Photo by Courtney Smith


Photo by Dave Ellifrit


Photo by Dave Ellifrit


Photo by Emma Foster

Photo by Emma Foster

Photo by Ken Balcomb

Encounter # 47 • July 26 • J, K, L pods

Departed Snug Harbor: 8:03 a.m.
Begin Encounter: 8:13 a.m.
Start Lat: 48° 57.536 N
Start Long: 123° 19.706 W
End Encounter: 12:25 p.m.
End Lat: 48° 43.868 N
End Long: 123° 01.241 W
Returned to Snug Harbor: 1:53 p.m.

Observers:
Vessel Orca: Dave Ellifrit, Courtney Smith, and Rob Lott
Vessel Shachi: Ken Balcomb and Emma Foster

Center staff woke to whale blows just before 7am and departed in both vessels, Shachi and Orca. Most of J's, K's and L's were encountered in small social groups. Shachi spent the majority of the encounter off Kellett Bluff, beginning with L47, L83, L91 and L110 in a tight group. Later L5, L84, L54, L100, L108, L82, L55, L86, L106, L112, L103 and L109 were encountered before coming across a social group containing J1, K20, K38, J19, J41, J27, J31, J39, L41, L85 and others. Other mixed groups were also encountered, including one group that was pushing around a young calf. Orca began their encounter with the L12s, but were quickly left behind as they porpoised towards the larger group, they also encountered a large number of mixed groups and later found the L2's on the west side of San Juan.

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