Date: 03-Jan-18

Sequence: 1

Encounter Number: 1

Enc Start Time: 13:12

Enc End Time: 16:03

Vessel: Morning Star

Observers: Melisa Pinnow, Jane Cogan, Tom Cogan

Pods or ecotype:T100s, T124As, T124C

Location: Haro Strait

Begin Lat/Long: 48 24.030/123 17.722

End Lat/Long: 48 27.966/123 03.825

 

Encounter Summary:

At about 1130 on 03-Jan-18, a whale watching vessel found transient killer whales traveling east at Constance Bank in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Melisa, Jane, and Tom headed to Snug Harbor and left aboard "Morning Star" at 1235. The whale watching vessel soon left the whales so the search was on for “Morning Star” to relocate them.

At 1312, “Morning Star” found the T100s, T124As, and T124C traveling quickly east a mile east of Trial Island. As the whales porpoised past Discovery Island in rough seas, the T100s and T124As split up and regrouped multiple times. Most of the time, T124C trailed behind the group(s) by a few hundred yards but on occasion would join up with T100C or with the group(s).

By 1437, the whales were northbound in the middle of Haro Strait and had not slowed down yet. T100C and T124A3 soon split off to socialize together a few hundred yards north of the others. Once the rest of the T124As, T100s, and T124C were almost in line with Lime Kiln State Park, they turned east and headed toward the San Juan Island shoreline. T100C and T124A3 figured out the rest of the whales were now headed east and quickly turned to catch up with them.

By 1519, the T100s, T124As, and T124C were all together right off of Hannah Heights and had slowed down into a loose resting line. The encounter was ended at 1603 as the resting whales continued slowly past False Bay.