On crossing over to Cracroft Island from the Ecological Reserve in the evening of the 2nd, the A23s most likely (there were no revealing calls) travelled west and possibly out of Johnstone Strait via Weynton Pass. Their calls were finally heard in Blackfish Sound from 2 – 3am on August 3rd. Their calls were clear at first then distant. Two hours later, at 4:58am, they were not only back in Johnstone Strait but fairly well along toward the Ecological Reserve once again. One explanation could have been they took the “short cut” back to the Strait via Blackney Pass on the flooding tide and quickly continued east.
In the vicinity of the Reserve by daylight, A60 and A43 were seen, circling around from the east, toward the remote Critical Point camera off Robson Bight at 7:53am. On the other side, at 8:47am, the Cetus camp at Boat Bay, watched the rest of the A23s pass to the east.
The A23s, altogether, were then reported on the Cracroft Island side heading west past Boat Bay at 12:21pm. By 1pm, they were off the Sophia Islands and just before 2pm were between the Sophia Islands and Cracroft Point. Not speedy but steady. A few minutes later, they were opposite Cracroft Point headed to the entrance of Blackney Pass. Accompanied by the inevitable dolphins they moved deliberately into Blackney Pass and into the Lab’s view by 2:14pm. They took the far side at first but then by 2:35pm altered to mid channel, staying together the whole time. Then with the exception of A95 and one of the younger ones, most continued into Blackfish Sound by 2:47pm. The lagging pair took their time foraging on the cusp of Blackney and Blackfish Sound catching the attention of others who rejoined them to forage too. A few minutes later, at 3:06pm, they all departed to head west into Blackfish Sound.
Just before 5pm, with the A23s still moving west in Blackfish Sound, 15-20 Bigg’s orcas curled quickly around Donegal Head. They were in a hurry. Two hours earlier the same group had passed Troy three miles offshore at Bere Point. In the group was T065 and the distinctive T063 known as Chainsaw or Zorro (in Alaska). His fin has several deep notches on the trailing edge which define his nickname(s). Also in the group, among others, were the T46B1s.
As the Bigg’s carried on into Johnstone Strait and headed east, the A23s, at 6pm, were well on their way into Queen Charlotte Strait.
Approaching the entrance to Blackney, the large Bigg’s group, split in two. Chainsaw, T065 and the T046B1s continued east past Cracroft Point. The rest moved into Blackney Pass by 7:19pm. We never got a handle on this group which had one very large adult male, a baby and several others. In total, we counted nine. They were all business and by 8:11pm they were gone from the Lab’s view. By 8:54pm they were off Bold Head and by 9:13pm off Wedge Island in Queen Charlotte Strait. Olivia last saw them at 9:22pm.
What a sequence!, first the Resident A23s, then the Bigg’s orcas! A pretty complete day.
