Date: 14-May-19

Sequence: 1

Encounter Number: 34

Enc Start Time: 14:35

Enc End Time: 15:00

Vessel: Orcinus

Observers: Dave Ellifrit

Pods or ecotype: Transients

Location: Spieden Island

Begin Lat/Long: 48 38.59/123 10.31

End Lat/Long: 48 39.29/123 11.40

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Encounter Summary:

Dave received several calls from various sources about a couple of different groups of Bigg’s killer whales in the area, including a group that headed up San Juan Channel and into Spieden Channel. As the San Juan Channel whales neared the west end of Spieden Channel, reports said that T87 and the T90s were present but there was still a little confusion about who a couple/few extras were in the group. Dave grabbed his gear, headed for Snug Harbor, and left in the boat at 1415.
“Orcinus” arrived on scene around 1435 off the west end of Spieden Island. The whales were just finishing feeding after a kill and blubber oil could be smelled in the air. A group of five or six whales were grouping up while another pair of whales were still feeding about 200 yards to the east of them. After a long dive, all the whales formed up in a tight group heading towards, and then along, the southwestern tip of Stuart Island. The other matriline in the group with T87 and the T90s turned out to be the T124A2s. The encounter ended at 1500 with the whales continuing slowly northwest up the southwestern shoreline of Stuart Island.