EncDate:05/09/24 

EncSeq:1

Enc#*:85

ObservBegin:11:03 AM

ObservEnd:11:40 AM

Vessel:KCB III

Staff:Dave Ellifrit

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

Pods:Bigg's killer whales

LocationDescr:Constance Bank

Start Latitude:48 21.88

Start Longitude:123 15.11

End Latitude:48 20.83

End Longitude:123 20.85

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EncSummary:

The morning started with reports of multiple groups of Bigg’s off the west side of San Juan Island. A group of five or more were seen offshore of LandBank while the T19s were seen closer to Eagle Point. The team gathered their gear and headed down to Snug Harbor, leaving in KCB3 at 1037. While we were mobilizing, the whales all got father away with the T19s heading back down island to eventually head up Rosario. The other group headed quickly southwest and past Discovery Island. Since the southwest bound group was reported to have a few T37As in it-Ts we hadn’t seen yet this year-we went that direction. We arrived on scene about 4 miles southeast of Trial Island at 1103.

The whales were the T49As (minus T49A1 and T49A2) and three of the T37As-T37A herself, T37A2, and T37A4. They were mixed up in a loose group and heading west. Most of the larger animals were in the front of the group while a few of the younger animals would occasionally fall behind and mill. The sprouters T37A2 and T49A3 were hanging out together. We left this group at 1140 a little east of Constance Bank still heading west.