Date: 01-Jul-19

Sequence: 2

Encounter Number: 42

Enc Start Time: 13:40

Enc End Time: 15:30

Vessel: Orcinus

Observers: David Ellifrit, Michael Weiss

Pods or ecotype: Transients

Location: Rosario Strait

Begin Lat/Long: 48 44.83/122 48.01

End Lat/Long: 48 48.47/122 52.15

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Encounter Summary:

After leaving the T65Bs and T65A2 (see encounter 41), Michael and Dave followed reports of a large group of transients near Barnes and Clark. After a long run from Spieden Channel, they arrived on scene southeast of Matia Island with a large group of socializing transients, slowly moving north. After a few surfacing sequences, Dave deduced that the matrilines present were the T36As, T36Bs, T37As, T101s, and the T99s, for a total of 22 whales. The two youngest individuals, T37A5 and T36B3, were spending a good amount of time apart from their mothers, socializing with each other and other younger whales. The socializing involved a lot of rolling and spinning, giving Dave and Michael the opportunity to try to determine the sex of the younger whales present. The whales were typically split into a few small subgroups, with adult male T102 spending a good amount of time socializing with immature males. The spread of whales made it somewhat difficult to get to each individual, and it soon became clear that there was frequent interchange between the groups, making it difficult to be sure that all whales had been accounted for. After an hour or so, the groups began to converge, continuing to socialize. At 1530, the team finally felt confident they had photographed all whales present, and ended the encounter.