Date: 05-Sep-18

Sequence: 1

Encounter Number: 72

Enc Start Time: 10:15

Enc End Time: 13:30

Vessel: Orcinus

Observers: Dave Ellifrit

Pods or ecotype: L12s

Location: President Channel

Begin Lat/Long: 48 40.34/122 59.47

End Lat/Long: 48 37.28/123 09.53

 

Encounter Summary:

Dave was working in the office at CWR when he heard over the radio that “Chinook” had found the L12s heading slowly south in President Channel. On the chance that J pod was there too, Dave headed for the boat and left Snug Harbor at 0945. The encounter began at 1015 about mid-President Channel. L41, L25, and L85 were extremely spread out and foraging. There didn’t seem to be any J pod whales around and the other seven L12s briefly disappeared. On their way home, “Chinook” re-found these seven whales back up at the top of President Channel off Pt. Doughty around 1100. “Orcinus” arrived at those whales about five minutes later. The L22s, L77s, and L94s were engaged in a serious bout of group feeding and all the whales were charging around in different directions within a small area while putting up a lot of white water. If the whales weren’t so obviously chasing fish, the feeding event would have looked like a vigorous transient attack on a marine mammal. This went on for a few minutes until the group began to dissipate. The L94s headed south first while L22 and L77 were the last to give up the chase. L22 later caught up to L89 and the pair of them swam quickly south too.
The L12s continued south in President Channel in small groups and singles who were all very spread out. The whales entered Spieden Channel and headed west still spread out in singles and small groups of two or three. The encounter ended off Roche Harbor with the leaders nearing Battleship Rock at 1330.