Transients pass Victoria waterfront
May 14, 2008


photo by Dave Ellifrit. This photo was taken under DFO license #2006-08/SARA-34.
Transients T73B traveling with T87, T88, T124, T124D, T124E, T90 and T90B pass Trial Island May 14, 2008.


photo by Dave Ellifrit. This photo was taken under DFO license #2006-08/SARA-34.
T73B and T87 pass close to the rocks of Trial Island, May 14, 2008.


photo by Dave Ellifrit. This photo was taken under DFO license #2006-08/SARA-34.
T073B (foreground) is observed off to one side of T124 and T88, socializing with T124E (not pictured below him).


photo by Dave Ellifrit. This photo was taken under DFO license #2006-08/SARA-34.
The distinct nick of T87's dorsal makes him an easy animal to identify (though he is sometimes mis-identified as T20). The other whales surfacing next to him are (from left) T90B, T124D and T90.


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Vessel track of Encounter #11.

Encounter #11
May 14, 2008
Transients
Platform: Orca
Depart Snug Harbor: 10:55 a.m.
Begin Encounter: 11:35 a.m.
Start Lat: 48° 25.17 N
Start Long: 123° 16.83 W
End Encounter: 12:38 p.m.
End Lat: 48° 38.6 N
End Long: 123° 32.3 W
Return Snug Harbor: 2:05 p.m.
Observers: Dave Ellifrit.

Report by Dave Ellifrit: "I left Snug at 10:55 a.m. (overcast and mostly calm) and got on scene around 11:35 a.m. just west of the Chain Islets (48°25.17N, 123°16.83W). The eight whales were tight and heading southwest at a medium speed. The whales present were T87, T88, T90, T90B, T124, T124D, T124E, and a sprouter who I don't remember seeing before. I will have to send a picture of him off to Graeme (Ellis, DFO) for an I.D." (Graeme Ellis reports that the transient male Dave refers to is T073B, "who we haven't seen for a few years, so nice score!")
"By around 11:55 a.m. the whales were off the south tip of Trial Island still tight but had slowed down a bit. Most of the whales appeared to be resting but T124E and the sprouter were just slightly off to the side rolling around together. I saw a "seasnake" from those two that I think belonged to T124E, so I'm pretty confident he is a young male. I left the whales with a couple Victoria boats at 12:38 p.m. about 2 miles southwest of Trial Island (48°38.6N 123°32.3W). The whales were still tight and slowly heading southwest. After fueling up at Roche, I made back to Snug Harbor at 2:05 p.m."