EncDate: 18/09/21

EncSeq: 2

Enc#: 77

ObservBegin: 09:53 AM

ObservEnd: 12:10 PM

Vessel: Orcinus

Staff: Dave Ellifrit, Michael Weiss

Other Observers: Charli Grimes

Pods: J

LocationDescr: Haro Strait

Start Latitude: 48 26.818

Start Longitude: 123 01.803

End Latitude: 48 29.894

End Longitude: 123 08.587

 

EncSummary:

The team had heard reports that J and K pods had come south from the Strait of Georgia in the storm on 9/17/21. Early in the morning, Charli heard faint calls on the Lime Kiln hydrophone, and shore reports suggested that a fairly large, spread group of whales was heading for the south side of the island. Dave, Michael, and Charli left the dock at 9:17 to investigate and determine which whales were still in the area, and to check on whether any of the known pregnant whales had delivered their calves.

The team sighted their first whale a half mile southwest of Eagle Point at 9:53. The team first found J35 with her young calf J57, moving offshore with some speed. Next, they came across J42, travelling without any close associates.

The team found a group of whales foraging, which turned out to be the J41s. After J41 captured a fish, the team observed lots of prey sharing and socializing, including J58 with a bit of salmon guts hanging out of her mouth.

The team spotted a large adult male off in the distance. When they got closer, they identified this whale as J26, actively foraging on his own. After a few surfacings with him, they moved to another male further inshore. This male was J27, also actively foraging. As they photographed J27, the team spotted several whales spread out around False Bay, further in shore.

As they moved inshore and up island, the team identified several more members of J pod, including J31 travelling with J56, J39, young males J47 and J49 socializing, and J37. The team was now fairly confident that only J pod whales were present in this group. As they slowly inched north to start heading home, they also found J19, foraging nearby J35 and J37. The team ended the encounter at 12:10 just west of Point Edwards.