Encounter #54 • Bigg’s Killer Whales

EncSummary: With reports of whales coming up the west side of San Juan Island the team decided to head out for a photo-ID encounter. Leaving Snug Harbor at 13:38, we got our first looks off of Lime Kiln as the group sped up the west side. The whales slowed down near Bellevue Point as they were milling on a kill, allowing us to get closer looks and identify the group as the T75Bs with a new calf! The calf looked no more than a couple of weeks old, with its fetal folds still visible. After milling for a bit, the group quickly continued on their northern track tight together.

As the T75Bs approached Henry Island it looked like they might go into Mosquito Pass, but they made a hard westward turn to aim offshore and for Kellet Bluff on the west side of Henry instead. With the whales turning offshore we took the opportunity to get backlit right sides on the calf. The team continued at a distance with the whales before getting another left side ID pass as they approached Battleship Island. Once the T75Bs reached Battleship they spread out a bit and made a full loop of the island, appearing like they were searching for their next meal. There was a strong smell of a kill as we rounded the north side of Battleship but the whales didn’t appear to celebrate and immediately resumed travelling. We decided to end the encounter north of Roche Harbor as the whales continued eastbound in Spieden Channel.