EncDate:12/10/24 

EncSeq:2

Enc#:106

ObservBegin:08:43 AM

ObservEnd:09:33 PM

Vessel:Mike 1

Staff:Mark Malleson

Other Observers:Rachelle Hayden, Brendon Bissonnette

Pods:Bigg's killer whales

LocationDescr:Middle Bank

Start Latitude:48 22.83

Start Longitude:123 10.98

End Latitude:48 23.00

End Longitude:123 05.49

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EncSummary:

After departing from the T123s, T046B1s, and T046C2 a few minutes earlier (see encounter #105), Mark turned the vessel and his sights to a group located southeast of Seabird Point, moving towards Hein Bank.

Mark, along with Brendon and Rachelle, arrived on the scene at 08:43, spotting four animals that Brendon quickly identified as the T065As, excluding A3 and A5. These four whales had been observed by whale watching operators off Campbell River on October 10th and Galiano Island on the 11th. Notably, the often-absent T065A5 was seen on October 10th heading west in the Juan de Fuca Strait with the T065Bs and T137s, while the newly-absent T065A3 had last been sighted in Ketchikan, Alaska, on October 7th.

As the team documented the four individuals in a tight resting group, Brendon spotted a bull approximately 1 nautical mile to the north and confirmed it was T063 through his viewfinder. Moments later, another whale surfaced ahead, who the team suspected to be the bull’s mother, T065.

With optimal lighting and calm seas, Mark suggested they focus on capturing right-side views after completing their left-side documentation of the T065As, before heading over to T063 & T065. At 09:13, they decided to leave the T065As and head north to document the remaining duo.

While en route, T063 struck either a harbour porpoise or a harbour seal, sending water spraying into the air. The team slowly approached the scene at 09:23, spotting the female closest to them while T063 surfaced a short distance north, milling over his catch. Shortly after, T065 surfaced next to T063 to share in the meal, having covered an impressive 350 meters in a remarkably short period of time. T063’s dorsal fin shook vigorously at the surface next to his mother, indicating they were manipulating the carcass to split the meal. T063 surfaced alongside the vessel, showcasing part of the catch in his mouth and giving the team a good look at the rake marks etched across his melon. 

At 09:33, while on the eastern edge of Middle Bank, Mark, Rachelle, and Brendon decided to conclude the encounter, leaving the pair of whales to continue feeding. The team then redirected their focus to their morning plan, heading west with the aim of reaching Jordan River for a survey of the Juan de Fuca.

NotesComments:

Photos taken under Federal Permits

NMFS PERMIT: 27038/DFO SARA 388