It was just passed 7am this morning when I started to hear calls from pacific white-sided dolphins on our hydrophone right here in Taylor Bight. It sounded like a lot of dolphins and they seemed to be getting closer and closer. The sun was not about to rise for another hour but because of the clear sky there was already enough daylight to perhaps see them. It is rather unusual for the dolphins to come close into our bay especially in large numbers, so I was pretty excited to go and see them. Just as I was about to open the door to go outside I heard what I thought were faint transient Orca calls among the now close dolphin chatter. Intuitive I grabbed  the video camera instead of binoculars not knowing that I was about to witness something extremely extraordinary.

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Today is the last day of October, the north coast of British Columbia is once again in the grip of strong fall storms and declining day light.  However, this past month turned out to be the most amazing in regards to recording humpback whale songs since we began our work in 2001.

Since the beginning of the month we have been recording hours and hours of inspirational humpback whale songs, some of which have lasted for more than an hour.  Even now, as I type this journal entry a humpback whale is once again singing on our hydrophone in Whale Channel.  There are still close to 50 of them present in the traditional waters of the Gitga�at, most of which spend their time in the Douglas Channel area.

Over the years that we have been listening to these complex songs, we have wondered if the whales take advantage of the deep underwater fjords to practise their songs by listening to their own echoes while creating a song.  Perhaps these waters act as a �recording studio� for the whales.

 Who knows how important it is for them to have this opportunity to sing their beautiful songs in an almost undisturbed environment during the later months of the year, when human activity is at a minimum.

It is hard for us to fathom that these waters are subject to a total change as various industrial projects are being proposed which could see huge oil tankers destroying the acoustic peace of the humpback whale song world.

March 5^th 2007 marked the first time that we heard the B7 matriline acoustically in the �Off� season. Almost exactly a year later on March 3^rd, they were filling the underwater world with their calls in Caamano Sound once again. Faint calls were first heard early in the afternoon and a little later distant blows were visible in Squally Channel. The �Bees� were on their way north and soon after their blows and calls faded away as they rounded the corner of Gil Island. Just before midnight we heard them once again, this time as they travelled south in Whale Channel. They most likely did a �Gil Island circle�. At 1:30am the B7s were out of our acoustical range and most likely back in Caamano Sound. It sure would be nice to hear and perhaps see them again soon.

After a long, silent winter, the new whale year is here. At exactly midnight of February 5^th we started to hear faint resident Orca calls which soon turned out to be the A36s!!!!

As I am writing this at1230am the brothers are audible on our �Home� station. They are most likely off Ashdown Island, where Squally Channel and Whale Channel meet.

It is such a blessing to listen to them, no boat noise, just their pure calls and the sound of waves from a diminishing storm.

Who knows, maybe we�ll even get a chance to see them tomorrow�.

As I�m writing this journal entry there are two humpback whales, a mother and calf, in Taylor Bight. While typing, I can see their blows through our living room window.  It is a rare calm, sunny day after the first fall storms were roaring up from the southeast for the last 10 days. The whales are in here since almost two hours now and they seem to be very content and comfortable in here. The hydrophone that we have in front of Cetacealab is not detecting even the faintest hint of a sound. The underwater world is absolutely quiet.

This is what it must have been like for the whales before humans invented the combustion engine in the early 20^th century.

This peaceful and quite day, above and below the ocean surface, makes me think about what it could have been like if the proposed Batholiths seismic project would be occurring.  The R/V Langseth could have been in our research area today, blasting the ocean with unbelievable loud acoustic pulses.

With a big smile on my face, I feel at ease, knowing that it won�t happen.  

Thanks to so many people and organizations, it will remain silent underwater along the central coast of BC. As it should, always!

Sometimes in life a spirit so strong will leave us and take that Journey that passes us from this life and on. Recently this has happened, so this journal entry is dedicated to you Betsy, and the little orca calf we have named after you.

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How interesting that as each day begins we really have no idea with in the next hours what will be. Will there even be an event that separates this day from all the others? These particular thoughts were on my mind as I was slowly idling our boat out of Taylor Bight.

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It is hard to explain the relationship one develops with whales when you share time with them on a daily basis. We are so aware of their every movement, when they first arrive, who they are traveling with and when they depart. Today was a perfect example of a highlight of these encounters.

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I have sat down at this computer every day for the last week to write in the Journal and whales arrive!! Which of course is a fabulous excuse, so lets see how far I get today before we hear a call on the hydrophone or a report over the radio.

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