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Date: 10-Aug-17

Sequence: 1

Encounter Number: 61

Enc Start Time: 11:00

Enc End Time: 12:45

Vessel: Orcinus

Observers: Dave Ellifrit and Michael Weiss

Pods or ecotype: Transients

Location: Eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca

Begin Lat/Long: 48 21.24/123 11.39

End Lat/Long: 48 17.14/123 08.58

 

Encounter Summary:

After hearing reports of the T10s and T60s near the Chain Islets, Dave and Michael headed down to the boat and left Snug Harbor around 1020. We finally arrived on scene about four miles south of Discovery Island at about 1100. The whales were in a fairly tight group pointed east at first but soon turned south. The whales zig-zagged quite a bit but generally headed south or southeast. T10C and T60C often dropped behind the others to socialize with one another. We left the whales around 1245 about seven miles south-southeast of Discovery Island with the whales temporarily pointed west although we heard that the whales later continued southeast.

T10B was not present during this encounter. We only know of a few T10 encounters in 2017 but T10B has not been seen since 2016. It is possible that he has dispersed and may be traveling on another part of the coast but it seems unlikely given that he has remained with his mom for so long into adulthood. We fear he might be gone but we will continue to keep an eye out for him just in case he is only taking a break from his mother and little brother.

Also, T60C appears to have had someone or something bite him near the top of his dorsal fin. There was a deep gouge on the forward top of the fin along with a new small little flapper above his old nick. The wound has also giving him a new kink to left at the top of his fin that may or may not be permanent.