EncDate:10/04/22 

EncSeq:2

Enc#:16

ObservBegin: 01:08 PM

ObservEnd: 04:30 PM

Vessel: Orcinus

Staff: Dave Ellifrit

Pods: J

LocationDescr: Haro Strait

Start Latitude: 48 31.16

Start Longitude: 123 09.69

End Latitude: 48 32.80

End Longitude: 123 10.50

 

EncSummary:

After receiving reports that J pod had been spotted heading down San Juan Channel and then heading up Haro Strait, Dave headed down to Snug Harbor and left in the boat around 1255. The first whale was seen near shore off the lime kiln just north of Lime Kiln State Park and this turned out to be J19. The encounter started at 1308. It was over fifteen minutes before another whale could be found and approached close enough to photograph. This was J39 traveling by himself at least a half mile west-southwest of J19. The SR3 drone project boat was another mile or more to the west and a blow or two could be seen out there. The SR3 boat moved off to whales even further west and “Orcinus” headed toward the whales they had left. This was a loose group of five that included the J22s, the J31s, and J27 and they were traveling up mid-Haro Strait. Another group appeared another quarter mile west of the previous group. This was an active group that appeared to be chasing a fish when first seen but it quickly turned into a social group of rolling tactile whales. This roll-y group included J40, J42, J46, J49, and J53. These whales were on the Kelp Reef line and were angled just slightly west of the reef. J36 was seen peripherally to this group and J37 and her new calf J59 were also glimpsed to the north of the group and heading west. The socializing group disappeared briefly as a freighter passed by heading south. As “Orcinus” turned to face the freighter’s wake, a dorsal fin tip or two could be seen zipping along the surface as several of the whales surfed back south in the ship’s wake. When the whales regrouped after their surfing safari, J37 and J59 had showed up again with J40 close beside them. J46 and J49 joined the threesome while J42 and J53 wandered off although J42 soon came back and joined the group again. This group traveled west-northwest and passed Kelp Reef on the west side. Some other whales appeared about a quarter mile east of the previous group. This was the J22s again and they were spread out from one another as they headed up Haro Strait. J36 and J53 hurried by tight together too. Also nearby were J31 and J56 who were loosely spread. As “Orcinus” headed back east across the strait, another group appeared about a third of a mile east of the J31s and this was the J35s and J51. This group of four was socializing and tactile while they traveled slowly up mid-Haro Strait. The last whales of the day were four more spread out whales almost three quarters of a mile to the southeast of the J35s and J51. Three of these were J26, J44, and J45 and they were traveling almost abreast but spread out by several hundred yards. J26 was about two hundred yards west of J45 who was about fifty yards west of J44 and they were all traveling up Haro in a business-like manner. The fourth whale showed up again behind them and this was J27. He had stalled out to chase a fish and the encounter ended with him at 1630 halfway between the north end of Andrews Bay and Kelp Reef.