Date: 17-Jun-2017

Sequence: 1

Encounter Number: 45

Enc Start Time: 14:00

Enc End Time: 16:25

Vessel: Orcinus

Observers: Dave Ellifrit

Pods or ecotype: L pod

Location: Haro Strait

Begin Lat/Long: 48 25.68/123 01.17

End Lat/Long: 48 22.44/123 59.45

 

Encounter Summary:

After Jane Cogan called Dave at home to relay a report of whales off False Bay, he headed down to Snug Harbor and left aboard the boat at 1330. Dave arrived on scene at 1400 a couple miles off South Beach. Here, L85 and L106 were socializing together. They seemed to be the outlier whales as they were almost a mile to the southwest of other whales. Other whales were farther inshore back toward American Camp and Eagle Point. Groups began forming around 1430 as L pod came back together. There were several animals that briefly logged at the surface and some of the young whales were vocalizing in the air. Other animals did some tail lobs and various splashing as the whales grouped up and generally headed south. By 1530, all 29 members of L pod present (the L54s, L84, and L88 were not here today) were in one tight group and appeared to be resting. The whales occasionally pointed different directions from southeast to southwest but overall were moving southwest. Dave ended the encounter at 1625 about halfway between Salmon and Hein Banks with L pod still in one tight group heading slowly southwest.