Date: 22-September-2019

Sequence: 1

Encounter Number: 77

Enc Start Time: 16:52

Enc End Time: 17:45

Vessel: Mike 1

Observers: Mark Malleson, Pierre Magnussson

Pods or ecotype: Bigg's Transients

Location: East Sooke Park

Begin Lat/Long: 48 19.5/123 41.8

End Lat/Long: 48 17.8/123 39.4

​

Encounter Summary:

Mark and Pierre left Victoria harbour on Mike 1 at ~1600 to go for a quick survey out west. Members of K and L pods were earlier spotted south east of Race Rocks west bound. As they were taxiing out of the harbour they received a report from Chris Bane on the Forever Wild that he had come across a group of Bigg's east bound off of the Sooke Bluffs. Mark decided that with the limited time and the fact that the Residents near Race Rocks heading west and were photographed by the CWR the day before off of San Juan he would prioritize the eastbound Bigg's.
Mike 1 came across the Bigg's killer whales near Secretary Island traveling close to shore east bound at 1650 and immediately was able to confirm the T035A's along with T038A. Mark asked Chris Bane on Forever Wild to let him know if he spotted the Residents as he departed to go west in search of humpbacks. Within a few minutes of departing Chris called to say he could see them west bound a couple miles south west of the entrance to Sooke harbour west bound and spread out.
At 1739 the T035A's and T038A stalled out and grabbed a likely harbour seal ~ .5nm south west of Bechey Head (48 18.0/123 39.6) while they prey shared. A decent slick formed from the oil and a few gulls came in for scraps before the group continued on slowly to the south east. Mark and Pierre ended the encounter at 1745 (48 17.8/123 39.4) and headed back to Victoria harbour.