Enc Date: 09/10/19

Enc Seq: 1

Enc #:84

Observ Begin: 02:25 PM

Observ End: 03:40 PM

Vessel: Mike 1

Staff: Mark Malleson, Fin

Location Descr: South of Sheringham Point

Start Latitude: 48 19.6

Start Longitude: 123 56.0

End Latitude: 48 19.9

End Longitude: 124 01.4

 

Summary:

Mark and Fin, left Victoria harbour at 1300 headed out on Mike 1 to follow up a report of J27 and a few others seen off of Otter Point. They were reported to be foraging and possibly headed west.
The conditions weren't ideal as there was a moderate south east outflow wind against the last of the flood current. Mark arrived offshore of Otter Point and decided this was as far as he wanted to go as the seas were not going to be much fun for the ride back to Victoria. Through his Swarovski binoculars he spotted a westbound bull dorsal fin a couple of miles to the north west of him off of Sheringham Point so decided to continue on with hopes they weren't going too quickly west. He came across J41 first ~ 2.5 nm offshore and could see at least another 8 - 10 individuals spread laterally from just inside 2 miles south of the Sheringham light to at least 3 miles offshore. They were zig zagging around foraging as they worked their way west. It was tough to confirm where the rest of the pod was with the moderate swell and wind and after working back and forth across the swell for close to an hour he felt it was time to return to Victoria as he was able to photograph almost half of J pod even with the less than ideal conditions. Mark felt confident it was only J's present and ended the encounter at 1540. He battled his way back to Victoria by quartering his way into the shoreline off of Sooke before finding flat water slightly west of Secretary Island returning to Victoria harbour at 1730.