Center staff attempt encounter with Jpod,
driven back to port by torrential rains
photo by Barbara Todd. This photo was taken under MMPA permit #532-1822.
J1 breaking the surface in the rain.
photo by Emma Foster. This photo was taken under MMPA permit #532-1822.
J-pod in a tight resting group.
photo by Erin Heydenreich. This photo was taken under MMPA permit #532-1822.
J-pod surfaces in a resting pattern beneath a torrential rain.
Encounter #020
June 9, 2007
J pod
Platform: Orca
Departed Snug Harbor: 10:30 a.m.
Begin Encounter: 10:40 a.m.
Start Lat: 48° 33.47 N
Start Long: 123° 10.88 W
End encounter: 11:40 a.m.
Returned to Snug Harbor: 12:15 p.m.
Observers: Katie Jones, Erin Heydenreich, Barbara Todd and Emma Foster.
Center for Whale Research staff received a report of J-pod passing Bellevue in a nice tight group and headed out to encounter the whales. Drizzling rain turned to heavy rain, requiring rain gear, plastic bags and towels to protect the cameras as staff set out to find the whales. J-pod was located immediately outside Snug Harbor, in a nice tight resting group. The whales were surfacing together for approximately 2 minutes before going on a dive for nearly 5 minutes. Staff members had a few good passes with the whales, but when the heavy rain turned to torrential rain just south of Kellet Bluff, they feared for their cameras and were forced to head back to port.
