The night passed. Then at 7:06am, there was the first inkling that the whales had somehow returned to Johnstone Strait. In short order, the A52s came into Blackney Pass going north. They were into Blackfish Sound by 7:46am. Calls from these A4 orcas continued for another hour.
Crisscrossing paths, the other Residents, the A54s and A34s (-A62s) chose Weynton Pass to exit. Starting at 9am they began to stream out from Weynton Pass, then cross the western end of Blackfish Sound and finally into Queen Charlotte Strait by 10:44am.
But the restless whales did not go very far and began to reverse their movements over the next while. Calls continued for the most part as the whales resorted themselves in the areas between Blackfish Sound and Queen Charlotte Strait while they decided on a path back to Johnstone Strait. At 12:17pm, Olivia was able to report that three groups were spread out on the Swanson Island side and that they were picking up speed moving east deeper into Blackfish Sound. Still they shifted positions. At 12:34pm, one group was now mid strait heading east. The others had become non directional. Then at 12:50pm, strong echo location informed the Lab that the whales were making more serious attempts to move into Blackney Pass though still taking their time. At 1:16pm, there was a report of whales off Dong Chong Bay which is on Hanson Island about 11/2 km from the Lab.
The Lab first caught sight of incoming whales at 1:22pm. These whales were opposite Fresh Rock (aka Turtle Rock). The A54s and A52s then came mixed together in small pocket groupings spread out along the mid channel line. The A34s were behind. They all cleared the Lab’s view between 1:43 and 1:48pm.
The first groups appeared on the Cracroft Island remote video camera at 1:47pm. The Lab noted the mix of A34, A54 and A52 calls as the groups spread out in company with Pacific White-sided dolphins. A34’s group crossed over to Vancouver Island around 2:45pm while the A54s and A52s shifted to the west just before 3pm. Straitwatch reported that A34’s group, including A55, was approaching Kaizumi Rubbing Beach. By 4:40pm, they were off Robson Bight and headed for Strider Beach soon after. Their rub started at 5:08pm and lasted until 5:45pm – 37 minutes! Dolphins had accompanied them into the beach.
The A54s and A52s meanwhile elected to head into Blackney Pass again starting at 6:17pm. Travelling more or less mid channel once more they cleared into Blackfish Sound by 6:50pm.
A34 brought her group west to Blackney Pass and started through at 8:04pm. A34,A96,A132, A80 and A55 were mid channel while the A67s, more spread out, flanked them but further over. They were all gone by 8:19pm. A55, who has been struggling, looked better and even offered up a few tail slaps before disappearing from view.
On the 29th OrcaLab welcomed back Tomoko for her 30th year! Said good bye to Karen on the 29th, then Yasha and his family on the 30th and finally Tim and Suze and their boys on the 31st. This part of July has been a lively time at the Lab for people and whales!
