EncDate:05/07/22 

FolderID:20220705DKE_GI1, 20220705REJ_GI1

EncSeq:1

Enc#:36

ObservBegin:10:41 AM

ObservEnd:12:01 PM

Vessel:Orcinus

Staff:Dave Ellifrit

Other Observers:Rachel John

Pods:Transients

LocationDescr:lower Gulf Islands

Start Latitude:48 34.53

Start Longitude:123 13.66

End Latitude:48 38.43

End Longitude:123 16.72

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EncSummary:

Dave had just arrived at CWR after pumping the weekend’s rain out of our boats at Snug Harbor when he noticed a text from Jane Cogan relaying a 0940 report of killer whales heading north off Lime Kiln. The whales had snuck by CWR and were re-found near D’Arcy Island. Dave and Rachel headed down to Snug Harbor and left in the boat at 1030. We got on scene about a half mile east of D’Arcy Island at 1041. The whales were in two groups heading north and taking long dives. T34A, T37B, T37B1, T37A1, and T65A5 were in one group while T34, T34B, T37, and T72 were paralleling them a few hundred meters to the west. The whales passed Halibut Island on the east side and then turned northwest. The groups came together loosely as the moved slowly northwest between the north side of Halibut and the reef directly to the east of Mandarte Island. The whales began foraging in the kelp near the rocks off the east end and the north side of Mandarte. A couple animals spread out a little to the north of the reef while foraging. T37B1 and T65A5 briefly socialized together. The whales foraged their way west until about mid-Mandarte Island before heading slowly north in a single group. We ended the encounter at 1201 about a half mile north of Mandarte Island.