A36s waiting for other groups returning

Orcas near mics.

The A36s, who came into Johnstone Strait at 4am, are off Critical Point after travelling eastward in Johnstone Strait. The others, the A30s,A24s,and A5s with A12 following them continued east last night.
Helena
05 Aug 2009 08:33:00 PDT

Distant calls audible.

After listening to the A36s for quite a while, foraging heavily off of Critical Point and Robson Bight. and hearing them drift eastward toward the east end of the Reserve, we began to hear A5 calls come up from the east. Whales are spread out across from the east end to Forward Bay,all coming west.
Helena
05 Aug 2009 11:59:15 PDT

Multiple pod calls audible.

A little bit of rubbing and a lot of distant calls as the A30s, A24s, A5s head west. Some groups are going through the Ecologial Reserve while others travelling opposite to the Cracroft shore. The A36s probably turned west in advance of the arriving groups and were first back to Robson Bight. After which it was one of the A5 group's turn.
Helena
05 Aug 2009 13:09:07 PDT

Distant calls audible.

The groups (the A36s, A24s,A5s and the A30s) continued west past CP. A32 and A37 came back to forage off of CP. The mood out there is still very social;spyhops, rolling around, breaches, tail slaps and very mixed groups. Lots of boat noise is the only thing which spoils the fun.
Helena
05 Aug 2009 16:42:52 PDT

Superb sounds!!

Sounds like there's a party in the Bight tonight!
Helena
05 Aug 2009 19:53:45 PDT

Superb sounds!!

After the briefest of rubs, the groups have begun a westward trek again, rounding Critical Point with amazing sounds
Helena
05 Aug 2009 21:55:41 PDT

Seasmoke reports
The orcas who had been sighted yesterday were well to the east this morning however, the A36 brothers (A37 and A46) were foraging inside the Robson Bight Ecological Reserve but A32, the oldest brother was outside of the Reserve across on the West Cracroft Island side of the Strait foraging. At 45 years old he is of a substanial size and viewing him is always a treat.