EncDate:30/09/23 

EncSeq:1

Enc#:60

ObservBegin:08:38 AM

ObservEnd:10:54 AM

Vessel:Mike 1

Staff:Mark Malleson

Pods:Transients

LocationDescr:West of Constance Bank

Start Latitude:48 20.41

Start Longitude:123 23.87

End Latitude:48 19.47

End Longitude:123 27.39

 

EncSummary:

Mark was preparing to leave the house to head out on a survey with Mike 1 when he received a report at 0745 from a friend guiding a fishing trip off Constance Bank of a group of ~ 15 killer whales very active to the west of him. He could see a lot of activity going on with a lot of splashing in the distance.
Mike 1 left Victoria harbour at 0830 and, within a few minutes, spotted a group of killer whales slightly west of Constance Bank. Mark started the encounter at 0838 and could see they were hunting a bull Steller sea lion.
The group consisted of the 046B1s along with T046C2, the T099s and the T123s, totalling thirteen whales. Certainly lots of combined strength and skill, especially with three experienced matriarchs!
T046B1 seemed to be the most aggressive with her leaps and lunges at the Steller, although her oldest daughter, T046B1A, was taking several turns at him, as was her dispersee niece, T046C2. The rest of the gang took a few swipes at the bull Steller throughout the barrage while the bull T123A and sprouter male T099C were most often just at the edge of the action circling around, which is often the way with the lads during sea lion hunts. Certainly, the females are more agile and better hunters, so perhaps it is best to let them do the bulk of the work.
The hunt lasted at least 3 hours as it seemed apparent that it was underway when Mark received the call from the fishing guide at 0740, and it ended at 1045 when the Steller was finally tired enough for the group to drown it. 
Mark ended the encounter at 1054 after watching a few celebratory leaps by a few members of the hunting party, with the youngster, T046B1C, being the most boisterous. The T018s had been found within a couple of miles to the south of the group while the hunt was still underway but never got inside a mile of the action. They milled around the area for a while before heading southwest on a line south of Race Rocks. 
Mike 1 headed towards Race Passage as Mark had word from a colleague on a tug that a single bull had been spotted eastbound along the shoreline of Bentick Island.
*see Encounter 61