11s, A35s, A43s and A51s back out past Port Hardy. All in all it has been busy but with considerable gaps in the action around these parts.
Helena & Paul
25 Jul 2007 13:51:12 PDT
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Saturday, July 21, 2007
21 July 2007, Orcalab reports
Orcas rubbing on the shore bottom.
Just now, the A5s are at the rubbing beaches, where they've been for the past hour. The A11s are headed east in Johnstone Strait towards the Ecological Reserve at Robson Bight, & the rest of the A4s are in Blackfish Sound, heading towards the Strait. Also in the Strait today are the A12s, though we're not sure where they are at the moment. Much further to the east are the Cs (both C6s & C10s) and probably all the Ds. Things orca have certainly become much more summerlike in the last day! The weather is quite different - rainy & cool, and a welcome change for our parched forest & garden.
Paul & Helena
21 Jul 2007 19:01:03 PDT
Orcas rubbing on the shore bottom.
Just now, the A5s are at the rubbing beaches, where they've been for the past hour. The A11s are headed east in Johnstone Strait towards the Ecological Reserve at Robson Bight, & the rest of the A4s are in Blackfish Sound, heading towards the Strait. Also in the Strait today are the A12s, though we're not sure where they are at the moment. Much further to the east are the Cs (both C6s & C10s) and probably all the Ds. Things orca have certainly become much more summerlike in the last day! The weather is quite different - rainy & cool, and a welcome change for our parched forest & garden.
Paul & Helena
21 Jul 2007 19:01:03 PDT
Sunday, July 15, 2007
15 July 2007, Orcalab reports:
No orcas present.
All is pretty quiet so far today. Most likely the groups that were here yesterday (the A12s, A11s, A73 and A8s) were spotted in Goletas Channel heading west this morning. They left this area early evening via Blackney Pass. A few dolphins and humpbacks remain in the area.
Helena
15 Jul 2007 13:50:51 PDT
No orcas present.
A little update. Apparently yesterday's groups stalled, turned and are headed east ythrough Goletas. Thanks to MacKay Whale Watch.
Helena
15 Jul 2007 13:56:25 PDT
No orcas present.
All is pretty quiet so far today. Most likely the groups that were here yesterday (the A12s, A11s, A73 and A8s) were spotted in Goletas Channel heading west this morning. They left this area early evening via Blackney Pass. A few dolphins and humpbacks remain in the area.
Helena
15 Jul 2007 13:50:51 PDT
No orcas present.
A little update. Apparently yesterday's groups stalled, turned and are headed east ythrough Goletas. Thanks to MacKay Whale Watch.
Helena
15 Jul 2007 13:56:25 PDT
Saturday, July 14, 2007
14 July 2007, Orcalab reports:
No orcas present.
The 5 year Springer Reunion is in progress in Telegraph Cove and there are a lot of fingers crossed that she and her family and friends will come back from eastern Johnstone Strait by this afternoon. All was quiet over night (except boat noise, of course) and so we believe they are still east. Yesterday, T14 went through the area generating some excitment.
Helena
14 Jul 2007 09:03:51 PDT
Orcas near mics.
Guess what? The whales have returned from the east no sooner than the last post. They are off Robson Bight heading west. Sweet guys they let us sleep!
Helena
14 Jul 2007 09:16:29 PDT
Distant calls audible.
Today was rather wonderful. The Springer Reunion was scheduled to go out on their whale watch, thanks to Stubbs Island, at 2pm. just before the hour struck the A12s led the march up the Strait to just shy of Telegraph Cove. The A11s with Springer were in the rear. A short while later the whales turned and proceded back to the east. They are passing through the Ecological Reserve at the moment. The A8s were travelling with the A35s closer to the Cracroft Island side while the A12s were midstrait and the A11s closer to the Vancouver Island side and now in the lead.
Helena
14 Jul 2007 16:53:59 PDT
No orcas present.
The 5 year Springer Reunion is in progress in Telegraph Cove and there are a lot of fingers crossed that she and her family and friends will come back from eastern Johnstone Strait by this afternoon. All was quiet over night (except boat noise, of course) and so we believe they are still east. Yesterday, T14 went through the area generating some excitment.
Helena
14 Jul 2007 09:03:51 PDT
Orcas near mics.
