Enc Date: 22/12/19

Enc Seq: 1

Enc#: 107

Observ Begin: 12:40 PM

Observ End: 01:55 PM

Vessel: Orcinus

Staff: Dave Ellifrit

Pods: Transients

Location Descr: Parker Reef

Start Latitude: 48 43.31

Start Longitude: 122 54.30

End Latitude: 48 43.39

End Longitude: 122 54.33

 

Enc Summary:

Jane Cogan called Dave to relay a report that “Spirit of Orca” had seen a group of killer whales heading east in Spieden Channel. Dave gathered up his warm clothing, headed to Snug Harbor, and left in the boat at 1115. Several other boats were also out looking for the whales reported and we all coordinated in our search of the area we thought they may have gone. “J2” eventually found the whales, ID’d as the T34s and T37s, heading northeast up President Channel. Dave eventually caught up and the encounter began at 1240 about a mile or so off Pt. Doughty on Orcas Island. Most of the whales were in a tight group and “J2” had reported that T34A and T34A1 had split off but were somewhere in the area. The whales turned more easterly and then fanned out and began hunting once they neared Parker Reef. T34A and T34A1 appeared again nearer to Matia Island. They also appeared to be on the hunt as they were changing directions often and T34A was taking long enough dives that T34A1 had to come up for air on its own a couple of times. No kill could be confirmed and the pair eventually straightened out and headed northeast between Puffin Island and the eastern shoreline of Matia Island. The other whales were still spread out but they were also heading northeast toward the gap between the two islands following T34A and T34A1. The encounter ended there at 1355.