4-5-13 Active Pass Again and Again

Friday, April 5th
...whales were spotted far out in Haro Strait heading north...off to the boat to go see just who it might be...
just about off the dock we learn there is another group up ahead of them...
...we stop to see the T101s, who were moving along at a steady pace...near Gooch Island they stopped for a harbor seal snack...

...well, most likely they took a harbor seal...and then began moving on...

...off we went in search of the other group...they could be anywhere...there were so many islands...they could have been on the other side of where we were...luckily we spotted them nearing Active Pass...it was the T100s...

...Active Pass was the total opposite today from the raging seas of the other day...it was very calm up here...where was that storm?

...once in the pass it doesn't take the whales long to get through it...

...we soon left the T100s and met the T101s - again - as they were about to enter the Pass...there was a group of Steller sea lions who were aware of the T100s when they went through...and this time, with the T101s those Stellers were 'at attention'...

 ...they were aware of the Transients, because of how they were looking...the Ts were under the surface but I watched what direction the Stellers were watching...rotating their looks from out toward the entrance, then 45 degrees and then another 45 degrees...they are not yawning, they are roaring...no sign of the Ts the entire time...and then the Ts surfaced about 300 yards up ahead - right where the Stellers were looking...that was pretty cool to watch...
...the Stellers know about the power of groups!

...and through the Pass we went again...so calm and quiet, and only once were there two ferries passing each other...what a beautiful place it is...
...here's a good comparison on fin size of the T101s...

...AND THEN Mark on one of the Prince of Whales zodiacs told us that more whales were coming our way - wow!!...

...they too passed by the Steller sea lions and the Stellers were still on watch...but the whales flipped back...it looked like they might be going after one, but instead they moved out of the Pass quickly and headed up Trincomali Channel...

...April is definitely Transient Month again this year!