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EncDate:13/08/24 

EncSeq:2

Enc#:80

ObservBegin:02:02 PM

ObservEnd:02:50 PM

Vessel:KCB III

Staff:Michael Weiss

Pods:Bigg's killer whales

LocationDescr:Haro Strait and Spieden Channel

Start Latitude:48 35.90

Start Longitude:123 12.30

End Latitude:48 37.60

End Longitude:123 07.88

EncSummary:

As the team headed home from the T60s in San Juan Channel (see encounter 79), they received reports of another large group of whales making their way north past Henry Island. The team was soon on scene with these whales at 1402.

The whales were initially spread out and porpoising north. In the rear group were young members of the T75B and T49A matrilines, while the two matriarchs and T49A3 took up positions in the front. The team first paralleled the whales from the right, moving offshore as the whales made a sharp turn towards Battleship. The whales passed between Henry Island and Battleship, swimming through kelp beds as they moved into Spieden Channel.

The group moved east through Spieden Channel, pausing only briefly to investigate kelp beds as they continued travelling at fairly high speeds. After passing Roche Harbor, the whales stayed close to the San Juan shoreline for a few sequences before making a slight turn off shore. The team took one last pass from the whales' left sides before ending the encounter at 1450 and heading back to the dock.