EncDate: 15/06/21

EncSeq: 1

Enc#: 40

ObservBegin: 08:25 AM

ObservEnd: 09:18 AM

Vessel: Mike 1

Staff: Mark Malleson

Other Observers: Joe Zelwietro

Pods: Transients

LocationDescr: San Simon Point

Start Latitude: 48 25.1

Start Longitude: 124 09.3

End Latitude: 48 24.2

End Longitude: 124 04.8

 

EncSummary:

About an hour after departing the T036s, Mark and Joe were angling offshore when Mark spotted a quick series of blows tight to the shoreline of Vancouver Island, just west of San Simon Point. They turned back into shore and were soon with a group of 10-15 killer whales. They started the encounter at 0825, observing two groups travelling quite far apart, with a single bull and female travelling inshore and behind a large group of roughly 10 females and juveniles. The youngsters were quite playful, with several spyhops and rolls observed as the whales travelled east at a good pace. The large group was determined to be composed of the rare T064Bs and T068Cs, a more commonly encountered T077 and her youngest offspring T077E, and two animals travelling away from their given matrilines of late, T037A1 and T065A5. The animals to the north of the group were T049C and T068C1. Eventually the groups redistributed, with the T068Cs joining C1 to the north of the action and slowing significantly, while T049C broke off to the southeast in an effort to catch up to a still fast-paced group of T064Bs, T077s, T037A1 and T065A5. Mark and Joe ended the encounter then, at 0918, two nautical miles SE of San Simon Point.

Later, on their return from the western reaches of the Juan de Fuca, the Mike 1 crew again came across that lead group, including T049C, now finishing off a predation just northeast of Race Rocks before moving quickly toward the Victoria waterfront.

An interesting note, this is the second ever CWR encounter with The T064B matriline (see 2020 Encounter #73) in the Salish Sea, both occurring within the last six months after just four previous encounters anywhere in BC or Washington. They are more typically encountered in the waters of SE Alaska.