EncDate: 25/04/21

EncSeq: 1

Enc#: 23

ObservBegin: 11:18 AM

ObservEnd: 12:34 PM

Vessel: Mike 1

Staff: Mark Malleson

Other Observers: George Hamilton

Pods: Transients

LocationDescr: East Sooke

Start Latitude: 48 20.2

Start Longitude: 123 43.0

End Latitude: 48 18.3

End Longitude: 123 34.9

​

EncSummary:

Mark decided to head out on Mike 1 to search to the west with his friend and colleague George Hamilton.
They stopped at the Victoria fuel dock to top up on their way out of the harbour at 1025 and, while they were fuelling, received a second-hand report of a couple of eastbound killer whales seen from shore near Otter Point, slightly west of the mouth of Sooke harbour.
At 1118 they came across a group of five killer whales approaching Secretary Island traveling close to shore on a path between Possession Point and Secretary Island (48 20.2/123 43.0). There were two bulls and three cows, and Mark was quickly able to determine that it was the three members of the T101's, although this was his first encounter seeing them since the disappearance of T101's eldest son, T102, who was last seen on September 17, 2020, and was presumed dead. With Joe Zelwietro's help, Mark confirmed the other two traveling with them were the T100B's, T100B, and her 11-year-old offspring T100B1. The group of five were in a tight group making good time with the flood current along the shoreline of East Sooke Park. When they reached Bechey Head, the T100B's separated from the T101's but continued paralleling them within a quarter-mile offshore as they made their way across the mouth of Becher Bay.
Mike 1 ended the encounter at 1234 as the whales passed just south of Church Rock (48 18.3/123 34.9) and continued east towards Race Pass.