EncDate:06/08/22 

EncSeq:2

Enc#:48

ObservBegin:05:32 PM

ObservEnd:06:39 PM

Vessel:Mike 1

Staff:Mark Malleson

Other Observers:Joe Zelwietro, Tasli Shaw

Pods:Transients

LocationDescr:Sombrio Pt

Start Latitude:48 24.9

Start Longitude:124 16.1

End Latitude:48 20.8

End Longitude:124 16.1

 

EncSummary:

Late Saturday afternoon, Mark, Joe and Tasli were wrapping up an already very productive survey of the western Juan de Fuca Strait when Mark spotted a distinct black dorsal fin on the horizon east of Port San Juan…killer whales! They began the encounter at 1722 south of Sombrio Point, Vancouver Island with three killer whales. It took a few surfaces to place the whales, but the crew soon identified the animals as some rare visitors to the Salish Sea: T132, T134 and T237. The trio are more well-known from the outer coast, having been encountered from California to Glacier Bay, Alaska, but are rarely seen anywhere and are poorly known. They were relatively mellow for a few minutes before making an obvious turn south and picking up the pace at 1800.
Guessing the Bigg’s may have detected the presence of another group of killer whales, the Mike 1 crew took a moment to scan south before following. They spotted two additional groups of 5-6 animals, one of which was apparently hunting. As the T134s and T237 were well committed to a rendezvous with the others, the Mike 1 crew moved on to the southern whales. The distinct smell of fresh pinniped or porpoise oil was on the air, but no obvious prey sharing was observed. The two new groups were travelling east roughly 400 m apart, the T037As (less T037A1) ahead of the T036s (less the T036As). These tight groups of five were soon joined from the northwest by the rarer visitors, who surfaced alongside the T036s for a sequence, before all dove and they reappeared alongside the T037As for a sequence. Shortly though, the T036s and T037As came together and the T134s and T237 dipped off to the southeast, still with greater pace.
With light waning and many miles between themselves and Victoria, Mark, Joe and Tasli ended the encounter just over four nautical miles southeast of where they began, and made tracks for Victoria at 1839.
Note: The relationship between the three outer-coastal Bigg’s killer whales is not known, but T134 is the presumed mother of the bull T132 given their long term association (since discovery). T237 may also be related, or may share a looser bond, similar to T002B’s association with the T060s. CWR last encountered these three whales in May 2021 (see Encounter #30, 2021).

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Photos taken under Federal Permits

NMFS PERMIT: 21238/ DFO SARA 388