EncDate: 14/12/19

EncSeq: 1

Enc#: 102

ObservBegin: 02:25 PM

ObservEnd: 02:51 PM

Vessel: Mike 1

Staff:Mark Malleson

Other Observers: Joe Zelwietro

Pods:Transients

LocationDescr: William Head

Start Latitude: 48 20.5

Start Longitude: 123 31.4

End Latitude: 48 21.6

End Longitude: 123 29.1

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EncSummary:

Mark and Joe departed the dock at 1400 on Mike 1 after having multiple reports of killer whales in the vicinity of Race Rocks. The only confirmed ID at that point was T251, an outer coastal Bigg's whale that Mark had seen at the end of his morning whale watch trip guiding for Prince of Whales. He could see that there were others traveling near him and knew of another group closer to Race Rocks that had been spotted by his friend Gord Rowles who was on shore looking through Big Eyes.
Mike 1 arrived with the most northerly group of animals at 1425 as they passed by the shoreline of William Head (48 20.5/123 31.4). This group was tracking north towards Victoria and Mark and Joe confirmed they were the T077 matriline. T077 and T077B led the way across Quarantine Cove before all five members of the family came together and continued to travel quickly north. No predation was observed and a second group that were within a mile slightly offshore paralleling the T077's came into view. They departed the T077's and confirmed the T075B's and T075C's and saw a new calf swimming alongside T075C! Once Mark and Joe felt they had proof of presence of the entire group they ended the encounter at 1451 (48 21.6/123 29.1) and headed south and headed south in search of the outer coastal animals that Mark had seen with T251 earlier.