EncDate:17/09/23 

FolderID:20230917DKE_SJ1, 20230917MNW_SJ1

EncSeq:1

Enc#*:52

ObservBegin:05:05 PM

ObservEnd:06:07 PM

Vessel:Orcinus

Other Vessel:

Staff:Dave Ellifrit, Michael Weiss

Other Observers:

Pods:K

LocationDescr:Haro Strait

Start Latitude:48 31.56

Start Longitude:123 09.96

End Latitude:48 37.31

End Longitude:123 12.23

 

EncSummary:

We were monitoring reports of a group of whales off the south end of San Juan Island throughout the late morning and early afternoon. The reports made it seem like they were probable southern residents but water conditions were sloppy where the whales were. As the whales made their way back up Haro Strait, they were identified by observers on shore as K pod. The seas were calming down some although the water on the west side was still a little lumpy. When the whales had made it to Hannah Heights, Michael and Dave met down at Snug Harbor and left in the boat at 1650.

We arrived on scene a little north of Lime Kiln and the encounter began at 1705. K pod was spread out and the leaders appeared to be K27, K12, and K37. K37 chased a fish off Bellevue Point before he continued north past the county park by himself. Behind the leaders was a small group that included K20, K45, K36, and K43. This group began porpoising north past CWR. Offshore and a little south of these whales, K16 and K35 were traveling north together. Further offshore and south of these two, we found K26 and K42 spread out and heading up Haro Strait. K26 was traveling fairly quickly. By this time, we had found everybody in K pod but the K22s and one or two others. There were several whales tucked deep in Mitchell Bay so we headed over toward the south tip of Kellett Bluff. Here we found K33 foraging in the tide rip south of Kellett Bluff while K22 was with K45 a couple hundred yards to the northwest traveling slowly north off Kellett. These two split up off the north end of the bluff. K20 and K38 came up from the south and K45 joined them. K33 was traveling by himself inside of this threesome. K22 showed up and she and K33 traveled north together loosely spread out. We ended the encounter with these two off Battleship Island at 1807.