A30s with A24s A5s and presumably A12 in JS

No orcas present.

The A30s, A24s,A5s continued to move closer and eventually past Critical Point and Robson Bight just before midnight. They seemingly carried on east, briefly rubbing at 12:30am. The very last distant calls from the rubbing beach system (which hears fairly far to the east this year) was at 2:10am. After that the night was "quiet". The last calls in Blackfish Sound (the other direction) were at 11:08pm.
Helena
07 Aug 2009 06:53:33 PDT

Distant calls audible.

They are on their way back from the east!
Helena
07 Aug 2009 08:55:24 PDT

Multiple pod calls audible.

The same groups as last night (the A30s, A24s/A73, and A5s) are headed west very quickly along the Vancouver Island approaching Kaikash Creek. At 9:55am, we had a chance to talk with Marie who is stationed on the "Cliff" opposite Robson Bight. Around 9:30am, she had the groups file past her close to the Cracroft shore. The whales were in a playful mood, in mixed groups. A60,A61 and A39 were in the lead, followed by the rest of the A30s in company with A28, the A5s were next, at 9:35am, about 200 meters offshore of the Cliff, the A24s with Springer were midstrait. When the whales were almost to Pizza Point (just east of the Sophias) a boat rounded the "corner" at speed. The whales turned abruptly and headed to the far shore towards the Western Boundary". From there, they moved along the Vancouver Island shore at top speed.
Helena
07 Aug 2009 10:51:02 PDT

Distant calls audible.

The whales are still going west approaching Blinkhorn and the top end of Hanson Island. Around 11am, the groups going along Vancouver Island split with some heading to Hanson Island, east of Big Bay while the rest carried west along Vancouver Island. A39 and A38 foraged off the top end of Hanson Island for a while and then A38 branched off to angle toward Blinkhorn. The surprise of the day is that A12 turned up off Swaine Point (Boat Bay) as she too headed west. At 11:45 she was past the Cliff and heading towards the Sophias. We last heard her in Blackfish Sound just after 11pm. She must have back tracked after this time.
Helena
07 Aug 2009 12:16:22 PDT

No calls but orcas nearby

At 3:15pm the whales turned back to the west. By 4pm they were approaching the Sophia islands. A23s,A8s,A25s and A30s were on the Cracroft Island side as they moved west. Another half hour of travel brought the A23s and A25s 300 meters off CP with the A30s and A8s more mid strait. The A24s followed mid strait. By 5pm they were opposite Blinkhorn and still going west.
Helena
07 Aug 2009 17:29:40 PDT

Distant calls audible.

A few calls and a turn to the east. Now on their way from Blinkhorn.
Helena
07 Aug 2009 17:48:06 PDT

Superb sounds!!

The A30s, A24s,A5s and presumably A12 too have made it back to the Bight and once again they are calling as evening comes along.
Helena
07 Aug 2009 20:05:59 PDT

Orcas rubbing on the shore bottom.

From Critical to their next favourite spot - the Beaches!
Helena
07 Aug 2009 21:09:32 PDT

Seasmoke reports
It was another beautiful day to be out on the water enjoying the beauty and majesty of the area. We were again fortunate to have the same pods of orcas as yesterday in Johnstone Strait. They were the A30’s, all of the A5’s and the A24’s. On the morning tour when we headed out the orcas were all travelling to the west and we encountered them at Kaikash Beach. Deploying our hydrophone as soon as we arrived it was wonderful for everyone on board to listen to their beautiful A-Clan calls. The orcas continued to the west, some pods were sighted over on the Hanson Island shoreline. A38 who had been seen earlier travelling with his mother A30 close to the Vancouver Island Shore was seen crossing over towards the Hanson Shore as he foraged, his brother A39 was further to the west also foraging. We headed back via Island waterways viewing hauled out Harbour Seals and numerous seabirds. On the afternoon tour the orcas had turned back to the east, some pods had entered the Robson Bight Ecological Reserve. The A24’s were still outside of the Reserve during our time with them and passengers were delighted, the viewing was superb in the late afternoon sunlight. Travelling, resting breaching and spyhopping behaviour was observed today.