Encounter # 19 • May 9 • Transients

Departed Snug Harbor: 12:17 p.m.
Begin Encounter: 12:27 p.m.
Start Lat: 48° 32.60 N
Start Long: 123° 10.53 W
End Encounter: 2:50 p.m.
End Lat: 48° 31.85 N
End Long: 123° 12.81 W
Returned to Snug Harbor: 3:04 p.m.

Observers: Dave Ellifrit, Erin Heydenreich, Mercedes Powell, Kira Kranzler

From the Center, we observed a group of transients heading north from Bellevue point. We departed Snug Harbor at 12:17pm and encountered the group of transients, containing T87, T90, T90B and T90C, just outside of Mitchell Bay, still moving slowly north. At 1:21pm we observed a harbor seal in the whales path. Shortly thereafter the whales were milling where the seal had been, presumably having made a kill, although we were unable to see any physical evidence. The transients continued to move slowly north until 2:19pm, when they turned and headed south west. At 2:50pm our encounter ended approximately three quarters of a mile south east of Kelp Reef, with the whales moving south west down the middle of the Straight.

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