Date:12-October-2018

Sequence: 1

Encounter Number: 89

Enc Start Time: 14:45

Enc End Time: 17:35

Vessel: Mike 1

Observers: Mark Malleson, Hanna Magnusson

Pods or ecotype: J, K Pod

Location: Port Renfrew

Begin Lat/Long: 48 27.8/124 20.2

End Lat/Long: 48 30.9/124 32.9

 

Encounter Summary:

We left Victoria harbour at 0940 on Mike 1 to survey the Juan de Fuca Strait on route for Port Renfrew. We saw several humpbacks spread out near Race Rocks and within a half mile of shore between Race Pass and Becher Bay.

 

As we were heading west along the shoreline near Sooke we received a call from Rod King on Forever Wild that he spotted the T123's eastbound mid-strait south of us. We arrived at 1134 to see T123A .25nm south of T123, T123C, and T123D. At 1200 T123 grabbed a harbour porpoise (48 16.9/123 42.8) and T123A came over to prey share. We left them and continued west as they continued east while dividing up the porpoise.

 

At 1445 we spotted the J17's between Sombrio Point and Port Renfrew (48 27.8/124 20.2). They appeared to be foraging as they traveled west. At 1509 we left them and continued further west to look for more. At 1527 we came across J38 and K33 at 48 28.3/124 24.8 and could see many more spread inshore and offshore all westbound.

 

We could see many animals actively foraging and observed K26 chasing a fish but weren't able to collect any scales.

 

It appeared that all of J's and K's were present.

 

We ended the encounter at 1735 and them off the mouth of Port Renfrew spread out heading west (48 30.9/124 32.9).