25 July Orcalab reports

08:53 PDT No orcas present. Good morning everyone! We last heard calls around 12:30am, when we thought the A12s were heading back to the west after their rub. However, we heard nothing more overnight, and are not at all sure what happened to them. We are waiting.

11:44 PDT No calls but orcas nearby The A12s have just entered the Ecological Reserve at the eastern boudary. They are heading west, i.e. towards the rubbing beaches. Meanwhile, the A36s are also headed west, a few km behind the A12s, but on the Cracroft Island side of the Strait.

12:17 PDT Orcas hunting fish. The A12s have arrived in Robson Bight & are fishing near Critical Point. We're listening to their echolocation on CrPt.

13:52 PDT Distant calls audible. The A12s are still headed west, spread out across the Strait, & now approaching the Blackney Pass "gap" area. They are visible on Channel A.

16:02 PDT Orcas (may be) approaching cameras. The A12s turned back to the east around 3pm, when they were between Kaikash & Blinkhorn, on the Vancouver Island side of the Strait, and have since made their way over to the Blackney Pass area. A12 & A33 are foraging in front of CP & are visible on Channel A.

17:26 PDT No calls but orcas nearby. The A12s have moved off to the west from Blackney Pass.

18:16 PDT No calls but orcas nearby. The A12s may have turned at 5:10pm after almost getting to Big Bay.They apparently crossed over toward Kaikash Creek on Vancouver Island.

19:12 PDT Orcas near mics. The A12s turned back to the east a little after 5pm, when they were approaching Big Bay on Hanson Island. They crossed over to the Vancouver Island side of the Strait, and entered the Ecological Reserve about 6:30pm. They are now in Robson Bight, still heading east. We are listening to them on the Critical Point hydrophone.

19:31 PDT Orcas rubbing on the shore bottom.The A12s are at the Beaches.

20:01 PDT Distant calls audible. We have heard from the A30s on Flower Island! The A12s seem to be finished their rub.

20:29 PDT The A12s just came back to Robson Bight.

22:13 PDT Multiple pod calls audible. The A11s, A35s,A24s, A25s, probably the A43s, A30s and the C6s have joined the A12s in the Strait.

23:14 PDT Orcas rubbing on the shore bottom.The whales have gone into the Beaches.