EncDate:20/06/24 

EncSeq:1

Enc#:53

ObservBegin:11:09 AM

ObservEnd:12:12 PM

Vessel:KCB III

Staff:Michael Weiss

Other Observers:Alondra Caro, Arlene Vargas, Taylor Redmond, Rachel John

Pods:Bigg's killer whales

LocationDescr:Haro Strait

Start Latitude:48 35.43

Start Longitude:123 12.38

End Latitude:48 39.10

End Longitude:123 09.67

 

EncSummary:

Michael was doing maintenance work on KCB III when he got a text from Rachel that a group of killer whales had just passed the CWR heading north. Taylor took a few distant shore photos and came up with a preliminary ID of the T86A1s and T65A5. The team geared up and left Snug at 1056.

The whales had just made it past Kellet Bluff when the team arrived on scene at 1109. The team positioned themselves for a photo ID pass, and got photos to confirm Taylor's initial IDs of the group. The whales travelled in a tight formation, heading consistently north offshore of Henry Island.

After a photo-ID pass, the team broke off from the whales to launch the drone and start aerial observation. The whales approached Battleship and took a long dive. The whales trended towards the western tip of Spieden Island, taking very long dives and only stopping briefly at a reef to roll around in the kelp.

The whales then turned east, moving along the north side of Spieden Island. After one last drone flight, the team left the whales at 1212 and headed back to the dock.