Date: 19-August-18

Sequence: 1

Encounter Number: 61

Enc Start Time: 13:43

Enc End Time: 14:09

Vessel: Mike 1

Observers: Mark Malleson, Joe Zelweitro

Pods or ecotype: Transients

Location: Bentinck Island

Begin Lat/Long: 48 19.2/123 31.9

End Lat/Long: 48 18.5/123 33.7

 

Encounter Summary:

We departed Victoria harbor at 13:20 and headed out towards Race Passage. The T010's were slightly south of the mouth of Pedder Bay along the shoreline of Vancouver Island. They were heading south-west through the passage between Bentinck Island and Vancouver Island. Rather than following them through we felt it would be better to wait for them at the west of the passage to minimize disturbance.
At 13:57 we could see them actively hunting seals in the rock pile in the narrow channel and watched T010C circle back to pick up a large chunk of blubber (48 18.7/123 33.0). After a couple minutes of prey sharing the continued west along the shoreline of V.I. towards Whirl Bay. We ended the encounter at 1409 and pushed on to the west to catch up to the outbound J's that were last reported to be westbound near Otter Point at 12:15.