EncDate25/06/24 

EncSeq2

Enc#:60

ObservBegin:03:13 PM

ObservEnd:04:05 PM

Vessel:KCB III

Staff:Michael Weiss

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

Pods:Bigg's killer whales

LocationDescr:Haro Strait

Start Latitude:48 31.91

Start Longitude:123 10.44

End Latitude:48 34.81

End Longitude:123 10.52

 

EncSummary:

After leaving the T075Bs (see encounter 59), the team headed back down the San Juan Island shoreline to a second group of whales making their way north. They arrived on scene at 1513 with a group that they would soon figure out was the T065As (without T065A5, per usual these days) along with T037A1, and T037A3.

The first blow the team saw as they got on scene was not a killer whale, but instead a small humpback whale that was inshore near the killer whales. From a distance, the team saw splashing that may have been either the killer whales harassing the humpback or the humpback becoming agitated. Either way, by the time the team got the drone in the air and over the killer whale group, they had passed up the humpback, while the humpback had gone "stealth mode", surfacing rarely and irregularly.

The team followed the whales as they made their way up the shoreline, travelling with occasional bouts of social behavior. The whales would periodically spread out into a couple subgroups, quickly coming back together.

The team conducted a couple drone flights with these whales, getting very clear images of each to add to our aerial catalogue of Bigg's killer whales. The whales briefly paused at the reef in front of the CWR office, before continuing north.

The team landed the drone and decided to try for a photo-ID pass. As they approached the whales off Mitchell Bay, the group began to angle for Mosquito Pass, making it difficult to get on the correct side for lighting. The whales became social as they neared the mouth of the pass, breaking into a few pairs and trios.

After a quick pass to get proof of presence shots, the team made the call to not follow the whales into the narrow, heavily trafficked pass. They ended the encounter at 1605 and quickly got back to Snug to end the day.