Distant calls audible.
The Transient's were last seen at Bauza Cove, SLOWLY heading west, at 1916. The current has turned to ebb, since then, but we are still hearing distant chatter on CP hydrophone.
Leah and Marie
06 Apr 2011 20:46:43 PDT
The transients from April 6th were IDed as: T018's, T137, T137A, T137B, and likely T036A. Thank you to Graeme Ellis from DFO Pacific Biological Station for assistance with the ID's.
Marie & Leah
April 13, 2011
We had the (Transient orcas) T-137's, the T-65's, T-20, T-21, T36B's and others I can't remember. The boat left the dock a few hours after sighting the whales this morning, thinking we would probably wind up doing a wildlife tour because the whales were moving fast out of our range, which is what we told our guests, but sure enough Cameron and Natalie found some transients off Waldron (Island, San Juan Islands). To all of you on the north shore of Orcas, keep an eye peeled.
Deer Harbor Chaters, Orcas Island, WA
April 13, 2011
After receiving a report of Transients in San Juan Channel, Center for Whale Research staff Dave Ellifrit and Erin Heydenreich departed on vessel Starlet from Snug Harbor. The encounter began at 9:56 am mid San Juan Channel (48° 34.95 N; 123° 02.07 W) with the T137's,T49B's and T49A's traveling in a loose group. We later encountered the T65A's and T36A's traveling up San Juan Channel. We also encountered the T75B's and T75C which have not been previously encountered by the Center. The encounter ended in Boundary Pass off John's Island (48° 40.81 N; 123° 08.73 W) at 11:26 am. The whales spread out and were heading toward Saturna Island, B.C. In all we had 20 transients: T20, T21, T36A,T36A1,T49A,T49A1,T49A3,T49B,T49B1,T49B2,T75B,T75B1,T75C,T65A,T65A2,T65A3,T65A4,T137,T137A, And T137B.
Center for Whale Research, San Juan Island, WA
April 17,2011
Ken Balcomb and Dave Ellifrit of the Center for Whale Research arrived on scene just north of East Point (48° 47.08 N; 123° 02.51 W) at 12:15 p.m. The transients, who had been traveling north into the southern Strait of Georgia, had just turned around and came charging back out of the tide rip and began some intense milling around Rosenfeld Rock which had 30-40 Steller sea lions on it. There were thousands of Bonaparte's gulls working the tide rips. The whales briefly harassed one sea lion but apparently let it go. A couple whales continued to cruise around the rock while the rest of the whales on the calm side of the tide rip milled around the area in a social kind of way. There was another group of about 10 T's in the area but were on the rough side of the tide rip so we did not make it to them. We ended the encounter at 48° 47.23Np; 123° 02.37 W, around 1:30 p.m.as the whales turned north again into the sloppy waters of Georgia Strait. The whales photographed by CWR: T36, T36A, T36A1, T36B, T36B1, T37, T99, T99A, T99B, T99C, T124, T124D, T124E, T137, T137A, and T137B. Sixteen whales total.
Center for Whale Research, San Juan Island, WA
April 23, 2011
A group of transient orcas was located at around noon today (4/23) in Georgia Strait, in the middle, west of Deltaport. The group consisted of the T36A's, T123's, and T137's. Initially, they were doing the typical transient travel - 5 minutes underwater, followed by about 5 breaths, and repeat. As the group traveled northwest, they came upon a California sea lion. The attack was immediate, with the females and even the juveniles getting in on the act. While the moms were doing all the work, T123A breached 3 times some distance away from the sea lion, then proceeded to perform tail waves. As it turned out, his anticipation of a warm lunch was not to be, as the sneaky sea lion managed to get away. The whales passed by the area where the sea lion had last been, but after a short time, they turned away and continued to the northwest. T123A and T137A were very chummy, swimming seperately from the mom & kids group, and doing alot of rolling around together. It was a perfect day on the water - almost flat calm, clear skies and the mountains of the North Shore and Howe Sound as a picturesque backdrop. Happy passengers, happy crew and one relieved sea lion.
