Date: 4-Mar-18 

Sequence: 1 

Encounter Number: 11 

Enc Start Time: 7:45 

Enc End Time: 10:30 

Vessel: Morning Star 

Observers: Melisa Pinnow, Dave Ellifrit, Jane Cogan, Tom Cogan 

Pods or ecotype: J and K pod 

Location: Gulf Islands 

Begin Lat/Long: 48 48.913/-123 20.052 

End Lat/Long: 48 55.846/-123 15.738 

 

Encounter Summary:

After hearing resident calls on the San Juan Island hydrophones during the wee hours of the morning, Melisa, Dave, Jane, and Tom met at Snug Harbor and left aboard “Morning Star" at 0645. 

At 0745, Dave spotted blows in Swanson Channel. Nearly all of J pod was traveling in two tight groups off of Stanley Point on North Pender Island. The lead group was made up of the J16s and J17s. The trailing group was made up of the J14s, J22s, J27, J31, and J46. K21 was further out in the channel and paralleling the two groups by a few hundred yards. More blows were seen further north, so “Morning Star” left the two groups of Js and K21 to locate the leaders. The leaders were found near Enterprise Reef, and they were the J19s, J39, and the K13s.   

As the K12s, K14s, and K16s arrived from the south, they joined the leaders and waited off the western entrance to Active Pass. When the rest of J pod arrived, all the whales entered Active Pass together. Tail slaps, pec slaps, spy hops, and breaches ensued. A majority of J pod moved into the lead position, with K pod trailing. The whales hugged the northern side of the pass as they headed east. 

 

As J and K pod exited Active Pass, the whales quickly dispersed over a very large area. It appeared that J pod took a more easterly course while some Ks headed north. “Morning Star” located K14, K16, K21, K26, and K35 very spread out, elusive, and on very long dives. With no other whales in sight, “Morning Star” ended the encounter at 1030.