EncDate:08/09/22 

EncSeq:1

Enc#:55

ObservBegin:09:00 AM

ObservEnd:11:55 AM

Vessel:Orcinus

Staff:Dave Ellifrit

Other Observers:Mia Lybkaer Kronborg Nielsen, Federica Spina

Pods:J, K

LocationDescr:Haro Strait

Start Latitude:48 28.06

Start Longitude:123 04.85

End Latitude:48 28.44

End Longitude:123 05.83

​

EncSummary:

Dave received early morning phone calls from Kelley Balcomb-Bartok and Jane Cogan saying that there had been J and possible K pod calls on the Lime Kiln hydrophone and that there were now large line-ups of resting whales pointed north at the north end of Andrews Bay. The team headed to Snug Harbor and left in the boat at 0750. Thinking the whales headed north, we went that direction and made it all the way up to Stuart Island. We knew that we should have seen the whales before then so it was not much of a surprise when we heard that the whales had turned around while we were mobilizing and were now heading down the west side of San Juan Island.  

We eventually made it on scene near the south end of False Bay at 0900. There were two large resting lines with all of J pod being slightly inside all of K pod. All the whales were heading slowly south. About twenty minutes later, after a little milling, all the whales turned around and headed north again. The K16s, J47, and a couple others broke off and began socializing a little to the inside of the main J and K pod groups. For the next two hours, the bulk of J pod and K pod moved back and forth from the north end of False Bay and the area just north of Eagle Point in two large groups loosely spread from one another. The K16s and a few J pod whales did some low-key socializing in the same general area while the others rested. We ended the encounter at 1155 off of Kanaka Bay with all the whales heading south again. The K16s were back with the rest of K pod. We got a picture of everyone present on this day. K20’s new calf, K45, seems to be doing well. Both K20 and K38 look better than they did in July. K44 was not present again.