Our day’s story begins deep in Queen Charlotte Strait. Kate, who is based at Bere Point on Malcolm Island, heard the A34s between 1:43 to 2:45am. They had left Johnstone Strait before midnight and this was a continuation of their travels west. But then two hours later, at 4:14am, Kate heard them again. The calls lasted until 6am and during this time Kate could hear their blows as they moved east. This was good news, they had not left!
While Kate was listening to those blows, the A24s, east of the Ecological Reserve, were being heard once again as they made their approach to the Ecological Reserve after being out of range most of the night. On this westward path they were not really interested in a rub and gave Strider beach only a perfunctory go-over at 6:05am. Lasting less than a minute the orcas continued efficiently on their way west.
They made it a straight shot and carried on past Kaizumi by 7:30am, opposite Cracroft Point by 7:53am, past Kaikash Creek by 8:30am and Telegraph Cove by 9:17am. They would leave the Strait via Weynton Pass. At 11:05am they were between Pearse Island and the Stephenson Islets.
Meanwhile, Megan was keeping track of the A42s in the Salish Sea and reported that at 11am they were off the Wilby Shoals near the southern tip of Quadra island. By 2pm, they were off Dogfish Bay heading north along the Quadra shoreline. Megan also remarked on seeing the humpback, Guardian. Guardian, is a very familiar humpback to the Blackney Pass area. It was good to know more of her range this summer.
More news came from Kate in the afternoon. She saw a group of orcas circling around Malcolm Point to the west of her camp around 1:38pm. There were no calls. These whales shifted out near Numas Island but she lost sight of them by 3pm. When she next saw them they were about 3 miles east of Numas and at 5:50pm she could see them approaching Lizard Point. She counted five orcas, two of which were males. There were no calls to help with identification.
At the Lab, we heard just a hint that the A24s had finally made it through Weynton Passage and into Blackfish Sound. An hour later, the Naiad Explorer reported that the A24s were west of the Foster Islands in Queen Charlotte Strait.
Megan, meanwhile, continued to update about the A42s. At 2:28pm they were travelling south past Francisco Point on Quadra Island.
The A24s stayed in Queen Charlotte Strait. In the late afternoon they showed signs of beginning to move back toward Blackfish Sound. By 7:48pm, Jérémie saw them crossing the area in front of Parson Bay, in Blackney! They had not given much warning about their progress but everyone jumped into action and followed the group through Blackney Pass and into Johnstone Strait in good order, only briefly distracted by the nearby sea otter!
At 7:29pm, a group of nine were passing Lizard Point. The day was definitely getting interesting!
The A24s cleared the Lab’s view just before 8:30pm and from Cracroft Point they headed east while mid strait. They were almost to the Sophia Islands when we heard calls and echolocation in Blackfish Sound at 9pm. Half an hour later the A34s (minus the A62s) were in Blackney Pass following the A24s’ route to Johnstone Strait. It took them only 30 minutes before they were well on their way. By then it was truly dark and we followed their progress east from their calls.
By 10pm the A24s were off the Ecological Reserve. The A34s were much further behind but both carried on eastward. Their night journey would be out of range of our systems. Amazing what lengths they go to in order to co-ordinated their movements. Makes our job interesting, always.
