April 3, 2011
We had the T049A's and the T049B's off of Victoria heading east on the afternoon of April 3rd. T020 and T021 were spotted close to the group heading west towards Race Rocks.
Mark Malleson, Prince of Whales, Victoria, B.C.
April 5, 2011
DKE tagged along aboard the Western Prince after Captain Ivan saw some whales from the ferry just outside of Friday Harbor in the early evening. We found the whales with the help of Jeannie Hyde around 1845 just NW of Yellow Island (approximately 48 36.73N 123 03.44W). The whales were the T49As and T49Bs, six whales in all. They moved northwest slowly in a tight group, barely showing any saddle. Present were T49A, T49A1, T49B, T49B1, and the two newish calves T49A3 and T49B2. T49A2 was not there and it is unclear as to whether this juvenile dispersed or died. We ended the encounter and left them still slowly heading NW, mid San Juan Channel, between Jones Island and Limestone Pt., SJI at 1925.
April 8, 2011
Turns out we had a report of orcas in Haro Strait, so we motored over towards Discovery Island (near Victoria, BC) and we were very lucky to have a chance to see the T20s, T49As and T49Bs. They were being a bit "un-transient like" in their behavior today. Lots of surface time, logging, and generally just "hanging out". Then down for 5-7 minutes, only to reappear in a random location (very transient like!) Even from 300 yards away, the whales were impressive, especially T20 and his massive notched fin! The whales appeared content to just "mosey" at a leisurely pace (OK, I'm a Texan so I can use the word mosey).
John Boyd (JB), SSAMN Marine Naturalist, Western Prince, Friday Harbor, WA
April 9, 2011
I came across Transient orcas T020 and T021 with the T049A's and B's late morning on April 8 offshore off Gordon Head (see photo below). They headed south around Discovery Island.
In the afternoon T020 and T021 split off and headed south-west out the Juan de Fuca and the others cruised the shoreline of Victoria's waterfront and were last seen off the mouth of Victoria harbour at 1700hrs.
Mark Malleson, Prince of Whales, Victoria, B.C.
Transient orcas T49As and T49Bs off Gordon Head, B.C.
April 9, 2011 Photo by Mark MallesonApril 13, 2011
After receiving a report of Transients in San Juan Channel, Center for Whale Research staff Dave Ellifrit and Erin Heydenreich departed on vessel Starlet from Snug Harbor. The encounter began at 9:56 am mid San Juan Channel (48° 34.95 N; 123° 02.07 W) with the T137's,T49B's and T49A's traveling in a loose group. We later encountered the T65A's and T36A's traveling up San Juan Channel. We also encountered the T75B's and T75C which have not been previously encountered by the Center. The encounter ended in Boundary Pass off John's Island (48° 40.81 N; 123° 08.73 W) at 11:26 am. The whales spread out and were heading toward Saturna Island, B.C. In all we had 20 transients: T20, T21, T36A,T36A1,T49A,T49A1,T49A3,T49B,T49B1,T49B2,T75B,T75B1,T75C,T65A,T65A2,T65A3,T65A4,T137,T137A, And T137B.
Center for Whale Research, San Juan Island, WA
Transient Orcas T49B2 and T49B, San Juan Channel April 13, 2011
Photo by Dave Ellifrit, Center for Whale Research,
taken under MMPA permit #532-1822
April 14, 2011
On Maya's Westside Charters we encountered transients orcas as they were traveling north up San Juan Channel. They were just outside of Friday Harbor and quite close to the entrance (see image below). It was the T49As, T49Bs, T75Bs and T75C. We left them at the north of Yellow Island, still heading north.
Jeanne Hyde, San Juan Island, WA
April 15, 2011
Whales were spotted at Cattle Pass at about 9 a.m. The whales were the T49As, T49Bs, T75Bs and T75C (Transient orcas). Throughout the day they traveled up San Juan Channel - the first 2 hours they were feeding on what I believe was a Steller sea lion kill, based on the length of time and the amount of birds that stayed with the whales looking for scraps. At noon on the Western Prince the whales were still south of Friday Harbor and one whale did a very unusual thing, and repeated it several times.
The whale was swimming backwards!
I have not ever seen that before but have heard others have. At about 5:30 pm on Maya's Westside Charters we encountered the same whales as they made a kill in President Channel, along the northwest side of Orcas Island. When we left they were still heading north.
Jeanne Hyde, San Juan Island
18 April 2011
We left Friday Harbor with only vague sightings of Transients earlier in the morning, and we finally found them hanging out southeast of Hein Bank. And it was so amazing. Two family groups, the T49As and the T49Bs were traveling together, and they seemed to be almost out for a "casual swim". Normally with Transients we'll see 3-4 quick surfacings and then down for a long interval up to 6 minutes. Well, these guys would come to the surface very leisurely about 8-9 times, then go down for 4 minutes, and repeat. They were highly non-directional, one minute popping up 400 yards away and moving away from us, and then they'd turn underwater and show up passing our stern.
18 april 2011
I found the T049A's and B's with T075B and T075B1 southeast of Hein Bank early afternoon on April 18th after following up Jeanne Hyde's shore sighting in the morning. They tracked to Eastern Bank where they then split up into two groups and each group killed a harbor seal.
Mark Malleson, Prince of Whales, Victoria, B.C.
John Boyd,SSAMN Marine Naturalist, Western Prince, San Juan Island, WA
