EncDate:20/09/22 

EncSeq:2

Enc#:61

ObservBegin:03:38 PM

ObservEnd:06:02 PM

Vessel:Mike 1

Staff:Mark Malleson

Other Observers:Joe Zelwietro

Pods:J, K, L

LocationDescr:Camper Creek

Start Latitude:48 32.21

Start Longitude:124 35.75

End Latitude:48 31.20

End Longitude:124 34.30

 

EncSummary:

Having just left the T060s & T002B (see Encounter #60), Mark and Joe were considering heading offshore to a group of K pod killer whales reported by their colleagues at the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans. By the time they wrapped up the encounter though, the information was a little stale, and conditions were not ideal to be searching. Luckily, before they had a chance to pull the plug, Mark spotted a few distinct killer whale blows just offshore, and enough of them to suggest Residents!
Sure enough, the first animals spotted were L pod killer whales, L87 and L88. The two males were foraging, and every animal spotted was well spread from any other, with an average of 0.25 nm between individuals. This of course made ID efforts difficult, but it was nice to see so much foraging, and much of it apparently successful. K14 and K42 were foraging close to each other and the L pod males, but eventually came together to travel east. J47 was the next individual documented, suggesting that all members of the clan may be present…none of the L12s had yet been confirmed, but Mark later captured a photo of L94.
The animals were spread and foraging, though the general trend was east, and Mark and Joe were able to confirm several more individuals from all three pods, before L85, the J16s, J22s, J19 and a few others came together and the entire clan began pushing back to the west-southwest. They ended the encounter south of Camper Creek, at 1538 and headed for Pacific Gateway Marina.