Five Star Charter's Fastcat departed the Victoria harbour at 0900 this morning. We didn't have any reports yet so we decided to go to the productive area at Hein Bank, Washington. This shallow bank area is a great spot to find marine mammals because upwelling from deeper waters to the shallow bank areas brings nutrients up and oxygenates the water for production of plankton which is food for bait fish which is in turn food for larger fish species and marine mammals. We arrived at Hein Bank at around 1000 and had a great sighting of at least 5 minke whales (balaenoptera acutorostrata)!
Although we knew there would be a good chance of sighting minke whales at Hein Bank we also went there in the hopes of picking up a group of killer whales. Last night we had the last report of the Resident 'fish eating' killer whales; one of the pods was travelling north to Vancouver. We know they often come down Rosario Strait and then up to Hein and Salmon Banks. Luckily, after watching the minke whales foraging for half an hour we received a report that killer whales were coming from the south end of Rosario towards us! So we left the minkes and travelled to Iceberg Pt, at the southwest end of Lopez Island (one of the San Juan Islands).
We had a great sighting of J pod, with K20 and K38, travelling towards San Juan Island in groups spread out; we got a great look at J14, Samish's, family (including J30, Riptide a 14 year old male, J37, Hysquah an 8 year old female, J40, a five year old female and the newest calf in the group J45, born in January) with J1, Ruffles, and probably the rest of the elders inshore of the J14s. Just before we left J pod we received a report that the the L12 subpod was at False Bay, San Juan Island just north of us. We were so lucky this morning with 5 minkes, J pod with K20 and K38, and the L12 subpod nearby!
Above 2 photos: minke whales foraging at Hein Bank
Rhinocerous Auklet (Cerorhinca monocerata) one of the species of bird seen feeding in association with minke whales at 'bait balls'
Above 2 photos: J30, Riptide, a 14 year old male in J pod
J1, Ruffles, the oldest male (at least 58) in the Southern Resident community
members of the J14 (Samish's) matriline...her newest calf j45 (born in January)
J45 (~6 months old)
J14, Samish (35 yrs) and her J 45 (~6 months)
J14, Samish (35 yrs) and J40 (5 yrs)
K20, Spock (23 years)
K20, Spock (23 yrs), J19, Schachi (30 years) and J1, Ruffles (est. 58)
K20, Spock with J19, Schachi, and J1, Ruffles
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