Transients Killer whales (T101's) enter
Strait of Juan de Fuca, August 12, 2007
photo by Dave Ellifrit. This photo was taken under MMPA permit #532-1822.
T101 and T102 surface together, August 12, 2007 in the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
photo by Courtney Smith. This photo was taken under MMPA permit #532-1822.
T102 surfaces showing distinctive "rake marks" through his "closed" saddle.
Encounter #044
August 12, 2007
T101's
Platform: Orca
Departed Snug Harbor: 5:05 p.m.
Begin Encounter: 5:51 p.m.
Start Lat: 48° 22.885 N
Start Long: 123° 04.091 W
End Encounter: 6:43 p.m.
End Lat: 48° 19.925 N
End Long: 122° 59.793 W
Returned to Snug Harbor: 7:35 p.m.
Observers: Dave Ellifrit and Courtney Smith.
Following reports of several Transient Killer whales heading East from Race Rocks earlier in the day, staff from the Center for Whale Research decided to investigate and attempt to confirm the identity of the whales. Center staff arrived on scene to find the T101’s (T101, T101A, T101C and T102) close together, traveling very quickly due south. The whales generally made long dives, sometimes lasting more than a minute in duration. Toward the end of the encounter T101A split off from the other whales and then traveled parallel with them as they continued moving south toward Puget Sound.
