Date:12-Sep-18

Sequence:1

Encounter Number:74

Enc Start Time:12:30

Enc End Time:14:55

Vessel: Orcinus   

Observers: Dave Ellifrit, Astrid van Ginneken, Mia Renolds, and Conner

Pods or ecotype: J and L

Location: Rosario Strait

Begin Lat/Long: 48 39.56/122 44.25

End Lat/Long: 48 31.21/122 46.45

 

Encounter Summary:

While working in the CWR office, several reports of KWs came in over the radio. One was the report of residents south of Pt. Roberts pointed for Rosario Strait and another was a report of transients near Danger Shoal, originally reported by the FH-Sydney ferry. Since they were nearby, we decided to go see the transients north of Battleship Rock. We headed for the boat and left Snug Harbor at 1110. Not long after, we arrived near the spot where the transients had been seen but no boats were on the whales. We searched the area with binoculars for several minutes and decided the trail had grown cold. The decision was made to head to the residents who were approaching Rosario Strait. The transients were later re-found near Gooch Island and turned out to be the T36As and T99s who Ken and crew went out on late afternoon for Encounter 75-2.
“Orcinus” arrived on scene with the residents south of Lawrence Point on Orcas Island in Rosario Strait at 1230. The whales were very spread out but we found a nice little loose group that included J17, J44, J53, and L87. The J17s were actively pursuing a fish while L87 slowly cruised around not too far away. These four whales would later head south together in a loose group. More whales were forming in a large active group further north near the Sinclair Island shoreline as they headed south. The J16s, minus J50, cruised past us near the northwest Cypress shoreline with the J19s in a tight group moving more slowly and were closer to shore. The big active group was now approaching us and was a mix of J and L pod whales. This group fragmented into a big spread out group of loosely spread small tight groups and individuals. Most of the whales were incredibly active and there were numerous breaches, half-breaches, cartwheels, taillobs, pecslaps, and other splashy behaviors. It was actually kinda ridiculous, really-whales were flying out of the water all over the place. The Js and Ls continued south, still very active, and we left them off Thatcher Pass at 1455.