Date: 22-May-17

Sequence: 1

Encounter Number: 36

Enc Start Time: 11:55

Enc End Time: 12:45

Vessel: Orcinus

Observers: Dave Ellifrit

Pods or ecotype: T87 and the T124As

Location: Haro Strait

Begin Lat/Long: 48 27.36/123 02.49

End Lat/Long: 48 34.43/123 11.34

 

Encounter Summary:

After hearing several reports from multiple sources of two groups of transients heading north in Haro Strait from the Hein Bank area, Dave headed down to the boat and left Snug Harbor around 1125. Dave arrived on scene with the first group at Eagle Point at 1155. Here, T87 and the T124A2s were milling right off the point while they were in the process of killing a harbor seal. Another group of five whales were about a mile offshore and moved ahead of the inshore whales. After about ten minutes of milling off Eagle Point, T87 and the T124A2s began traveling north in a tight group after making their kill.

T124A2 was carrying the dead harbor seal in her mouth before, about halfway between Eagle Point and the south end of False Bay, all four whales began feeding on the carcass. It was a bloody affair as the whales stripped the hide off the seal and dismembered it as they fed. When they were finished sharing the meal, the four whales continued traveling north in a looser group. Dave left T87 and the T124A2s a little before 1230 when they were off the north end of False Bay. T87 was inshore with T124A2A and T124A2B while T124A2 was a couple hundred yards to the west of them.

Dave then moved ahead to the lead group of five whales who were off Edwards Point. This was all of the rest of the T124As, including T124A1 who has often traveled apart from the other T124As in recent years. Dave had one quick pass at this group to confirm the whale’s identities and then ended the encounter there at about 1245.