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2022 Encounters

Encounter #31- June 11, 2022
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EncDate:11/06/22 

EncSeq:1

Enc#:31

ObservBegin:11:36 AM

ObservEnd:02:10 PM

Vessel:Mike 1

Staff:Mark Malleson

Pods:Transients

LocationDescr:South of Victoria

Start Latitude:48 17.50

Start Longitude:48 17.88

End Latitude:48 26.36

End Longitude:123 11.01

 

EncSummary:

At ~0930 Mark received a report of east bound killer whales off of Otter Bay. It sounded that is was likely a group of Bigg's but then he had an updated report which contradicted his thoughts that they were possible Residents so he made his way to town to mobilize Mike 1.
On route he got confirmation that it was a spread out group of Bigg's moving quickly east and were now close to Race Rocks. 
He departed Victoria harbour at 1100 and came across the T075B's and C's at 1136 south west of Constance Bank. They were separated in their respective families by no more than a .25nm traveling at a steady 6 knots to the east with the flood. Within a few minutes he had decent enough photos of all six individuals so he continued on to find the rest. One of the whale watchers had confirmed the T123's along with a few others but they hadn't been seen since the group had split up west of Race Rocks. T063 along with his probable mom, T065 were reported ~ 5 nm to the south west of the T075B's and C's so Mark headed that way. 
At 1158 he came across the pair separated by .5nm slowly SSE bound ~ 5nm SSE of Race Rocks. T065 was to the south of T063 and at one point it looked as though she was slowly chasing a likely seal or harbour porpoise as she had quickened her pace with a direction change to the south and T063 changed his course towards her. This was short lived as they turned back to their SSE track without joining for prey sharing and no signs of T065 eating. Mark departed inside 30 minutes once he had proof of presence photos of both T063 and T065 and headed back in the direction of the T075B's and C's who were now close to 10 nm ahead.  
At 1243 he arrived back with the T075B's and C's ~ 7nm south of Trial Island. They were now grouped up moving very slowly east towards Hein Bank. At 1320 they predated on what appeared to be a seal at 48 18.5/123 10.2 and prey shared for the next 15 minutes. 
As Mark was scanning with binoculars in all directions with hopes to find the 3rd missing group with the T123's he got word that killer whales were found by one of the commercial whale watch boats ~7 nm to the NW near Trial Island moving NE towards Discovery Island. As he was approaching Discovery Island he got word that they had been confirmed as the T123's along with the T041's so he had a very brief look at the group in order to get proof of presence pictures of them and ended the encounter at 1410 ~ NE of Seabird Point, Discovery Island as they continued NE towards San Juan Island.

Photos taken under Federal Permits

NMFS PERMIT: 21238/ DFO SARA 388

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