EncDate:16/02/24 

EncSeq:1

Enc#:16

ObservBegin:11:33 AM

ObservEnd:01:12 PM

Vessel:KCB III

Staff:Dave Ellifrit, Michael Weiss, Katie Jones

Other Observers:

Pods:J Pod

LocationDescr:Minke Lake/eastern Boundary Pass

Start Latitude:48 40.74

Start Longitude:123 04.83

End Latitude:48 41.36

End Longitude:123 05.89

 

EncSummary:

The day started with Michael getting a text from Monica from OBI saying that what looked like J pod was in a resting formation pointing north near Jones Island. Calls were made and the team met at Snug Harbor and left in KCB3 at 0955. We headed north through Mosquito Pass and then east through Spieden Channel. The SR3 drone team was also out looking and they had made a small run down San Juan Channel and were coming back near the south shoreline of Jones Island. We decided to head northeast towards Disney Point on Whidbey Island and scan the western side of President Channel. About halfway between White Rock and Disney Point, we turned west towards Boundary Pass. The day was sunny but it was breezy and the water in the area southwest of Waldron Island was rather sloppy.
At about 1030, Katie spotted blows to the west of us and the encounter began at 1033. J pod was still in a tight resting group and pointed north about a mile southwest of Sandy Point on Waldron Island. The whales were moving very slowly in choppy seas and were not showing a lot of saddle. J pod briefly split in two with the J16s, J35s, and one or two of the other J17s staying near us while the rest of the whales moved several hundred yards to the southwest. The split did not last long and the two groups soon came back together and were still heading slowly north. J45 spyhopped once. It was too windy for any drone flights, so once we made sure we had a photo of everybody, we ended the encounter at 1112 a little north of where we began.
After we left, J pod turned around and showed up in Haro Strait later in the afternoon. Michael and Dave took a few photos from CWR’s porch but the whales were spread side to side from SJI over to Kelp Reef. We saw J19 and J41 mill briefly in front of the house before heading south. J pod would eventually head back north that evening.