Date: 05-Jan-19

Sequence: 5

Encounter Number: 01

Enc Start Time: 15:10

Enc End Time: 16:05

Vessel: Morning Star

Observers: Melisa Pinnow, Jane Cogan, Tom Cogan

Pods or ecotype: Transients

Location: Haro Strait

Begin Lat/Long: 48 30.6/-123 14.6

End Lat/Long: 48 27.7/-123 14.9

 

Encounter Summary:

Melisa, Tom, and Jane met at Snug Harbor and left the dock at 1300 aboard “Morning Star”. “Morning Star” searched for whales around Spieden and Waldron Islands until a report came in at 1350 of two male killer whales heading north in Haro Strait toward Kelp Reefs. “Morning Star” headed to Haro Strait and stopped to scan near the Kelp Reefs area. With no whales in sight, “Morning Star” slowly headed south. At 1435, an update came in that the whales were in line between Ten Mile Point and Henry Island. “Morning Star” was right in the zone and spotted the whales about a mile away at 1510.

It was T93 and T97 and they were a few miles east of Cordova Bay/Gordon Head area. The two males were milling about on an apparent kill. Gulls flew in for scraps and the smell of oil was in the air. Once they were finished with their meal, T93 and T97 turned and slowly headed south, about two miles off of Ten Mile Point. The two stayed tight together for much of the time, but did split for a brief period towards the end of the encounter. The encounter was ended at 1605 as the two whales continued south toward Baynes Channel, about 0.75 miles north of the northern entrance to the channel.