Date: 15-Mar-18

Sequence: 2

Encounter Number: 17

Enc Start Time: 16:40

Enc End Time: 18:20

Vessel: Morning Star

Observers: Melisa Pinnow, Jane Cogan, Tom Cogan

Pods or ecotype: T86As, T124A2s, T124C, T12Ds

Location: Sansum Narrows

Begin Lat/Long: 48 44.550/-123 33.121

End Lat/Long: 48 47.049/-123 33.369

 

Encounter Summary:

At about 1510, killer whales were found in Patricia Bay, Saanich Inlet. Melisa, Jane, and Tom met at Snug Harbor and left aboard “Morning Star” at 1400. At 1440, “Morning Star” arrived on scene with the T124A2s and T124C just south of Musgrave Rock in Satellite Channel. The whales had been heading north into Sansum Narrows but had turned around and were now porpoising together toward Cape Keppel at 8-9 knots. It appeared that they had heard other whales nearby and were excitedly rushing in the direction they thought they were in.

When the T124A2s and T124C were about halfway to Cape Keppel, they slowed down and milled about for a few minutes. Two loud vocalizations were heard through the bottom of the boat. The whales then turned toward Cherry Point. T124A2A traveled with T124C for a few surfacings before splitting off to join T124A2 and T124A2B.

By 1715, the T124A2s had turned and headed back toward Separation Point/Sansum Narrows with purpose. T124C lagged behind for a moment, tail slapping multiple times before following after them. T124C kept tail slapping and breached twice as he trailed behind the T124A2s. T124A2s. T124A2 was also tail slapping and breached twice as well. It seemed as though they had heard other whales again.

At 1745, the T124A2s and T124C located the T86As and T124Ds on the west side of Sansum Narrows, close to the shoreline, north of Separation Point. The T124A2s and T124C moved from the eastern side of Sansum Narrows over to the west to join them. The T86As, T124A2s, T124C, and the T124Ds then continued north in a big group together. “Morning Star” left the whales north of Sansum Point, heading north in Sansum Narrows toward Octopus Point at 1820.