Date: 22-Sept-18

Sequence:1

Encounter Number:83

Enc Start Time:16:25

Enc End Time:16:35

Vessel: Mike 1

Observers: Mark Malleson, Hanna Magnusson

Pods or ecotype: Bigg's Transient killer whales

Location: South of Race Rocks

Begin Lat/Long: 48 16.1/123 30.2

End Lat/Long: 48 16.1/123 30.2

 

Encounter Summary:

We were on our way back to Victoria harbour from photographing humpback whales near Clallam Bay when we received a report that there were transients westbound south-east of Race Rocks.

As we came east in the Juan de Fuca Strait, the sea conditions worsened with a strong south-westerly wind and outgoing ebb current.

As we approached Race Rocks, we could see a couple of whale watch boats from Victoria with the transients, so we stopped to do our best to get at the very least proof of presence pictures before we went back to the harbour. Knowing that we wouldn't be able to track west with them in the 4 - 5-foot seas we stopped well ahead to get a sense of their dive pattern knowing that we would only get one chance to get some photos as they passed by us. They, fortunately, did a zag off to the south to surf in the seas for one sequence allowing us to get a few right side shots and confirm it was the T035A and T038A group that had been seen a couple of times in the area over the last previous two weeks.