Guess what? The whales have returned from the east no sooner than the last post. They are off Robson Bight heading west. Sweet guys they let us sleep!
Helena
14 Jul 2007 09:16:29 PDT
Distant calls audible.
Today was rather wonderful. The Springer Reunion was scheduled to go out on their whale watch, thanks to Stubbs Island, at 2pm. just before the hour struck the A12s led the march up the Strait to just shy of Telegraph Cove. The A11s with Springer were in the rear. A short while later the whales turned and proceded back to the east. They are passing through the Ecological Reserve at the moment. The A8s were travelling with the A35s closer to the Cracroft Island side while the A12s were midstrait and the A11s closer to the Vancouver Island side and now in the lead.
Helena
14 Jul 2007 16:53:59 PDT
Thursday, July 12, 2007
12 July 2007, Orcalab reports:
Orcas near mics.
Just a little over an hour ago we awoke to R clan calls in Blackfish Sound. As these calls grew more distant blows were heard in Blackney pass heading south. When the blows went around the "corner" and into Johnstone Strait we began to hear A4s and A12s and so far no further R clan calls. The whales are headed east in the Strait.
Helena
Orcas near mics.
Still no more Rs but there are now also A5 calls in with the A12s and A4s.
Helena
12 Jul 2007 04:43:35 PDT
Orcas near mics.
Just a little over an hour ago we awoke to R clan calls in Blackfish Sound. As these calls grew more distant blows were heard in Blackney pass heading south. When the blows went around the "corner" and into Johnstone Strait we began to hear A4s and A12s and so far no further R clan calls. The whales are headed east in the Strait.
Helena
Orcas near mics.
Still no more Rs but there are now also A5 calls in with the A12s and A4s.
Helena
12 Jul 2007 04:43:35 PDT
Saturday, June 09, 2007
9 June 2007, Cetacean lab reports:
On June 9th we had a report of a large group of orcas to the south of us. As usual we were quick to get our boat ready and since it was so calm we decided to bring Neekas, our dog, with us to see how she responds to our new boat. This turned out to be a great plan. She loved the boat and the whales were extremely attracted to her as she hung her nose over the bow checking them out. One young juvenile swam right beside the boat, on its side, just staring at Neekas, totally bored with us as our camera clicked away. This day we were with the A30s, the A5s including A51 and her calf and all of the A4s.
On June 9th we had a report of a large group of orcas to the south of us. As usual we were quick to get our boat ready and since it was so calm we decided to bring Neekas, our dog, with us to see how she responds to our new boat. This turned out to be a great plan. She loved the boat and the whales were extremely attracted to her as she hung her nose over the bow checking them out. One young juvenile swam right beside the boat, on its side, just staring at Neekas, totally bored with us as our camera clicked away. This day we were with the A30s, the A5s including A51 and her calf and all of the A4s.
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
01 May 2007, Cetacean lab reports:
Well if this first day of May is any indication of what lies ahead, then this will be a fabulous season. It started for us in the dark, close to midnight, a few faint A5 Resident Orca calls on the hydrophone station in Whale Channel. The calls continued for 45 minutes fairly faint. Just as the tide changed to a flood the calls faded and we assumed the whales must have turned and taken advantage of the free ride the flow the water now provided. The next morning at 9am we could hear very faint calls once again in Whale Channel. The calls were getting closer and closer and soon we could determine that we were listening to A5 and A1 calls. At the same time we received an email from Coast Guard and they reported 18 orcas near the top end of Grenville Channel the day before. They were able to take some pictures which we would take a look at later. For now we focused on the acoustic information as this group of whales moved south in Whale Channel, hoping we would soon hear calls on the Home Station. So far lots of A5 calls, then a series of N47-A1 calls, we were so excited as this would mean the A30s were in this group!! Then silence, not a single call, Hermann went to the point to look, I stayed inside hoping to hear even a resting call. Oddly enough after 15 minutes that is exactly what I did hear, one resting call, then an explosion of calls, all on the Home Station. Next Hermann called on the hand held that I should truly run out to the point. This I did and just in time. Out front there were blows and dorsal fins spread out from us to the little island across the way. We counted at least 15 orcas, vocally we knew we had an A5 group, the A30s and possibly an A4 group as there were definitely a few A4 N4 type calls. Some of the calls were so close, others distant with a beautiful tin like echo that seems to vibrate with the exact rhythm of the water. To our amazement, at the same time as this orca parade, the plumpest male sea lion we have ever seen swam by just a few feet from shore. With out a doubt this male could hear both the calls from these orcas and the blows but showed no interest what so ever. How interesting that they know the difference from a resident to a transient orca so precisely, though for survival purposes this does make sense. This group of orcas continued towards Fawcett, vocal the entire way, then a sudden turn and south they all went. We came back inside to take good look at the pictures sent to us by Coast Guard and sure enough they had the same group yesterday close to Rupert that we were seeing today, the A30s, A42s, A51s plus an A4 group.
