EncDate:25/01/24 

EncSeq:1

Enc#*:07

ObservBegin:02:01 PM

ObservEnd:03:11 PM

Vessel:Mike 1

Staff:Mark Malleson

Other Observers:George Hamilton

Pods:Bigg's killer whales

LocationDescr:Race Rocks

Start Latitude:48 17.42

Start Longitude:123 32.41

End Latitude:48 18.12

End Longitude:123 28.23

 

EncSummary:

Mark and George made plans to depart Victoria harbour at 1100 for a survey of the Juan de Fuca once George had a good scan from the lookout at Gonzales.
With no sightings on Victoria waterfront and better conditions west of Race Rocks they worked their way out Race Passage and headed west out the middle of the Strait. With several stops for binocular scans and once they made it south of Sooke they decided to work their way back east along the Vancouver Island shoreline starting at the west end of East Sooke Park. Upon reaching Church Rock, ~2.5 nm north west of Race Rocks, they decided to push south of Race Rocks for a final sweep before heading back to Victoria harbour. A few minutes after the passed south of Race Rocks they received a relayed report from Chris Hall who working with the Royal Canadian Navy demolition team at Bentick Island as a marine mammal observer that the Race Rocks guardian saw some killer whales at the pier inside Race Rocks!
Mike 1 turned around and headed back towards Race Rocks while Mark gave the R.R. guardian a phone call for more info. 
Derek had last seen them within a couple of minutes exiting the reserve heading west after they popped up in the kelp below the hauled out and now very riled up Steller and California sea lions. 
Mike 1 slowed down outside the west edge of Race Rocks Reserve and saw what looked like four or five animals approaching ~ 1/4 nm away. To their surprise, they saw what looked like a footprint a few seconds later off Mike 1's bow and then a killer whale launched out of the water with a cartwheel. They immediately saw the reason for this burst of speed and activity as a young seal pup popped up in the frenzy.  
There was a brand new calf in the group which Mark thought may be T075C4. CWR first documented this new calf on January 1st in almost the same spot (see Encounter 01). Mark eventually was able to confirm his suspicion as T075C was the huntress who made short work of the seal pup while her one month old calf, two year old T075C3 and T075B2 circled around and watched her prowess. Within five minutes from the start of the hunt they saw a body part float to the surface which was soon grabbed by either T075C or T075B2.
While Mark and George watched the five of them prey share they received a call from Derek that he was seeing three more animals still inside the R.R. Reserve. The Mike 1 crew eventually spotted them and it appeared they were slowly making their way towards them from the south edge of the reserve so they figured they would wait for them to join up to confirm that this group would include the two missing T075Bs.
The prey sharing now seemed to be complete and the group was now slowly making their way east. With no sign of the others, George scanned with his binoculars towards the east and eventually spotted them a couple of miles away.
Mike 1 made its way to the group and was able to confirm that it did include the missing two T075Bs; the matriarch T075B along with her newest offspring, two year old T075B4, and T077D were the other three that did not join the hunt.
With no sign of any other T077s or any other individuals in the area the Mike 1 crew ended the encounter at 1511 and headed for Victoria Harbour.

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