EncDate:17/05/23 

EncSeq:1

Enc#:21

ObservBegin:09:17 AM

ObservEnd:10:08 AM

Vessel:Orcinus

Staff:Dave Ellifrit

Pods:Transients

LocationDescr:Haro Strait

Start Latitude:48 35.20

Start Longitude:123 12.26

End Latitude:48 38.38

End Longitude:123 12.43

 

EncSummary:

Dave got a call from Kelley at about 0840 saying he had just seen two female killer whales pass CWR. A male and another whale appeared a quarter mile offshore while we were talking. Dave quickly headed to Snug Harbor and left in the boat at 0910. Just a few minutes out into Mitchell Bay, the whales were spotted at the south end of Kellett Bluff and the encounter began at 0917. All four members of the T137s were heading north in a tight group along the rocks at the bluff. Once they had passed Kellett Bluff, the T137s loosened up into two groups of two with T137A and T137D being around 150 yards to the southwest of T137 and T137B. The whales went down on a lengthy long dive and finally came up between Battleship Island and McCracken Point on the north tip of Henry Island. After another long dive the whales came up southwest of Danger Shoal all together again and heading slowly north. The whales then began milling and alternating their surfacings like they had a seal pinned on the bottom. After about six minutes of this, a small head popped up briefly and disappeared again. The whales must have made short work of it as they soon began traveling slowly north again. The encounter ended at 1008 about a quarter mile west of Danger Shoal.