EncDate:10/06/23 

EncSeq:1

Enc#:24

ObservBegin:01:50 PM

ObservEnd:03:12 PM

Vessel:Mike 1

Staff:Mark Malleson

Other Observers:Ollie Radford

Pods:Transients

LocationDescr:Race Rocks

Start Latitude:48 16.61

Start Longitude:123 30.63

End Latitude:48 16.87

End Longitude:123 33.95

 

EncSummary:

At ~ 0958, Mark received a report from a colleague working on a ship that there was a group of killer whales (~7 individuals with a young one and a large bull) eastbound in the middle of the Juan de Fuca. At the same time, there was another group reported in Port Angeles harbor. He decided to wait for confirmation on which whales were confirmed by his whale-watching colleagues before heading out on Mike 1. Also, the heavy rain in Victoria that morning predicted to stop by early afternoon, would make for a more comfortable outing by delaying his departure.
Later that morning, the T085s were confirmed to be part of the eastbound group along with the T046B's. The 109A's were the ones in Port Angeles harbor but had finally exited and seemed to be pointing towards the inbound group. 
CWR hadn't seen the T085s last year, so Mark felt that it would be worth heading out; plus, the rain had finally stopped, and the sun was out!
He departed Victoria harbor on Mike 1 at ~1325 with Ollie and headed out south of Race Rocks. At 1350 they came across the T109A's ~ 1.5 nm south of Great Race, moving quickly in a tight group on a line for the lighthouse. They entered the reserve, wound their way past West Race, and then circled over to Helicopter Rock in the centre of the reserve, past a group of seals before moving west into Race Passage.
Mark notified one of his whale watch colleagues of their presence and left them with him at 1415 while the Mike 1 crew doubled back to the south to take a look for the T085s and T046B's, who they could see earlier a little over a half mile to the southeast of the T109A's with another whale watch boat. Apparently, the T085s had recently split with the T046B's. Mike 1 arrived at 1425 to see the T085s moving west in almost the exact spot they started their encounter with the T109As. 
They were with a fourth animal which Mark eventually identified as T046B3 with them, and the group of four started porpoising west. It seemed apparent that the group was in a hurry to connect with more animals ahead of them, likely the remainder of the T046B's.
At 1453 they joined up with them ~ 1nm to the southwest, and then the reunited group turned and headed eastwards. Mike 1 ended the encounter at 1512 as a couple of whale watch boats were arriving on the scene.

Photos taken under Federal Permits

NMFS PERMIT: 21238/ DFO SARA 388