While the calls of the A34s faded in the east of Johnstone Strait by 12:20am, they returned around 5:00am. Their first infrequent and distant calls were difficult to make out due to technical issues, though a single A5 call was heard by 5:40am. This lone call hinted at the return of the A23s from farther east. A chorus of excited A34 calls followed, filling the Strait and the hydrophones with their energy until 6:20am – the first sign of a whale-busy day ahead. The A34s quiet by 6:48am, continued their eastbound movement.
By 7:30am, calls were once again picked up on the systems of Kaizumi Rubbing Beach and Cracroft Point, steadily growing closer. At 8:46am, a mother and baby stopped at Kaizumi Rubbing Beach for three rubbing sessions lasting seven, six, and seven minutes. During the last session, between 9:11 and 9:18am, the A23s, heading west off Strider Beach turned 90 degrees and went in for a rub on Strider Rubbing Beach. The A23s had arrived silently and surprised with a beautiful rubbing session until 9:29am, creating wonderful footage both above and below water. They travelled west afterwards, quiet again, seen again on the Cracroft Point remote camera by 10:00am.
Through the following hours, the A34s and A23s were spread widely in Johnstone Strait between Kaikash Creek and Telegraph Cove, their calls heard on nearly every hydrophone.
At 12:49pm, Troy reported the I16s off Bere Point heading east, raising anticipation for their calls in Blackfish Sound. With the A34s still near Cracroft Point and the A23s further west in Johnstone Strait, the Blackfish Sound hydrophone unexpectedly filled with A5 and a few A4 calls by 2:00pm, causing more anticipation and Jianna speculated that it was the A42s with A94. At 2:51pm, Scotty reported that the A42s were indeed in Blackfish Sound. The A42s belong to the A5 pod and are travelling with A94, an A4 whale originally from the A24 matriline, explaining the occasional A4 calls mixed in. At the same time, the A23s and A34s were seen off Telegraph Cove at the lower end of Weynton Passage, travelling north into the Pass towards Blackfish Sound.
By 3:00pm the A42 calls grew loud and clear, suggesting their eastward approach to the Lab. At 3:27pm, the first member of the family entered Blackney Pass. Spread loosely mid-channel, they cleared the Lab’s view to the south by 4:05pm. Entering Johnstone Strait, they crossed in a diagonal line toward Vancouver Island shore before continuing east.
Meanwhile, the calls of the I16s were picked up in Blackfish Sound at 3:30pm, signaling that the A42s were only the beginning of a parade of whales about to come through Blackney Pass. Reported by Jared Tower, the I16s were off Spout and Hanson Islands at 4:27pm, foraging near shore. By this time the A34s and A23s were also in Blackfish Sound having made it through Weynton Pass. The orcas came into view close to the deck, some of the A23s slipped through mid-channel, almost unnoticed. From then on, a steady procession of whales passed the Lab. The I16s were first followed by the A67s, who entered close to Hanson Island then shifted mid-channel as they travelled south. The A23s mingled within the mix. At 7:00pm, the A62s rounded Burnt Point, staying close to Hanson Island, followed by the rest of the A34s. The congestion of whales through the southern portion of Blackney Pass made for an equally crowded vocal session. As they entered the Strait the crowd became quieter and most turned eastward. Shortly after the last of the A34s had moved into Johnstone Strait, the A23s returned to Blackney Pass at 7:26pm and headed north in the fading light.
Meanwhile the A42s had reached Strider Rubbing Beach, stopping for an eight-minute rub at 6:25pm before resuming their eastbound journey.
Further west in the Strait just one individual paused for a brief rub at Kaizumi Rubbing Beach at 7:39pm.
By 8:00pm the A23s cleared into Blackfish Sound, leaving the hydrophone network to the west by 8:36pm. Up until then, the Lab had been super busy making sure all the whale movement was captured by the various remote cameras, sometimes requiring multiple switches. The audio recording had been running the entire day.
From 10:30pm until the end of the day, calls in the Strait were mainly from the A34s. It is uncertain where the I16s ended their day.
This day also marked the first haul out of sea lions at Sea Lion Rock. About 20 individuals were seen on the rock, signaling the start of the season. It was a beautifully exhausting day, full of whale movement and many whales, in total, 36. Dinner had been delayed by all the activity. But finally it was ready and it was nice to sit round the table with everyone still buzzing with excitement. The dominant question throughout had been simply, “where to look first?”
Certainly, a wonderful problem to have.
Words by Freddy
