This day was different. Not only did it rain (real west coast rain!) but there was change in the habits of the orcas as well. Gone was the interplay between the A24 group and the A34 group. Somewhere in Queen Charlotte Strait the two groups parted ways. The previous day they were a relaxed social combined group off Donegal Head. But sometime during the night then eventually went their separate ways.
During most of the next day the A34 group would linger between the border of Queen Charlotte Strait and Blackfish Sound, not going far, content to shift, frequently foraging.
First things first. Rolf Hicker found the orcas opposite Lizard Point mid morning. They were moving east. In short order they were off Donegal Head by 10:06am and still eastbound. The distant A1 calls (the A34s) and echolocation in Blackfish Sound told us that they had kept to this trajectory. For what seemed the longest time, all we heard was fairly distant calls, all we ever saw was distant fins on the Sea Lion remote camera looking into Blackfish Sound. Eagle55 confirmed that the whales were spread out in Blackfish Sound.
Finally, at 1:07pm orcas came into Blackney Pass. There were only a few and they came no further in than West Pass. We surmised that it was A80, A96, and A132 from the comments Straitwatch detailed about the group’s movements prior to this.
“Yes, we had three earlier, guessing A80, A96 and A132, heading down from Donegal Head towards Blackfish Sound. There were reports of other whales around but we did not see them. Then they travelled down Blackfish. These were the whales that the Lab saw. While those individuals were in the Lab’s view we picked up another group of 5 off Egeria Shoals (northern end of Swanson Island). Then when the small group in view of the Lab turned and travelled back north (1:42pm) all the whales came together and began foraging between Donegal Head and Bold Head. When we left them around 4:30pm they had grouped up and were heading southeast along the Swanson shore.”
We then listened to continuous A34 calls until 5pm but no orcas ventured into view again.
Of note were the humpback calls at 5:32, 5:42 and 5:46pm in Blackfish Sound which added a postscript to this rather nondescript day.
Then just before 11pm the A34s finally managed to find some direction as they moved into Johnstone Strait via Weynton Pass. It will be interesting to see how far they get and whether the A24s follow them.
The rain was lovely but it meant that Jérémie and Justus had to work in the rain while attempting to solve radio problems at Parson Island. And the rain also made a wet departure for Justus, Kelly and Hervé in our open boat, the Sonic.
This rain is more than welcomed. The trees got a good soaking and hopefully the creeks are a little fuller. We are all very aware of the destruction around the province and in Jasper, Alberta that the wildfires have caused. We hope the current weather systems coming from the Pacific help ease the severe dry conditions. Our hearts go out to all those affected.
