||| FROM CENTER FOR WHALE RESEARCH |||
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ObservBegin: 06:15 PM ObservEnd: 06:39 PM Vessel: Mike 1 Staff: Mark Malleson Other Observers: Gary Sutton, Tasli Shaw, Machi Yoshida Pods: Bigg’s killer whales IDsEncountered: T109A, T109A4, T109A5, T109A6, T109A7, T109A8 LocationDescr: Observatory Point |
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EncSummary: The Mike 1 crew of Mark and Fin along with Gary, Tasli, and Machi were on their way back to Victoria from an encounter with the Southern Residents (see Encounter #52) when they received a report of a group westbound Bigg’s along the shoreline of Freshwater Bay, west of the Elwha River mouth. Although they had already been confirmed as the T109A family, Gary calculated it would be less than 10 nm extra distance to deviate across to their location en route for Victoria, so it was agreed to reacquire them for a short encounter. At 1815 the team spotted them at Observatory Point working along the kelp line. The lighting and backdrop was spectacular as this family of six cruised westward along the shoreline. No predation was observed during the brief 24 minute encounter, but some decent right side photos were taken of all six individuals, especially of T109A’s eighth calf, T109A8, which was born earlier this year. T109A is the first of her population known to have given birth to eight calves over her reproductive life! The Mike 1 crew returned to the dock at Victoria Harbour at 1930, almost exactly 12 hours after setting out that morning. A long but rewarding day! |
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