EncDate:17/09/23 

EncSeq:2

Enc#:53

ObservBegin:06:42 PM

ObservEnd:07:43 PM

Vessel:Mike 1

Other Vessel:

Staff:Mark Malleson

Other Observers:

Pods:Transients

LocationDescr:Church Rock

Start Latitude:48 18.41

Start Longitude:123 35.34

End Latitude:48 17.96

End Longitude:123 31.54

​

EncSummary:

Mark and Fin left Victoria Harbour on Mike 1 at ~1800 to follow up on a report of killer whales eastbound off of East Sooke Park.
Mike 1 started the encounter at 1842 as he came across the T060s, less the two dispersed sprouter brothers, T060D and E, along with the T109 family approaching Church Rock. They circled around the island in the kelp, determined to grab a seal. Within a few minutes, it was apparent that they succeeded as T060F spyhopped with the hind flippers of a harbour seal in her grip.
The group of nine passed it around amongst each other before T109D finally put it out of its misery.
They all continued eastward along the Vancouver Island shoreline as far as Race Pass before crossing over to Race Rocks Ecological Reserve. 
The hundreds of hauled-out sea lions, mainly Stellers, along with a few California sea lions, were very agitated with their foe's arrival. Their growls and barks increased in intensity as they watched the black fins parade past their haul out. Many of them collectively stormed into the water in an offensive defence strategy.
As it was getting dark, Mark ended the encounter at 1943 after watching the group loop around the southwest corner of Great Race and head north along the Ecological Reserve's eastern edge.