Date: 21-December-18

Sequence: 1

Encounter Number: 108

Enc Start Time: 13:51

Enc End Time: 14:49

Vessel: Mike 1

Observers: Mark Malleson, Joe Zelweitro

Pods or ecotype: Bigg's (CA's/U's)

Location: Offshore Sooke

Begin Lat/Long: 48 15.2/123 38.7

End Lat/Long: 48 15.7/123 45.3

 

Encounter Summary:

Mark Malleson and Joe Zelweitro left Victoria harbour at 1230 to survey the waters south and west of Victoria. The conditions in the Juan de Fuca Strait were ideal with no wind and a gentle swell. We starting seeing humpback blows to the west of Race Rocks. At 1326 we stopped to photograph a pair of humpbacks at 48 17.1/123 35.3. We could see at least another pair and a single humpback further to the south and west. I then spotted blows a few miles to the south and west with the Swarovski's that I wasn't convinced were humpbacks. Joe confirmed after a minute or so after scanning with his binoculars that they indeed were killer whales as he saw a bull fin pop up. We worked our way out towards the area and stopped for another scan. I could see others traveling west that were slightly north of the original group that we saw with a pair of bulls spread out. The first whales that we confirmed were CA174 and her newest offspring. We then confirmed one of the bulls in the slightly northern group as CA166 and then watched T049A1 porpoise to catch up with CA174 and her offspring. We saw T049A3, CA173, U083 and U084. They came together to prey share what we suspected a seal from the behaviour, and smell after they finished it off (48 15.7/123 45.3). We ended the encounter at 1449 as 3 whale watch boats had arrived on scene and we had received a report a few minutes earlier from Gord Rowles who had spotted more killer whales on the border south of Constance Bank traveling east. We unfortunately did not find them with the limited time/daylight so returned to Victoria Harbour at 1630.