August 23rd was a whale-busy day, full of beautiful moments, different groups, and calls not heard in the area for over five years.
By 2:26am, the calls of the A23s were heard in Blackfish Sound and shortly after joined by A50 calls. Forty-five minutes later, many faint sweeping calls resembling R clan vocalizations were added into the mix. This was getting exciting! Members of this clan had not been heard from since August 27, 2020, Those listening on the camp speakers sensed the growing anticipation from the Lab.
At 3:48am, the faint calls of possibly the A25s were detected in Johnstone Strait. They had remained behind waiting on the A50s & A23s. Bookended, we listened to this remarkable unfolding soundscape. Checking AIS we knew the scene would be interrupted by two cruise ship passes, as well as that of the Alaska ferry. Afterwards around 4:30am, the groups travelled south through Blackney Pass in a highly active way, splashing, breaching and with many blows spread across the Pass. Sandra and Paul kept track. The A23s were first followed fairly closely by the Rs and then the A50s. Once through and during yet another clear session of amazing calls, the groups slipped into Johnstone Strait, past Megan at the Cracroft Point camp (“CP”) by 05:23am and headed out into the Strait and eastward.
They trucked their way east and about 6am they met the A25s with a loud burst of excitement. Engaged the A25s joined the others and proceeded east. Around 7:00am, the whales reached Strider Rubbing Beach, led by the A25s, followed by the Rs. Watching them approach the beach from the west in two aligned formations while porpoising suited the excited calls we were hearing. They stopped for a very brief rub – the low tide likely prevented more. Shortly after, the A25s moved to Main Rubbing Beach, still followed by the Rs. The A50s approached last and came into shore. Something triggered a sudden physical shift, they emitted loud calls and dove. They seemed to vanish until we looked westward and there they were offshore, all together in a close group almost stationary. They started moving westward by 8:37am. This gave time for the Rs and A5s to regroup off Main beach and also turn to the west . All the whales were now more or less on the same page. At 9:51am the A23s were east of the Ecological Reserve.
Generally everyone slowly but steadily moved west “up” the Strait. Megan, at “CP” could now see their progress. At 11:07am the A50s, (in the lead, crossed to the entrance to Blackney Pass followed shortly by the A23s cutting close along the Cracroft Island shoreline. Good to remember the whales were working their way west against the current hindering their intentions. The A25s and the Rs stayed together but shifted west also. By now the Rs had been identified as the R13s and R18s as being present by Jared Towers. All but the A50s continued west, Jared noticed that by 12:35pm the lead group had reached Weynton Island, in the entrance to Weynton Pass. The whales were spread from there back to Turn Point. At 1pm they turned east.
Meanwhile the A50s, still just west of “CP” made a push against the current and entered Blackney Pass through the entranceway. But the current was just too strong. We saw them briefly when they came around the “corner” into Blackney Pass and watched as they disappeared in the direction of the Strait.
Undaunted they were eventually joined in the rip by the others coming back from the west. They whales then milled and foraged biding time until conditions improved. They were very vocal and soon reorganised themselves for their collective attempt to make it into Blackney Pass in order to head to Blackfish Sound. The A23s led the way in coming through mid-channel. The rest followed in their respective groupings. They achieved Blackfish Sound by 6pm. The passing brought the first time many here at the Lab had ever experienced seeing these groups of Rs, distinguished by several tall male fins. One can imagine their excitement.
It was then Alex’s turn to watch as the groups angled fast (they were now going with the current) toward the Penfolds and the north shore of Malcolm Island in Queen Charlotte Strait.
Amidst all this activity, Megan’s time filming at Cracroft Point came to an end. After a brief stop at the Lab, she left for home. It is always wonderful seeing her, and her reporting from Cracroft Point will be missed.
