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Summary of Southern Resident sightings
off Monterey Bay, CA March 24/25, 2007
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Provided by Captain Richard Ternullo
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Weather: Both days were overcast with light winds mostly from the SW never exceeding Beaufort 2.5. Swell was about 3’ and seas were very light.
SST: 12.1-12.3.
The initial sighting was reported from another whale watching vessel, Sanctuary. The captain, Noel Flores (first observer), reported a large number of killer whales. We were about 6 miles away and immediately proceeded in that direction. Another whale watching vessel, the Magnum Force arrived about 6-8 minutes before us. Their naturalist Dannielle said they were residents nearly immediately.
From extreme binocular range that determination seemed correct based on behavior, they were traveling slowly in a tight line abreast. Within minutes of our arrival. I also came to believe they were residents by observing several whales with open saddle patches. Nancy (Black) concurred.
The whales were traveling in tight line abreast slowly SSE and had just cleared the canyon edge. There was social activity taking place with spy hopping and tail slashes (peduncle throws). They were very tolerant of the vessel traffic. We estimated about 60 killer whales were present.
March 24
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Time
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Lat
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Long
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Comments
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1156
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36 45.5
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121 55.3
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1215
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36 44.4
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121 55.5
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Confirm residents
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1238
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36 43.4
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121 55.5
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Left to return to Monterey
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1304
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36 42.5
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121 54.6
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Feeding confirmed by Star of Monterey
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1331
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36 42.5
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121 54.6
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Feed, small groups of 1-5 spread out over about 3-42 miles, their appeared to be individuals chasing fish near surface.
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1403
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36 42.4
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121 54.1
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Feeding, slowly moving S
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1437
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36 40.88
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121 55.59
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Feed
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1449
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36 40.51
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121 56.24
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Feed, salmon seen in mouth by M. Johns
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1509
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36 40.19
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121 56.79
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Reverse course 180°
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1534
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36 41 17
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121 56.38
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Feed, return to Monterey
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March 25
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0740
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36 42 75
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121 53 81
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Social, in three groups about 1mile apart
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0755
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36 43 92
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121 53 66
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Social, slow travel to NNW
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0815
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36 44.86
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121 53 80
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Same
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0829
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36 45 23
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121 53 54
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Canyon edge (south rim), breaching, spy hopping, audible vocalizations
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36 45.94
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121 53 50
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End observation, return to Monterey
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Although the Sanctuary left Moss Landing and attempted to intercept the whales by heading W to the most likely estimated position, he could not find them even in very good sighting conditions. The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary vessel Fulmar also did not find them despite approaching from the S. The Fulmar then continued to his destination of Half Moon Bay heading W and still did not see them. The only place they could have gone is N to the upper Monterey Bay but no vessels were in the area to confirm that.
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