EncDate:10/04/21

EncSeq:1

Enc#:18

ObservBegin: 05:45 PM

ObservEnd: 06:20 PM

Vessel: Orcinus

Staff: Dave Ellifrit

Other Observers: Katie Jones

Pods: J

LocationDescr: San Juan Channel

Start Latitude: 48 36.72

Start Longitude: 123 04.63

End Latitude: 48 35.63

End Longitude: 123 03.29

​

EncSummary:

Jane Cogan called late in the afternoon to relay the report that J pod had been found heading south in President Channel and also that T77A and T49A2 were heading west into Harney Channel. Dave called Katie and they met at Snug Harbor and left in the boat at 1725. We found J pod as they were entering Rocky Bay on the north side of San Juan Island and the encounter began at 1745. They were milling at first but then turned southeast back down San Juan Channel. The whales were in one large, loosely spread group traveling very slowly to the point of going pretty much nowhere. J57 and J58 were enjoying themselves while playing with one another. The skies were sunny with some clouds for most of the day but there was a big rain squall covering up the sun when we were with J pod. Due to the direction they were heading and the time of day, the whales were slightly backlit from most angles on both sides. The cloud just made things darker and we had about a 10 degree window that we had to put the whales in to get a decent shot at all. Although we did get a few good ID shots, most of the whales were moving too slowly to arch much. Since the whale’s direction and spacing wasn’t going to get us the ID shots we were hoping for, we ended the encounter at 1820 not too far southeast from where it began. T77A and T49A2 had recently been left by the whale watch boats over near Yellow Island which was just across San Juan Channel from where we were so we decided to go and see if we could re-find them. See Encounter 19-2.