Joan Lopez, Naturalist, Vancouver Whale Watch
April 23, 2011
April 23rd we saw T123A again traveling with T137A along the Galiano Island shoreline (see phot below). They were very active with breaches, tail slaps and the classic belly to belly activity. There were a few other T's in the area too.
Gary Sutton, Wild Whales Vancouver
Transients off Galiano Island, B.C. April 23, 2011
Photo by Gary Sutton, Wild Whales Vancouver
April 30, 2011
April 30, 2011 at 3:00 pm, on Maya's Westside Charters, we met up with several transient orcas north of the Coal Docks, heading northwest. Shortly into the encounter they slowed down, split and each group attacked prey. The group we watched attacked a harbor seal. Both groups seemed to move off at the same time, continuing to move northwest at a good speed. I identified T75B, T75B1, T75C, T36As, T65As and the T137s. I'll post pics on my blog.Jeanne Hyde, San Juan Island
April 30
So, we finish the month as we started, with transient orcas cruising the waters usually patrolled by the residents. Today, a group of 10-12 transients was located in Georgia Strait at approximately 12:30, about 3 nm north of Tumbo Island. They were traveling northwest, at a fairly fast rate of speed, sometimes porpoising. The group consisted of females, juveniles, calves and 1 sprouting male. We were able to identify some of them as the T65A group and the T137's, T137A being the sprouter. The orcas were traveling in two groups, with T137A and some juveniles lagging about 200 m/yards behind the moms, and engaging in a fair amount of social activity. At one point, the group stopped and was milling in one area for about 5 minutes, then continued on their speedy way. We left the whales still heading north to northwest, west of the Tsawassen feryy terminal.
Joan Lopez, Naturalist, Vancouver Whale Watch
April 30, 2011
Finally found some Transients yesterday (April 30). They seemed to disappear for a few days but we found a group of about 15 yesterday including T37's, T65A and calves and T137A. They were in the middle of the Strait of Georgia and were heading for the coal docks. Here's a couple pics, one of the whales by the ferry terminal and another just past it. Cheers,
Gary Sutton,
Wild Whales Vancouver
May 12, 2011
5-12-2011 on Maya's Westside Charters in the afternoon, after receiving a call, we headed north and west to the north side of Galiano Island, B.C. where we encountered T20 and T21 heading east at 3:00. Farther east another boat came across T137, T137A and T137B. T137C was not present. Another boat was about 3 miles northwest of our location, returning to Vancouver, and came across several other whales. We did not see those whales and left the scene at 3:40. We made a return trip and at 5:35 encountered the same whales. However, this time many more whales approached from the west and joined the others. There was quite a lot of above water vocalizing and extraordinary surface action. The whales present included some of the same whales that were photographed at Lions Gate Bridge, Vancouver, B.C. Wednesday. The whales ID'd on the late encounter were: T20, T21, T137, T137A, T137B, T100, T100B, T100B1, T100C, T100E, T101, T101A, T101B, T102, T18, T19, T19B, T19C, T23, T23D, T26 and T26A. There was a total of 22 whales identified and possibly one or two more. I'll post more about the encounter along with a video clip and pictures on myblog.
Jeanne Hyde , San Juan Island
May 25, 2011
On Maya's Westside Charters in the afternoon we headed up Boundary Pass toward East Pt. where transients had been spotted. The 1st group we encountered were 4 whales, which included T19B (I could see three other whales with him & am assuming his constant companions T18, T19 and T19C, but I didn't get pictures of them for proof of presence.) We left them and headed toward Alden Bank. Just north of Sucia Island we encountered a 2nd group: T124C, T124A, T124A2, T124A3 and T124A4. We continued on and encountered a 3rd group: T100, T100B, T100B1, T100C, T100E, T101, T101A, T101B, T102, T124, T124D, T124E, T124A1, T36, T36B,and T36B1. They changed direction and the 2nd group and the 3rd group joined up heading back in the direction of Pt. Roberts.
On our way home, traveling through Boundary Pass we encountered a 4th group: T137, T137A and T137B. A grand total of 28 killer whales.
Of course I'll be posting to my blog about this exciting day on the water.
Jeanne Hyde, San Juan Island
