EncDate:12/11/24 

EncSeq:1

Enc#:121

ObservBegin:01:45 PM

ObservEnd:02:45 AM

Vessel:KCB III

Staff:Dave Ellifrit, Michael Weiss

Other Observers:Molly Henling, Monika Wieland Shields, Jason Shields, Sara Hysong-Shimazu

Pods:J

LocationDescr:Colvos Passage

Start Latitude:47 26.90

Start Longitude:122 31.64

End Latitude:47 31.40

End Longitude:122 28.79

 

EncSummary:

We had marginal weather in the morning but reports of J pod heading north in Colvos passage made us take a stab at it and we left Shilshole Harbor at 1250. We bounced south to Colvos Passage and found J pod off Command Point. The encounter began at about 1345 and J pod was spread loosely abreast across the eastern half of the passage as they headed north. The westernmost whales began to spread out a little to the west and there were a few breaches and cartwheels. J39 was doing a lot of tail lobbing. We left the whales as they were leaving the north end of Colvos Passage due to deteriorating weather conditions at 1445. J pod began to spread out as we were leaving. J47 breached in the middle of a mid-channel group while J26 was foraging by himself on the western side of the passage near the Southworth ferry terminal

Photos taken under Federal Permits

NMFS PERMIT: 27038/DFO SARA 388