Date: 18-08-18

Sequence: 1

Encounter Number: 59

Enc Start Time: 11:10

Enc End Time: 11:51

Vessel: Mike 1, Chimo

Observers: Mark Malleson, Hanna Magnusson (Mike 1), Ken Balcomb (Chimo)

Pods or ecotype: J Pod

Location: East Sooke

Begin Lat/Long: 48 19.2/123 43.3

End Lat/Long: 48 19.9/123 41.8

 

Encounter Summary:

We left Victoria harbor at 0735 and headed west. At 0820 we came across an east bound yearling humpback whale at the west end of Race Pass (48 18.3/123 32.9).
We continued west and entered fog east of Beechey Head and decided to turn back to the east to search in the clear south and east of Race Rocks. We were south of Discovery and received a report of a large group of killer whales eastbound off of Muir Creek so we headed back out to the west.
At 1110 we saw the J16's leading as they were approaching Secretary Island. J50 was ~300 meters behind the other 3 but caught up quickly to them when J16 and J26 slowed up to forage. J50 was swimming alongside when Ken arrived on Chimo. He was on his way to Port Angeles and heard the report so couldn't resist having a look. I can't blame him!
We trolled to the west to see who was following as we could see a large group off of Possession Pt eastbound along the shoreline.
Most of the remainder of J pod (at least the 17's, 19's and 22's) were tight together along with L87 as they paraded past the sports fishing fleet between Secretary Island and Beechey Head.
A couple of them were fairly animated with a couple of lazy breaches, tail lobs, and upside down swimming.
We departed at 1151 and pushed out to the west as far as the fog line south of Jordan River to see if any members of K's and/or L's were coming in behind them and then ran back towards Race.
We could see that they were in Race Passage slowly eastbound against the building ebb current as we approached at 1405. We returned to Victoria harbor at 1445.