EncDate:30/11/22 

EncSeq:1

Enc#:79

ObservBegin:02:20 PM

ObservEnd:02:57 PM

Vessel:Mike 1

Staff:Mark Malleson

Other Observers:Joe Zelwietro

Pods:Transients

IDsEncountered:T049C

LocationDescr:South west Constance Bank

Start Latitude:48 19.08

Start Longitude:123 30.52

End Latitude:48 19.47

End Longitude:123 27.97

 

EncSummary:

Mark, Joe and Fin were returning to Victoria after an afternoon survey of the central Juan de Fuca Strait. Sparse humpback sightings had filled their time between choppy water transits, and they planned just one more stop en route to Victoria, at the southwest edge of Constance Bank.
At 1420 as they turned offshore from Pedder Bay, a large male killer whale appeared ahead! He dove, and the guys concluded they had spotted the breath preceding a dive sequence. After nearly eight minutes the killer whale reappeared, on a generally northerly track, arcing only slightly toward Constance Bank. The solitary animal was identified as T049C, a frequent visitor to the region, who has been observed patrolling the waters of the south Salish Sea each of the past three autumns, and has already been present this year since mid-October. He is also seen in the area throughout the spring.
The bull continued steadily north-northeast for the next three breath sequences, averaging 4.5 minute down times, and deviated just once in possible pursuit of prey. No predation was observed however, and Mark and Joe ended the encounter at 1457 ~ 3.5nm west-southwest of Constance Bank and continued home.