EncDate: 10/09/21

Sequence: 01

Enc#: 69

ObservBegin: 09:52 AM

ObservEnd: 10:38 AM

Vessel: Mike 1

Staff: Mark Malleson

Other Observers: Joe Zelwietro

Pods: Transients

LocationDescr: Swiftsure Bank

Start Latitude: 48 23.3

Start Longitude: 124 58.0

End Latitude: 48 26.6

End Longitude: 124 57.9

​

EncSummary: (Sequence 1)

Mark and Joe departed Gateway Marina in Port Renfrew just before 0830 and headed out into the fog searching for killer whales. They worked their way out toward the hotspot of the week at the west entrance to the Juan de Fuca and were slowing for a hydrophone drop and listen in 100-metre visibility when a familiar scent hit the boat…pinniped predation! Mark and Joe instantly noticed the large oil slick 20 feet off the port side. They shut down the vessel and listened for blows, which Mark quickly picked up some 200-300 metres off the port bow. They couldn’t spot the animals but idled in that direction and at 0952 saw several black dorsal fins slicing through the mist and began the encounter at 48° 23.3’ N / 124° 58.0’ W
An adult female and sub-adult male with distinctly wide bowed fins suggested that perhaps a rare group were present. Two other animals appeared, and the Mike 1 crew was able to identify the T007Bs! A nice find for the CWR crew, as these whales are more often encountered around Haida Gwaii and the north and west coasts of Vancouver Island. They were prey-sharing and spent the next 20 minutes milling in place, with only short dives to catch the scraps. Eventually, the group appeared ready to move on and began travelling south-southwest before a longer dive. Mark and Joe tried to keep pace on the dive, but after 15 minutes without resighting (or hearing) the whales, they had to accept that the whales had disappeared into the thick fog, and it was time to move on. They ended the encounter at 1038 at 48° 26.6’ N / 124° 57.9’ W and continued west-southwest in search of clear skies and more whales.