Date:12-Sep-18

Sequence:1​

Encounter Number:75

Enc Start Time: 16:27

Enc End Time: 16:33

Vessel: Chimo

Observers: Ken Balcomb, Astrid van Ginneken, Stewart MacIntyre

Pods or ecotype: Transients

​Location: Haro Strait

Begin Lat/Long: 48 30’ 58”N/123 12’ 25”W

End Lat/Long: 48 30’ 34’N/123 12’ 27”W

 

Encounter Summary:

We departed Snug Harbor at 1605 for a quick look at a group of Bigg’s Transient killer whales that had been found near D’Arcy Island and were moving south. By the time we crossed the few miles of Haro Strait, they were about one mile south of Kelp Reef and they took a long dive just as we approached the area. When they surfaced about ten minutes later and a mile further south they were very cooperative and allowed us to take photographs of them all in a matter of six minutes. This was a very efficient encounter with a relatively well-known assemblage of meat-eating killer whales. Interestingly, they were headed toward a very active group of T18s that were feeding on what is believed to be a humpback carcass in the vicinity of Eastern Bank. We did not continue with our group to that location, but a sample of the blubber was collected of the hapless leviathan when it was brought to the surface by one of the T18s.