Date: 23-Aug-21

Sequence: 1

Encounter Number: 55

Enc Start Time: 14:39

Enc End Time: 16:22

Vessel: Orcinus

Observers: Michael Weiss, Charli Grimes

Pods or ecotype: Transients

Location: Haro Strait

Begin Lat/Long:  48 32.172 N/123 10.309 W

End Lat/Long:48 37.706 N/123 11.150

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Encounter Summary:

There had been reports of multiple groups of Bigg’s killer whales in the San Juan Islands throughout the morning, and in the early afternoon a report came through of a small group of unidentified killer whales of unknown ecotype spotted off Hannah Heights, on the west side of San Juan Island. Michael and Charli mobilized and headed to the dock to investigate, leaving Snug at 14:12.

At 14:39, the team arrived on scene just off San Juan County Park, with a pair of whales that turned out to be T77C and T77D. While the team had photographed these whales recently, they were interested to see how T77C’s wound had continued to heal, and to collect behavioral data using drone follows.

The two whales made their way up the west side of the island, crossing the mouth of Mitchell Bay and heading into Open Bay. There, the team observed them initiate a prey pursuit dive, characterized by both whales turning belly-up before quickly diving. The whales next surfaced close to shore, apparently pursuing a seal, but they did not successfully make a kill.

The whales hugged the shoreline tightly as they continued north along Henry Island, still in hunting mode. They tucked close to a pebble beach, and from the drone the team observed them again unsuccessfully pursue a harbor seal, which escaped into the shallows, followed immediately by another unsuccessful pursuit of a nearby river otter.

After their unsuccessful hunts, the pair of siblings made their way towards Battleship, where they circled the island multiple times, finally making successful seal kills. While observing the whales, the team heard reports of a group of six whales, consisting of most of the T60s, T2B, and T59 coming south through President Channel. At 16:22, the team left the pair of T77s as they continued north towards Stuart Island from Battleship.