Encounter Summary: 

After J and K pods plus L87 headed north past CWR just before noon, we headed down to Snug Harbor and left aboard Orca at 1205. Since the whales were still in Mitchell Bay, we started our encounter just a couple minutes later with K21, the K12's, and the K27's spread out heading slowly north toward Kellett Bluff.We found J17 and J44 a little offshore and then all the J14's in a tight group moving north fast off Battleship Rock. Orca then went on up ahead toward Stuart Island in an attempt to find the leaders. At about 1240, we found L87 traveling slowly north by himself off Tiptop Hill on Stuart Island while a loose group including members of the J19's, J22's, J35's, plus a few other individuals were traveling along the shoreline. These whales filed past Turn Point and pointed toward Swanson Channel.We found the J16's at about 1315 a little east of the other groups traveling as a distinct unit. The K12's, K13's, and K16's (plus K21) were also heading north spread out in groups toward Swanson Channel while members of the J11's and others were spread out foraging farther offshore. Orca left the J's and K's plus L87 at 1400 still spread out and heading north in lower Swanson Channel.Since we had heard that some L pod whales were heading north off Bellevue Point, we went down that way to see them too. We found L91 and her new calf L122 right off CWR at 1440 where they were heading slowing north until they were joined by L86 and L106 and they all began porpoising in Mitchell Bay toward Kellett Bluff. The other L's were spread out in individuals and small groups but we ended up seeing L95 a little offshore and then L72, L105, and L82 near the rocks at Kellett Bluff.At about 1525, the L's turned around off Kellett Bluff and began heading south again. We ended the encounter at 1555 with some of the L55's heading south in Mitchell Bay right off Snug Harbor.

Notes-Comments:

22-Sep-15

1

82

12:07

15:55

Orca

Dave Ellifrit,

Erin Heydenreich,

Melisa Pinnow,

Kathy Babiak

J, K, L

J14, J16, J17, J22, J26, J27, J28, J31, J34, J35, J36, J37, J39, J40, J41, J42, J44, J45, J46, J47, J49, J50, J51, and J52 (J2 and J19 were photographed from the porch at CWR)

K12, K13, K14, K16, K20, K21, K22, K25, K26, K27, K33, K34, K35, K36, K37, K38, K43, and K44

L55, L72, L82, L86, L87, L90, L91, L92, L95, L103, L105, L106, L109, L116, L118, and L122

Haro Strait

48 34.50/123 10.50

48 34.07/123 10.93

• Encounter #82 - Sept 22, 2015 •