Date: 06-12-19

Sequence: 1

Encounter Number: 37

Enc Start Time: 14;21

Enc End Time: 16:18

Vessel: Chimo

Observers: Ken Balcomb and Sabryna Bach

Pods or ecotype: T77s

Location: Port Angeles Harbor

Begin Lat/Long: 48 08.814N/123 24.025W

End Lat/Long:48 07.652N/123 27.27.174W

 

Encounter Summary:

The Bigg's Transient killer whales were reported in the morning about six miles south of Otter Point, Canada, and they gradually travelled eastward toward Port Angeles. Several PWWA vessels were in the vicinity and they tentatively identified the group of five whales to be the T77s. As the whales approached Ediz Hook, we launched in Chimo shortly after 2PM to obtain confirming photographs of them and confirmed that T77 and T77B were indeed in the group, along with three others that are presumed to also be T77s, but with new markings not in our catalog dated 2016. It is time for a new catalog and Jared Towers of DFO is coming out with one next week. We will update ours later. To everyone's amazement the whales calmly spread out and went far into Port Angeles Harbor to right off the paper mill and Boat Haven entrance before turning and heading back out of the harbor. After rounding Ediz Hook, they headed back west in the Strait of Juan de Fuca.