Date: 07-July-18

Sequence: 1

Encounter Number: 44

Enc Start Time: 14:57

Enc End Time: 16:32

Vessel: Mike 1

Observers: Mark Malleson, Hanna Magnusson

Pods or ecotype: J16's

Location: Port Renfrew

Begin Lat/Long: 48 28.4/124 22.6

End Lat/Long: 48 31.1/124 30.0

 

Encounter Summary:

We departed Victoria Harbour at 0800 on Mike 1 and headed west out the Juan de Fuca Strait. We ran the Vancouver Island shoreline as far as Sheringham Point and then worked our way offshore. At 1155 we spotted a humpback on the US side of the border north of Pillar Point (48 15.0/124 14.3). At 1243 we came across another humpback north of Clallam Bay (48 18.3/124 14.3). At 1301 we came across a sea otter 6.5 nm east of Neah Bay (48 21.7/124 25.7).

 

We ran as far as the Juliet Alpha buoy (west entrance to the Juan de Fuca) and then worked our way back towards Port of San Juan. At 1457 we came across a westbound bull killer whale between Port Renfrew and Sombrio Beach which turned out to be J26. J50 was paralleling him on his inshore side within a 100 meters. They were traveling quickly at a steady 6 - 7 knots. We noticed immediately how skinny J50 was looking and the depression behind her blowhole was very noticeable. There was no sign of any other animals anywhere so we pushed further west to see if we had gone by them prior to spotting J26. We came across J16 and J36 a mile ahead of them. J16 started to actively forage off the entrance to Port of San Juan and then J50 joined her. J36 was also foraging slightly offshore of them and J26 was even further off. We left them at 1632.