EncDate:21/12/23 

FolderID:20231221MLM_JF1

EncSeq:2

Enc#*:79

ObservBegin:01:17 PM

ObservEnd:02:02 PM

Vessel:Mike 1

Staff:Mark Malleson

Other Observers:Joe Zelwietro, Brendon Bissonnette

Pods:Transients

LocationDescr:south of Otter Point

Start Latitude:48 17.30

Start Longitude:123 53.18

End Latitude:48 17.63

End Longitude:123 48.39

 

EncSummary:

After departing the Southern Residents, the crew on Mike 1 continued west in the Juan de Fuca, in search of more. There has been a significant killer whale presence throughout the Strait all month, so they were optimistic that more were around. Offshore of Otter Point, they paused to document a pair of humpback whales when several suspiciously thin blows appeared nearly two miles to the southeast.
As they approached, it was clear that the source of the blows was not more humpbacks, but four or five more killer whales! With such a small group relative to the morning’s Residents, Bigg’s killer whales were assumed. The first whale the team identified was T075A, a large bull that CWR encountered with his mother in nearly the same location 10 days ago (see Encounter #72), and this time the duo were joined by some outer-coastal Bigg’s, T252 and the T253s! (see Encounter #74) The T075s are not uncommon December visitors to the area, and are also seen around Vancouver Island throughout May and June, but are most well-known from sightings in SE Alaska over the last 20 years. The T252s – T253 is presumed to be the daughter of T252 – are an outer-coastal matriline also seen regularly in the Juan de Fuca throughout the early winter months; however, this is the first time we are aware of the two matrilines being observed together.
The whales were travelling east-southeast mid-Strait, loosely grouped. Initially, the T253s were the southernmost whales, with T075A and T252 a hundred metres apart just north of them and T075 several hundred metres north of those two. The outer-coastal female soon slid offshore of T075A to join T253 and T253A, leaving T075A tagging along a short way behind.
The whales passed through a tide line and T075A briefly deked offshore, but no predation attempt was observed as the animals continued along east. T075 remained north of the other four, and all five whales seemed to be angling toward Port Angeles, rather than Race Rocks. Not seeing any sign of an imminent predation and not yet able to spot the bull T251, T252’s presumed son who was in her company as recently as a week ago, the Mike 1 team decided to end the encounter at 1402 and search farther south and east for any others.

Photos taken under Federal Permits

NMFS PERMIT: 27038/ DFO SARA 388