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From the Archipelago
Springer’s Reunion!
Editor’s Note: This summer the eyes of the
world were focused on Johnstone Strait in
British Columbia where scientists,
supported by a host of others (whale watch
companies, fishermen, even fish farmers)
attempted for the first time to return a young
orphaned whale to its home pod. Alex was
there at the centre of things, as usual.
The return of little Springer (A73) to
these waters was one of the most fascinating
events I have ever witnessed, and
taught me a great deal about orcas. Two
days before she arrived I positioned my boat
at anchor near the pen where she was to
be placed. There was a great deal of security
in the bay and I wanted to make sure
there was no last minute misunderstandings
that could prevent me from recording
young Springer as she entered the water.
In the hours just before her arrival several
large First Nation seine boats also anchored
in the bay and women dressed in
traditional blankets lined the shore to dance
and welcome her. Eerily, the whales
seemed also to be preparing. Springer’s
family, the A4s, and close relatives the
A12s, had appeared in the area a few days
in advance and began pacing back and
forth, spyhopping and milling.
Springer arrived late in an afternoon that
was awash in brilliant sunshine and a brisk
westerly wind. She was lowered off the
upper deck of the enormous catamaran
which had donated her ride home from
Puget Sound. I was surprised how tiny she
looked, barely visible in the sling. She lay
still as she was placed on the deck of a landing
craft. The vets took last minute blood
samples and affixed transmitters on her
back with suction cups. The moment she
entered the water she began calling. I
pressed “record”.
Springer kept calling through the night
beneath the stars and windy gales. At about
1am I must have dozed off, because at 1:25,
I awoke to Helena at OrcaLab calling on
the marine radio that she was just picking
up wild A4 calls in Blackney Pass, headed
my way. Almost immediately, Springer began
a desperate set of frenzied calls. She
began leaping high above the sides of her
pen and, though it was pitch black, I could
see the phosphorescence cascading off her
back. The wild whales called for a bit then
went silent. Springer went quiet too, and
seemed to collect her thoughts. When she
vocalised again it was a beautiful sequence
of perfect A4 type calls. I hadn’t known a
two year old could speak so well. She was
The incurably curious Springer.
Alexandra Morton
identifying herself as daughter of A45, granddaughter
of A24 of the A4 family, of the A
clan of northern residents. The wild whales
seemed stunned. They remained silent.
For the next 18 hours the A12s and A4s
went around Hansen Island, coming into
range of Springer’s voice every few
hours, but not answering her. Springer’s
grandmother, Kelsy, went south before
dawn to Campbell River, over 100km away,
and did not return. Kelsy has had great difficulty
rearing her young, with only two left
after seven births. But young Simoom was
drawn to the voice of her lost cousin. Just
before noon the next day, in the company
of her mother, Yakat, and matriarch Scimitar,
Simoom began slowly approaching the
bay with the mysterious, but familiar voice.
This was the cue for the crew to prepare for
Springer’s release. The net was pulled up
shallow and divers entered the water and
held her. Simoom came into the entrance ➞
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October/November 2002 www.WaveLengthMagazine.com
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