A little change of pace for most of the whale watching boats today, instead of hanging out with L-22's, we decided to try our luck out with some transients whales! And I would say it was a great decision! There were reports that these transients killed a Minke Whale earlier in the day. When M/V Sea Lion arrived on scene, there were six transients, mostly females, in a very tight knit group. Presumably, this group had already made the kill, but it is possible we were witnessing them sharing/feeding on the carcass below the surface. Although, we were unable to see any evidence of the Minke Whale, there was a definite smell to the air as we motored closer to where the animals were surfacing.
Lots of time whale watchers will refer to Minkes as "Stinky Minkes" since they can be elusive and rarely display their fluke when going on deep dives. However, today we can add their smell to the apt nickname. Minke Whales reach lengths of 35 feet and can weigh up to 10 tons! A lot of times with a kill of this size, transients will get their fill for the day, and then return the next day for some more feasting. Hopefully for our charters tomorrow they will be able to see more of the transients feeding!
Caitlin, Naturalist- M/V Sea Lion, San Juan Safaris