EncDate:19/06/24

EncSeq:1

Enc#:52

ObservBegin:09:13 AM

ObservEnd:02:17 PM

Vessel:KCB III

Staff:Dave Ellifrit, Michael Weiss

Other Observers:Rachel John, Arlene Vargas, Alondra Caro-Ruiz

Pods:J, L

LocationDescr:Haro Strait

Start Latitude:48 28.54

Start Longitude:123 06.13

End Latitude:48 34.01

End Longitude:123 10.86

 

EncSummary:

The day started with early morning reports of J pod off Eagle Point. The team met at Snug Harbor and left in the boat at 0853. We saw our first whales off Kanaka Bay and the encounter began at 0913. The first two whales we saw were J16 and J42 and they were loosely spread and milling. J26 was milling by himself a few hundred meters to the southeast. J46 was seen heading slowly north inshore. We found the J19s offshore and they were traveling north in a loose group. We launched the drone over this group. Afterwards, we briefly saw J42 and J46 again who milled a little before heading slowly north.

By about 1115, we had a loose group forming offshore of Pile Point. The J37s had been joined by J26, J39, J51, and J53. This group was traveling slowly south and seemed somewhat social. We flew the drone over them too. J47 crossed paths with this group as he traveled slowly northeast back towards SJI. Further offshore, we saw J45 heading east by himself. A little to the south of him we saw a group of three heading slowly north that turned out to be the L54s. J26 had joined them and J45 joined them a little later. J26 was swimming inverted below and behind the L54s with his seasnake exposed so the group was throwing some social vibes as they traveled slowly north back towards SJI. About a quarter mile behind this group, we found L88 and J44 traveling together. They were moving a bit quicker then the other group but were following them. After we got photos of those two, we went back to the L54s, J26, and J45 and got the drone up again. This group traveled north and inshore towards Edwards Point. J16 and J36 appeared ahead of this group.
Most of the whales were now heading up the SJI shoreline so we went up ahead towards Andrews Bay. J27 showed up offshore of CWR. J31 and J56 were ahead of him and were milling a little before they turned south. All the other whales we were seeing were on the rocks just north of Smugglers Cove. J26, J47, and L88 along with others were in there and they were now heading slowly south along the shoreline. Another group a little behind and offshore of them included the J37s, J16, J42, J39, J51, and L108. We let these whales roll by on their way back south and ended the encounter at 1417 off the south end of Mitchell Bay.