Date: 18-July-17

Sequence: 1

Encounter Number: 53

Enc Start Time: 07:45

Enc End Time: 11:21

Vessel: Orcinus

Observers: Dave Ellifrit, Astrid van Ginneken, Michael Weiss, and Stewart MacIntyre

Pods or ecotype: L pod

Location: Haro Strait

Begin Lat/Long: 48 30.20/123 08.89

End Lat/Long: 48 26.20/123 01.17

 

Encounter Summary:

Stewart went on an early morning car drive and whale search down to the south end of San Juan Island. At South Beach, he saw fifteen to twenty whales spread out over a mile offshore. Stewart then drove back to CWR and called Dave at home and then they, Astrid, and Michael met at the boat and left Snug Harbor at 0730. We saw our first whales spread out off the south end of Land Bank at 0745. This was L82 and L116 and they were pointed north but were doing a lot of milling. We continued south and found L72 and L105 traveling south together. L55 joined the L72s at about 1015. We then went a little offshore and found a group that consisted of L92, L103, L123, L109, L118, and the L47s. This group was tight together and pointed north but moving very slowly. They appeared to be resting and didn’t seem to want us around so we soon left them after we got our photos. We headed back inshore and found L105 again and this time he was horsing around with L116. These two were intermingling with much enthusiasm and there was much rolling and splashing. L55 and L82 were spread out foraging by themselves near Eagle Point. A little southwest of there, L86 and L106 were also foraging. The rest of the whales were spread out in singles and small groups off Eagle Point and the north end of South Beach. Most of the whales were pointed south but there was a lot of milling and foraging going on. We left the whales about a mile southeast of American Camp at 1121.