Encounter 26 - October 15, 2021

Killer whale encounter summary (viewed from sister company Monterey Bay Whale Watch). At 1038, we received a radio report that Sanctuary Cruises had spotted 5-6 unidentified killer whales. CKWP lead research biologist Alisa Schulman-Janiger identified these six whales as adult male CA50B (25+ years old), matriarch CA49C (~16 years old), her calf CA49C1 (2 years old), matriarch CA122B (23+ years old), her juvenile CA122B2 (6 years old), and her calf CA122B3 (2 years old). At 1107, we spotted a group of California sea lions and then a group of about 15 Risso's dolphin (with a few California sea lions) porpoising past us at high speed, away from the killer whales. We reached them at 1112. They were traveling south, then abruptly started changing direction, frequently zig-zagging in foraging-like behavior. Sometimes they stopped and milled tightly together in one area as if they were prey sharing, but we never confirmed a kill. (**NOTE: They may have captured a sea lion underwater and consumed it. Other observers photographed them surfacing with an intact dead male sea lion five minutes after we left them**). CA50B often surfaced 20-50 yards behind the others, and occasionally just ahead of them; a few times he surfaced with CA49C and traveled with her. It was heartwarming to see them together; they were close associates who had traveled for years with the CA51As. (CA49C was orphaned as a juvenile, and CA50B was orphaned as an adult). One playful behavior seen: CA49C1 turned on its side next to mom CA49C, briefly waving its flukes in the air. At 1218, they picked up speed and headed west, with CA50B slightly trailing. Our very interesting encounter ended at 1237.