The 4th of August started off quietly. Faint calls from the A4 pod came in through the remote hydrophone in Blackfish Sound at 3:24am. They stopped calling shortly after 4:00am, and this would sadly be our only glimpse into the Northern Residents world for the rest of the day. At 2:40pm, we received a report that the A24s were north of Malcolm Island near Foster Island slowly moving east. Unfortunately, they would not journey far enough east to reach our remote hydrophone network.
While the day consisted of little orca activity, the humpbacks ensured that the Lab was not without whales. There were several active displays in Blackney Passage. Starting at 6:18am, Ripple, a frequently seen humpback in the area, was breaching and slapping her pectoral fins repeatedly.
Later on, at 6:49pm, Insomnia the humpback made a close visit after not being seen at the Lab in almost two weeks! There were multiple rounds of bubble net feeding just a few hundred meters off of the Lab’s deck. It truly never gets old witnessing the majesty and grace of such massive individuals. What a gift! Even Rozie, Lab assistant Katie’s dog, paused her chewing of a particularly enjoyable stick to listen to Insomnia’s loud blows, as they echoed into the bay. Insomnia then returned at 8:27pm for another few rounds of bubble net feeding in the soft blue evening night.
Just before the end of the day, vocalizations from Bigg’s orcas were heard around Strider Rubbing Beach at 11:54pm. These calls continued for only about five minutes.
In other news, we unveiled a beautiful sink for the camp kitchen that was lovingly built by Lab assistants Freddy and Katie. This now means that the Lab assistants will not have to trek down to the tide line (which can be quite far away at low tide) in order to wash up after cooking meals. Additionally, the visiting film crew started their shooting around Hanson Island, since they have taken their first few days here to scout out filming locations and potential moments to capture.
The 5th of August was an even quieter day. The morning and afternoon were dominated by a strong southeastern wind and choppy seas, which made it difficult to even watch the humpbacks traveling by from the Lab deck.
Paul braved the weather to go to Alert Bay, so he could pick up Indica, his great-granddaughter who will be joining the Lab for the next two weeks. The sky and sea were so fierce that they decided to stay there for the night instead of coming back.
In the afternoon, sounds of a humpback bubble net feeding were heard on Flower Island at 1:08pm and again at 2:37pm. Others in the area reported that this was Insomnia. At 8:37pm, Inukshuk, a charismatic regular humpback who is well-known for his active behaviours, started breaching, pec slapping, and tail slapping, which provided a little excitement for the end of the day.
There was not a single report of orcas in the whole day. We hope that the 6th will bring news of their movements and that they will return to this area soon.
Words by Mary Margaret