Well if this first day of May is any indication of what lies ahead, then this will be a fabulous season. It started for us in the dark, close to midnight, a few faint A5 Resident Orca calls on the hydrophone station in Whale Channel. The calls continued for 45 minutes fairly faint. Just as the tide changed to a flood the calls faded and we assumed the whales must have turned and taken advantage of the free ride the flow the water now provided. The next morning at 9am we could hear very faint calls once again in Whale Channel. The calls were getting closer and closer and soon we could determine that we were listening to A5 and A1 calls. At the same time we received an email from Coast Guard and they reported 18 orcas near the top end of Grenville Channel the day before. They were able to take some pictures which we would take a look at later. For now we focused on the acoustic information as this group of whales moved south in Whale Channel, hoping we would soon hear calls on the Home Station. So far lots of A5 calls, then a series of N47-A1 calls, we were so excited as this would mean the A30s were in this group!! Then silence, not a single call, Hermann went to the point to look, I stayed inside hoping to hear even a resting call. Oddly enough after 15 minutes that is exactly what I did hear, one resting call, then an explosion of calls, all on the Home Station. Next Hermann called on the hand held that I should truly run out to the point. This I did and just in time. Out front there were blows and dorsal fins spread out from us to the little island across the way. We counted at least 15 orcas, vocally we knew we had an A5 group, the A30s and possibly an A4 group as there were definitely a few A4 N4 type calls. Some of the calls were so close, others distant with a beautiful tin like echo that seems to vibrate with the exact rhythm of the water. To our amazement, at the same time as this orca parade, the plumpest male sea lion we have ever seen swam by just a few feet from shore. With out a doubt this male could hear both the calls from these orcas and the blows but showed no interest what so ever. How interesting that they know the difference from a resident to a transient orca so precisely, though for survival purposes this does make sense. This group of orcas continued towards Fawcett, vocal the entire way, then a sudden turn and south they all went. We came back inside to take good look at the pictures sent to us by Coast Guard and sure enough they had the same group yesterday close to Rupert that we were seeing today, the A30s, A42s, A51s plus an A4 group.
Saturday, February 10, 2007
10 February 2007, Orcalab reports:
Distant calls audible.
Some of the A5s are still around. We recently heard their calls off the entrance to Blackney Pass in Johnstone Strait.
Helena
10 Feb 2007 15:16:39 PST
No orcas present.
Around 5pm the whales went past Robson Bight and out of range to the east.
Helena
10 Feb 2007 23:10:06 PST
Distant calls audible.
Some of the A5s are still around. We recently heard their calls off the entrance to Blackney Pass in Johnstone Strait.
Helena
10 Feb 2007 15:16:39 PST
No orcas present.
Around 5pm the whales went past Robson Bight and out of range to the east.
Helena
10 Feb 2007 23:10:06 PST
Friday, February 09, 2007
09 February 2007, Orcalab reports:
No orcas present.
A rather late post: Yesterday around 20pm we heard, ever so briefly, A5 calls once again. The event was too short lived for us to locate where they were. Today it has been just typical boat noise punctuated by quieter times.
Helena
09 Feb 2007 17:25:25 PST
No orcas present.
A rather late post: Yesterday around 20pm we heard, ever so briefly, A5 calls once again. The event was too short lived for us to locate where they were. Today it has been just typical boat noise punctuated by quieter times.
Helena
09 Feb 2007 17:25:25 PST
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Sunday, February 04, 2007
Saturday, February 03, 2007
03 February 2007, Orcalab reports:
Distant calls audible.
