Enc Date:11/12/19

Enc Seq:1

Enc#:100

Observ Begin: 09:53 AM

Observ End: 10:43 AM

Vessel: Mike 1

Staff: Mark Malleson

Other Observers: Joe Zelwietro, Gary Sutton, Tasli Shaw

Pods: Transients

Location Descr: Trial Island

Start Latitude: 48 22.9

Start Longitude: 123 18.4

End Latitude: 48 25.1

End Longitude: 123 10.6

 

Enc Summary:

Mark and Joe were joined by colleagues from Cowichan Bay on Wednesday, and all were eager to brave the rain in search of the CWR's 100th encounter of 2019. There were moderate SE winds to the east of Victoria, so the four planned to travel across the Victoria waterfront as far as possible before turning south towards Dungeness Spit and eventually west. They departed the dock at 0930 and had traveled less than ten minutes from the harbor mouth when they stumbled onto killer whales within a mile of Staines Point on Trial Island! The encounter began at 0953 at 48 22.9/123 18.4, and the T046B's were quickly confirmed as the distinctive leucistic light grey T046B1B surface swiftly alongside her mother. The whales were traveling quickly towards Seabird Point on the south end of Discovery Island, averaging 8-9 knots over the bottom. They were tightly grouped, and all eight members confirmed with the youngsters T046B6 and T046B1B looking plump and energized. No predation was observed.

As the whales neared Seabird Point, Discovery Island, the seas began to pick up, and the whales altered course to the SE into strong headwinds and 3' waves. The encounter was ended at 1043 at 48 25.1/123 10.6 (2 nm east of Discovery Island) as a whale watch boat out of Victoria was arriving with the whales still traveling ESE. She stayed only a few minutes as sea conditions further deteriorated but was able to confirm via VHF radio that the group was continuing east towards the south end of San Juan Island. Mark, Joe, Gary, and Tasli headed west towards calm water in search of more whales.