Transients in JS

Seasmoke reports
We first sighted the A12’s off Weynton Passage as they crossed over to the VI shore in the heavy flood current. A55 was foraging steadily in the current off on his own while A34 and the rest of her offspring were foraging and at times could be seen resting, near to the VI shore; their beautiful A-Clan calls were heard via the hydrophone. They soon began to travel east, crossing over to Cracroft Point and passengers enjoyed some wonderful viewing as they foraged nearby the boat in the flood current at Blakney Passage. On our way home, when heading back to the west, 7 Transient orcas were also sighted traveling east down the VI shore. They had been identified as the T34’s, T37’s and T72. The sightings of Transient orcas this summer has been few and so it was an afternoon made even more interesting by their appearance in Johnstone Strait.

Transients in San Juan Channel, August 5, 2008

5 August, 2008
Begin Encounter: 4:18 p.m.
Start Lat: 48° 34.45 N
Start Long: 123° 02.20 W
End Encounter: 6:18 p.m.
End Lat: 48° 31.67 N
End Long: 123° 56.20 W
Observers: Dave Ellifrit, Erin Heydenreich, Courtney Smith and Mackenzie Consoier

Center for Whale Research staff responded to a report of transients in San Juan Channel, August 5, 2008. The T124's, T20, T21 and T90 were encountered traveling south in a tight group mid channel north of Friday Harbor. The Center followed the whales past Fisherman's Bay on Lopez Island, where the encounter ended at 6:18 p.m.