The early morning hours of September 19th revealed that all the familiar groups were still in Johnstone Strait. We sensed that they had shifted from the riptide off of Blackney Pass closer to Robson Bight and the Ecological Reserve by late evening on the 18th. After a few hours of quiet, finally, at 2:25am they began to vocalise again and we got a better impression as to where they were. The A62s had apparently taken the A54s place close to Critical Point in Robson Bight. A companion I15 group was not far away. The A54s, paired with another of the I15s, were still in the general vicinity only now nudging their way back west. Within an hour, at 4:28am the A54 and I15 pair had returned to the entrance of Blackney Pass and were preparing to enter. They soon did travel north and when heard on Local Centre at 4:31am Tomoko, listening in Japan to the live audio feed, confirmed the A54s and I15s. More I15 calls were heard back on the Parson Island hydrophone adjacent to the entrance to Blackney, more whales were coming. In the end everybody streamed through and ended up in Blackfish Sound. The whales seemed excited to have made it and created energetic calls from 5:18am until 5:45am.
They made the decision to head to Queen Charlotte Strait where at 9:16am four were seen after having reversed their direction between Lizard Point and Donegal Head. Fifteen more followed at 9:40am. Alex reported that all, organised as three groups, were taking Weynton Pass. The choice of Weynton Pass has been the pattern of late probably due to the big tides and the heavy currents posing a better choice for the whales to re-enter Johnstone Strait.
At 11:35am we began to hear the whales in Johnstone Strait after their journey through Weynton. Again the pattern of travelling east after re-entry was repeated. By 12:17pm the groups on the Vancouver Island side were between Blinkhorn and Kaikash Creek. As they drew nearer to the area opposite the entrance to Blackney Pass their calls came up on the Parson Island system. Scotty, at 12:34pm was able to offer a description of how the groups were distributed. The A54s and the I4s were along the Hanson Island shore. The I65s and I27s were on the Vancouver island side near Blinkhorn, the A62s and the I16s were following them behind. If these sets of groups happened to be the same as to what was going on during the night we might better understand who had been with whom.
The groups landed in the rip west of Cracroft at 12:40pm where they had Dalls Porpoise, Dolphins, whale watch boats and even a cruise ship to contend with. They stayed pretty focused regardless. To make a long story short, the whales remained in the rip foraging until after 4pm repeating this pattern from the last two days. At 4:21pm, they began to file through Blackney Pass in the following order, the A54s and I4s, the A62s and I16s and finally the I27s and I65s. By 5:23pm the last entered Blackfish Sound.
Other than the fact they must have passed the Bigg’s orcas easting off Double Bay at 5:43pm we were not aware of the Residents after their last calls at 6:01pm. The Bigg’s orcas were identified by Jared as the T109A2s, T090s, T002B. The T109A2s have been frequently seen of late.
The day at the Lab had consisted of the usual regular scans, recording and observations. We also took on the task of cleaning our boat, the Sonic. After much use throughout the summer she needed a little attention and after barnacles and algae were removed she looked much better. Cleaning her deck was scheduled for the next day. The garden, likewise, got some needed attention too. With Fall about to happen we have begun to take seriously the need for winter firewood so the chainsaws have been fired up and the splitter put into action. The wood shed is, thankfully, starting to fill up again. The squirrels have been of the same mind set for some time now, stripping seeds from the pinecones they knock to the ground and stashing them everywhere.
As night fell the last summer full moon, though now waning, still cast its bright light over Blackney making this night friendly and inviting.
