Date: 19-Mar-19

Sequence: 1

Encounter Number: 19

Enc Start Time: 12:00

Enc End Time: 13:35

Vessel: Morning Star

Observers: Melisa Pinnow, Jane Cogan, Tom Cogan

Pods or ecotype: Transients

Location: Trincomali Channel

Begin Lat/Long: 48 53.246/-123 26.170

End Lat/Long: 48 57.219/-123 35.605

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Encounter Summary:

With sunny skies and low winds in the forecast, “Morning Star” departed Snug Harbor at 1108 in search of killer whales. At 1120, a whale watching boat found whales heading west in Trincomali Channel. “Morning Star” headed that way and arrived on scene west of Parker Island at 1200. The first whale encountered was T2C2, who has severe scoliosis. He was slowly heading north and trailing behind the rest of the whales by 3/4 of a mile. “Morning Star” took a few proof of presence shots of T2C2 before heading to the northern whales.

The other whales turned out to be the rest of T2C2’s family and the T123s. They were quickly moving north (7-9 knots) west of Wise Island. Males T2C1 and T123A were rolling around together while the rest of the two families were grouped up a few hundred yards to the north. “Morning Star” continued north to get photos of the remaining members of the T2Cs and T123s as they took the east side of Wallace Island. Occasionally, the T2Cs and T123s would pause and log at the surface for a few minutes. Perhaps they were waiting for T2C2 to catch up but he was still trailing far behind them.

Suddenly, another group of whales appeared a few hundred yards to the west. It was the T49As in a resting line and “Morning Star” saw these whales briefly before they disappeared from view as they slowly headed north on the west side of Wallace Island. At 1255, “Morning Star” left the T2Cs and T123s to get better proof of presence shots of the T49As. The T49As had continued north through Houstoun Passage and were taking ten minute long deep dives. The encounter was ended at 1335 after the T49As went on a long dive off of Squthey Point at the north end of Saltspring Island.