22 June 2007, Orcalab reports:
No calls but orcas nearby
A small group of transients went through Blackney Pass this morning headed to Blackfish Sound. Two days ago, Jared Towers reported that T20,21 59, 59A, 59A1 were eastbound in Johnstone Strait. Humpbacks,minke, dolphins and dalls porpoise continue to be a daily presence.
Helena
22 Jun 2007 08:29:26 PDT
Saturday, June 09, 2007
9 June 2007, Cetaceanlab reports:
We were just getting ready to do a whale survey when Hermann came running back from the beach, a group of Orca was already passing by the lab. He went to get the boat and I put together the camera and hydrophone equipment, within 10 minutes we were on our way. It was just past 6:30 am, the sun was already providing lots of light on the water. We were soon idling along beside this family of orca. It did not take long for us to realize they were Transient orca. The blows were soft, they were taking long dives and we could just sense that they were in hunting mode. We took some photo IDs, one juvenile that had an extremely injured dorsal. There was also one tiny new calf, from this year as it was still quite orange in color. We stayed with them as they followed the Gil Island shore to the west. Then Hermann mentioned that he thought he could see a blow near Ashdown. I looked and said “Oh I think that is a Humpback” I was wrong, there were 2 more groups or orca, going in a different direction then the family we were with. Our first thought was, could these other whales be Resident? It is always interesting and rare to have these 2 different populations of orca in the same area. We slowly made our way toward the first group, a very large male and a female. They came quite close to the boat, definitely Transient, we were able to ID them immediately. The male was T20 and the female T23. Suddenly they turned, right toward the boat, came past our stern only a few feet away, was magnificent!! We then looked for the first group and sure enough they had turned in the same direction, we looked for the 3rd group, same thing, they were now all headed to the south. Interesting how they do this, traveling miles apart and not a single call was heard, at least not by us. We decided to travel towards the third group of 3 females to take some photo IDs. Just as we approached they took a dive, we waited and waited, they just disappeared! After 30 minutes we gave up, even the other 2 group were gone. This is so common with Transients, one minute they are here next they are gone!
We were just getting ready to do a whale survey when Hermann came running back from the beach, a group of Orca was already passing by the lab. He went to get the boat and I put together the camera and hydrophone equipment, within 10 minutes we were on our way. It was just past 6:30 am, the sun was already providing lots of light on the water. We were soon idling along beside this family of orca. It did not take long for us to realize they were Transient orca. The blows were soft, they were taking long dives and we could just sense that they were in hunting mode. We took some photo IDs, one juvenile that had an extremely injured dorsal. There was also one tiny new calf, from this year as it was still quite orange in color. We stayed with them as they followed the Gil Island shore to the west. Then Hermann mentioned that he thought he could see a blow near Ashdown. I looked and said “Oh I think that is a Humpback” I was wrong, there were 2 more groups or orca, going in a different direction then the family we were with. Our first thought was, could these other whales be Resident? It is always interesting and rare to have these 2 different populations of orca in the same area. We slowly made our way toward the first group, a very large male and a female. They came quite close to the boat, definitely Transient, we were able to ID them immediately. The male was T20 and the female T23. Suddenly they turned, right toward the boat, came past our stern only a few feet away, was magnificent!! We then looked for the first group and sure enough they had turned in the same direction, we looked for the 3rd group, same thing, they were now all headed to the south. Interesting how they do this, traveling miles apart and not a single call was heard, at least not by us. We decided to travel towards the third group of 3 females to take some photo IDs. Just as we approached they took a dive, we waited and waited, they just disappeared! After 30 minutes we gave up, even the other 2 group were gone. This is so common with Transients, one minute they are here next they are gone!
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