Date: 24-May-17

Sequence: 1

Encounter Number: 37

Enc Start Time: 18:40

Enc End Time: 20:38

Vessel: Mike 1

Observers: Mark and Hanna Malleson

Pods or ecotype: T137's

Location: Moresby Island

Begin Lat/Long: 48 43.4/123 18.2

End Lat/Long: 48 38.0/123 18.5

 

Encounter Summary:

We left Victoria Harbour at 1740 following up a report of the T137's heading south in Swanson Channel after being found at the west entrance to Active Pass earlier in the afternoon.
Within 35 minutes of arriving on scene with them traveling south off the east side of Moresby Island they went after a harbour porpoise. They chased it around for 9 minutes before T137 finally had it in her mouth and killed it. They continued south for Gooch Island as they consumed it. T137D was the only one that showed any obvious signs of excitement with a few leaps and tail lobs.
Less than an hour after the porpoise kill as they were traveling through the pass between Gooch Island and Domville Island we noticed a Mink swimming ahead of the group. At that moment T137D picked up speed and headed towards it.
Its older sibling got in on the chase and after a couple of minutes T137D had it in its mouth.
We got a glimpse of it again in T137D's mouth 10 minutes later just before we left as the sun was setting. We last saw them traveling east along the north side of Sidney Island.