Date: 21-Sep-17

Sequence: 1

Encounter Number: 87

Enc Start Time: 13:55

Enc End Time: 16:20

Vessel: Orcinus

Observers: Dave Ellifrit and Kathy Babiak

Pods or ecotype: L pod

Location: Georgia Strait

Begin Lat/Long: 49 03.00/123 15.37

End Lat/Long: 48 59.20/123 09.26

 

Encounter Summary:

While working in the office, we were listening to the radios reporting southern residents heading south off the Fraser River mouth. Dave and Kathy decided to meet the whales up north so they grabbed their gear and headed for the boat and left Snug Harbor at 1235. The whales were moving slower than we had hoped and were still several miles northwest of the Coal Docks when we arrived on scene at 1355.
Most of L pod were extremely spread out while heading southeast along the contour line. L90 was the first whale we saw and she did a back dive before continuing on. L92 was seen near the T14 buoy and he was observed chasing a fish a few minutes later. Other whales were also foraging and there were several fish chases by spread out individuals. L122 and L123 were seen briefly playing with one another before racing off to join their mothers. The Ls were spread out from inshore of the line of buoys to a couple miles to the southwest. L25 and L41 were the farthest to the southwest but spread out by several hundred yards. They were both foraging but L25 took a small amount of time to lay around at the surface and do a couple pec slaps while L41 was later seen actively chasing a salmon. To the southeast of these two were L77 and L119 and they were also seen chasing a fish. Whales were still spread all the way in near the Tsawwassen ferry landing and we ended the encounter there at 1620 with L86 and all the other Ls still heading southeast toward Point Roberts.