Date: 03-May-19

Sequence: 1

Encounter Number: 31

Enc Start Time:1 5:05

Enc End Time: 18:20

Vessel: Orcinus

Observers: Dave Ellifrit

Location: SJ and New Channels

Begin Lat/Long: 48 36.60/123 04.40

End Lat/Long: 48 39.45/123 13.15

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Encounter Summary:

Jane Cogan called Dave at home in the early afternoon to relay a report of a large group of transients heading northwest up San Juan Channel. Dave grabbed his stuff and headed to Snug Harbor and left in the boat around 1440. “Orcinus” arrived on scene at 1505 about a mile and a half southwest of Jones Island. The T49As, T65Bs, T75Bs, T75Cs, and the T123s were in a single tight group traveling slowly northwest and appeared to be resting. The whales rested their way to the north side of Spieden Island and then all the way through New Channel. Once the whales exited New Channel, they briefly turned south before turning back west. The whales appeared to be waking up a little as there was some rolling and splashing that looked like socializing. The whales then turned north-northwest and headed up Haro Strait about a mile off the Stuart Island shoreline still in a tight group. The encounter ended at 1820 off of Tiptop Hill on Stuart Island.