Spyhop
Photo by Emma Foster


J's, K's and L's in Haro Strait
Photo by Erin Heydenreich


L's with CWR vessel Shachi
Photo by Astrid van Ginneken


L78 and L2
Photo by Rick Smith

L's with CWR vessel Orca
Photo by Ken Balcomb

Encounter # 43 • July 7 • J,K,L

Departed Snug Harbor: 6:05 a.m.
Begin Encounter: 6:19 a.m.
Start Lat: 48° 53.717 N
Start Long: 123° 17.253 W
End Encounter: 10:03 a.m.
End Lat: 48° 54.19 N
End Long: 123° 19.21 W
Returned to Snug Harbor: 10:20 a.m.

Observers:
Vessel Orca: Erin Heydenreich, Emma Foster and Astrid van Ginneken

Vessel Shachi: Ken Balcomb, Rick and Laine Smith, and Hila Mezuman

Whale calls and blows were heard off the Center for Whale Research at 3:30 a.m. The whales were shuffling back and forth for a few hours. We departed Snug Harbor at 6:05 a.m. and encountered the whales resting off Bellevue Point. They were in two tight groups that came together and separated several times over the course of the encounter. We had all of J pod, most of the L's
(excluding the L12's and a few others) and K21, K40, K16, and K35. They were resting and traveling slowly north against the tide off Bellevue Point for over 3 hours. As we left they started to pick up some speed and move further north, but later turned around, spread out, and went south.

These photos were taken under MMPA permit #532-1822and/or DFO license #2006-08/SARA-34.