Monday, June 23, 2008

23 june 2008, Cetaceanlab reports:

Since about two weeks we are listening to a whole new part of the north coast, as we installed a new hydrophone station at the north east side of Aristabazal Island. We are now able to listen to Caamano and Estevan Sound which the whales use quite often during their travels through this area. The timing of installation could not have been better as late last night the under water world of Caamano Sound was filled by the excited calls from A, G and R-Clan members of the northern resident orcas. The whales were first vocal on our “Home station” as they traveled south in Squally Channel at about 11pm. By that time the ocean was totally quiet below the surface after another noise polluted day filled with up by 100 sport fishing lodge boats operating day after day during the summer months in this area. We got the impression that the whales really enjoyed the silence underwater as their calls were so absolutely excited and did not stop for another four (!) hours. It was one of these rare occasions where no man-made noise interrupted their “All-Clan” meeting. Acoustically, we were able to make out the: A36, A4, A5, a B,C,D group, G and R-Clan matrilines, this may have been well over 100 whales. The whales were very close to the hydrophone at Aristazabal Island at 4:10am before fading away towards perhaps Laredo Channel.