With the A34s in Johnstone Strait, the task was to figure out their movements when making passage back to the west. Calls steadily became clearer after beginning 1:54am. Almost an hour later the A34s were seemingly off Cracroft Point and the entrance to Blackney Pass. Between 2:43am and 4:34am there was a certain amount of vacillation before calls ceased.
Dolphins in Blackfish Sound chimed in at 4:53am as had a humpback earlier.
In the gap between calls it is possible that the A34s once again carried on to Weynton Pass and moved into Blackfish Sound where their calls were heard at 7:37am. They were slow to move along and their calls could be heard until 9:51am
The dolphins meanwhile had shifted to Johnstone Strait from 8:13am on. At 10:13am, they were seen foraging close to the Cracroft Island shore around 10:21am. The dolphins would later feature strongly in the afternoon in Blackney Pass.
With the A34s now in Queen Charlotte Strait a few scant reports advised about their whereabouts. They were apparently in no hurry and content to forage as they generally continued west. At 12:41 A55 was spotted alone. His brother, A80, also alone was four miles to the west. An hour later more of the A34s were positioned off Bowlder Point. And finally, Troy got to see them as they stretched out between Bere and Malcolm Points around 5:12pm. Troy commented that they were still foraging.
In Blackney, meanwhile, a sizeable group of dolphins mosied along the Hanson Island shore crossing toward the Lab. They kept to the shoreline and edged into the bay to the left of the Lab. Suddenly their thoughtful, deliberate demeanor changed. Grouped they charged back past the Lab at speed. Their bodies were clearly visible underwater as they streaked by. Whatever they were after was not likewise visible but they had already attracted the curiosity of a group of sea lions. Once past they slowed but by the time they had rounded the point to the right of the Lab they churned up the water once more before disappearing into the next bay. They pretty much stayed there until they decided to charge back, sea lions in tow, past the Lab and around Burnt Point. A humpback, possibly Argonaut had also drawn attention by passing fairly close.
With the night advancing humpbacks began to rumble, creak and moan into the darkness, Obviously, from the sounds of water movement, intense at times, they were quite active physically too. The telltale chitter chatter of dolphins hinted that they were not too far away and perhaps responsible for some of the splashes.
With agrowing sense that the A34s are far and away the rest of the night belonged to the humpbacks, dolphins and a promising southeaster wind.
