Transients
T19 & T19B
Vancouver Island
September 6, 2009
Photo by
Marie O'Shaughnessy
Sept. 6
It was one of those serendipitous moments Sunday Sept. 6th, when suddenly out of the grey mist out west, came four Transient Orca,T18, T19, 19B and 19C. We found them along the rugged shoreline of Vancouver Island, near Secretary Rock. I was on the 12.15pm Ocean Magic 2 vessel, and despite the ugly weather we had some nice views of these animals, one of which was an unexpected surfacing fairly close to the boat. Transients are notorious for zig-zagging in all directions so when they pop up close to boats are they at fault and should be given a WARNING ? They are wild animals and are totally unpredctable. Like Heather Harris commented on the Orcanetwork blog, Sept 7th of her experience Sept. 4th with SR's, '' Á picture can say a thousand words '' one just can't anticipate where animals will pop up at all times. It is interesting that these four Transients showed up at this time once again, when Cascadia plans to tag some Transients in the next little while. I read that T19B was tagged last year on Sept. 16th so followed his movements on their site. Fascinating work.
Marie O'Shaughnessy. POW, Victoria BC