We thought that the whales might have left as yesterday we got reports of a large group heading out past Alert Bay and Port McNeill between 1 and 2pm. But just now we are again hearing A5 calss in Johnstone Strait. Wet and windy here today.
Helena
03 Feb 2007 15:37:54 PST
Distant calls audible.
We thought that the whales might have left as yesterday we got reports of a large group heading out past Alert Bay and Port McNeill between 1 and 2pm. But just now we are again hearing A5 calss in Johnstone Strait. Wet and windy here today.
Helena
03 Feb 2007 15:37:54 PST
Friday, February 02, 2007
Thursday, February 01, 2007
01 February 2007, Orcalab reports:
Distant calls audible.
Ans now they have joined forces. The A5s and the I31s are travelling together in Johnstone Strait.
Helena
01 Feb 2007 10:50:38 PST
No orcas present.
The A5s (the A51, A43s confirmed) and the I31 group headed east past Robson Bight a while ago.
Helena
01 Feb 2007 14:36:32 PST
Distant calls audible.
Ans now they have joined forces. The A5s and the I31s are travelling together in Johnstone Strait.
Helena
01 Feb 2007 10:50:38 PST
No orcas present.
The A5s (the A51, A43s confirmed) and the I31 group headed east past Robson Bight a while ago.
Helena
01 Feb 2007 14:36:32 PST
Sunday, January 28, 2007
28 January 2007, Orcalab reports:
Distant calls audible.
Well here they are! A short while ago we started hearing A5 calls in Johnstone Strait. We are still trying to figure out exactly where.
Helena
28 Jan 2007 09:12:13 PST
No orcas present.
It was the A8s who we heard this morning. After disappearing past Critical Point they returned this afternoon. By evening they were eastbound again. Alex morton was hearing G clan calls once again.
Helena
28 Jan 2007 23:56:26 PST
Distant calls audible.
Well here they are! A short while ago we started hearing A5 calls in Johnstone Strait. We are still trying to figure out exactly where.
Helena
28 Jan 2007 09:12:13 PST
No orcas present.
It was the A8s who we heard this morning. After disappearing past Critical Point they returned this afternoon. By evening they were eastbound again. Alex morton was hearing G clan calls once again.
Helena
28 Jan 2007 23:56:26 PST
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
24 January 2007, Orcalab reports:
Superb sounds!!
Around 1pm some of the A5s and I33s travelled south into Johnstone Strait via blackney Pass. The groups stalled off the entrance to Blackney Pass for a very long time. They seem to have finllay made the move towards the Ecological Reserve. The A5s are in the lead.
Helena
24 Jan 2007 17:48:37 PST
Superb sounds!!
Around 1pm some of the A5s and I33s travelled south into Johnstone Strait via blackney Pass. The groups stalled off the entrance to Blackney Pass for a very long time. They seem to have finllay made the move towards the Ecological Reserve. The A5s are in the lead.
Helena
24 Jan 2007 17:48:37 PST
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Monday, January 01, 2007
01 January 2007, Orcalab reports:
Multiple pod calls audible.
A good start to the New Year! A short while ago we were startled by loud A5 calls on the Parson Island hydrophone. We probably missed the first A5 group, but there were other whales in sight in Blackney Pass headed for Johnstone Strait, by the time we got to the Lab. As the first A5 group passed close to CP, the rest of the groups were negotiating the last part of Blackney Pass. As they neared Johnstone Strait, we heard I31 type calls along with other A5 calls. They now sound like they are slowly going east in the Strait. They are still calling frequently.
Helena
01 Jan 2007 15:49:11 PST
Multiple pod calls audible.
A good start to the New Year! A short while ago we were startled by loud A5 calls on the Parson Island hydrophone. We probably missed the first A5 group, but there were other whales in sight in Blackney Pass headed for Johnstone Strait, by the time we got to the Lab. As the first A5 group passed close to CP, the rest of the groups were negotiating the last part of Blackney Pass. As they neared Johnstone Strait, we heard I31 type calls along with other A5 calls. They now sound like they are slowly going east in the Strait. They are still calling frequently.
Helena
01 Jan 2007 15:49:11 PST
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