Date:19-Nov-18

Sequence: 5

Encounter Number: 101

Enc Start Time: 12:55

Enc End Time: 14:10

Vessel: Morning Star, Mike 1

Observers: Melisa Pinnow, Jane Cogan, Tom Cogan, Mark Malleson, Hanna Magnusson

Pods or ecotype: J pod

Location: Strait of Juan de Fuca

Begin Lat/Long: 48 20.4/-123 14.0

End Lat/Long: 48 20.7/-123 17.4

 

Encounter Summary:

Melisa, Tom, and Jane met at Snug Harbor at 1130 and left the dock soon after aboard “Morning Star”. At 1255, “Morning Star” spotted blows from a large group of killer whales southeast of Constance Bank in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. J pod was slowly trending north toward Trial Island in three semi-resting groups. J39, J44, J45, J47, and J49 did not seem interested in resting and were socializing while weaving in and out of the two other groups. The lead resting group was made up of the J16s, the J19s, J31, and J27. The slightly trailing resting group was made up of J17, J22, J35, J37, J38, J40, J46, J53, and L87. J49 eventually split off from the social group and joined J37 and J40. Unfortunately, J17 was noticeably skinny with early signs of a ‘peanut head’. At 1410, “Morning Star” left J pod slowly westbound at about 3 knots, with some of the whales still resting while others were starting to spread out. 

At 1401, Mark and Hanna arrived on scene with J pod at 48 18.9/-123 24.5 aboard “Mike 1”. The whales were spread out to the west of Constance Bank and tracking southwest. J pod seemed to be looping around to head back toward the southeast when “Mike 1” left them at 48 18.8/-123 27.2 around 1630.