Date: 06-October-2019

Sequence: 1

Encounter Number: 83

Enc Start Time: 13:58

Enc End Time: 16:10

Vessel: Mike 1

Observers: Mark Malleson

Pods or ecotype: J pod

Location: Bechery Bay

Begin Lat/Long: 48 16.6/123 37.6

End Lat/Long: 48 17.2/123 39.8

 

Encounter Summary:

Mark left Victoria harbour on Mike 1 at ~1300 after he got word that Peter Zelen on Goldwing had spotted some Southern Resident killer whales mid strait south of Sooke heading south east at ~1245.
Mark went out through Race Pass to 5 miles south east of the 1245 sighting and stopped and scanned for several minutes before seeing what looked like killer whales splashing about close to shore near Bechey Head. As he approached it was apparent that it was J pod actively feeding with a lot of tail lobbing and cartwheeling as they foraged with an eastern trend to their track across the mouth of Becher Bay. They then turned offshore to the south east as if they were going to go south of Race Rocks and abruptly turned back to the west within a mile of Race Rocks. Mark left them at 1610 after a little more than 2 hour encounter just slightly west of where he started off Bechey Head as they continued to forage as they tracked back to the west. He was able to confirm all members of J pod along with honorary member L87 were present.