27 July Orcalab reports

08:39 PDT No calls but orcas nearby. Good morning everyone! We think the A12s have returned from their trip to the east & are westbound in Johnstone Strait. We began hearing echolocation on the CrPt hydrophone a little before 7am. Several orcas passed CP, quickly, a short while ago, and probably headed across Blackney Pass, though we're not sure. It is very foggy this morning & difficult to see very far.

11:12 PDT No calls but orcas nearby. The A12s moved on through Weynton Pass toward Blackfish Sound. They kept close to the Plumper Island so they were just out of our Flower Island range when they briefly vocal.

11:21 PDT Distant calls audible. We just started hearing the A12s in Blackfish Sound.

11:37 PDT Orcas hunting fish. It turned out that the call and echo location are on Critical Point! More from the east. A12s to the west.

13:09 PDT Orcas (may be) approaching cameras.The A36s are now beween the Sophia Island and CP heading west. The A12s continued into Queen Charlotte Strait.

14:40 PDT No calls but orcas nearby. The A36s continued to the west. The A12s also continued west. They are just west of Lizard Pt. in Queen Charlotte Strait.

20:50 PDT Distant calls audible. We're now hearing distant calls from the A12s on the Critical Point hydrophone... sounds like they have entered the Strait via Weynton Pass. Meanwhile, the A36s are taking their time coming down Blackfish Sound, and we have just heard the sounds of rubbing at the beaches!

21:37 PDT Orcas hunting fish. We've been listening to echolocation close to the Critical Point hydrophone. It's probably coming from the orcas that we heard briefly at the rubbing beaches about half an hour ago. Probably, they are one (or more) of the groups that have been in eastern Johnstone Strait over the past few days, though we're not sure. Meanwhile, the A36s are still in Blackfish Sound, & the A12s are eastbound in Johnstone Strait.

22:10 PDT Multiple pod calls audible. We're now listening to A4, A5, & A12 calls on the CrPt hydrophone, so it seems that at least some of the A4s & A5s have returned from the east & met up with the A12s! The A36s are still in Blackfish Sound.

22:37 PDT Multiple pod calls audible. The A4s & A5s, followed by the A12s, are heading north through Blackney Pass on the slack tide.