EncDate:02/11/24 

EncSeq:1

Enc#:111

ObservBegin:11:40 AM

ObservEnd:12:12 PM

Vessel:KCB III

Staff:Dave Ellifrit, Michael Weiss

Pods:J, K

LocationDescr:Admirality Inlet

Start Latitude:48 10.52

Start Longitude:122 44.89

End Latitude:48 12.59

End Longitude:122 16.84

 

EncSummary:

Michael and Dave left the Roche Harbor fuel dock at 1015 to begin our journey down to Shilshole Marina in Seattle to begin a two week field project. Reports indicated that L pod was up Saratoga Passage and more likely residents were heading up Admiralty Inlet. We were approaching the entrance to Admiralty Inlet when we heard that Js and Ks were heading north, south of Fort Casey. We soon started seeing whales and the encounter started at 1140 a little north of Fort Casey. The whales were spread out in individuals and small groups, all heading north at a slow to medium pace. We briefly saw J19 and J41 before moving east to a tight group that included the J22s, J37s, J40, K14, and K36. To the southwest of them, J39 and J51 were traveling together. A little behind them, K42 and J49 were rolling around together as they headed north.

The next group we found consisted of the J31s, J27, and J45. The K22s were traveling together a few hundred yards west of them. We worked our way back a little to the southeast and found another loose group that included most of the J17s. K12 and K37 also passed by to the west of us. To the east of the J17s, were the J16s plus J53 in a loose group. We ended the encounter at 1212 off Point Partridge with Js and Ks still heading north spread out in small groups and individuals.