Enc Date: 21/10/19

Enc Seq: 1

Enc#: 86

Observ Begin: 01:46 PM

Observ End: 02:17 PM

Vessel: Mike 1

Staff: Mark Malleson

Pods:Transients

Location Descr: Trial Island

Start Latitude: 48 23.7

Start Longitude: 123 19.6

End Latitude: 48 23.6

End Longitude: 123 17.7

 

Enc Summary:

Mark left Victoria harbour at 1230 on Mike 1 when he heard that T049C along with a separate group of Bigg's were spotted south west of the entrance to Victoria harbour. He heard that the other group was confirmed as the T123's but decided to continue on to take a look in case there were other individuals around.
He could see a few commercial whale watch boats t with the T123's on the north side of Constance Bank as he exited the harbour so swung out around them to the south east and headed south. T049C was reported to have been last seen heading south east a few miles south of the group. The visibility was not ideal as there was moderate rain with a south east wind so after a quick stop with some humpbacks south of Constance Bank he decided to head to the T123's who were traveling north east towards Trial Island before the last of the whale watch boats left them.
He arrived at 1346 slightly east of Clover Point as they briefly turned back to the west to grab a seal before continuing on as if they were going to go between Trial Island and the Vancouver Island shoreline. At 1358 they turned south to grab another seal (48 23.3/123 19.1). They then turned to the south and grabbed another seal which they shared as they continued east past the south tip of Trial Island.
Mark ended the encounter at 1417 as they crossed through the Oak Bay Flats on a line for the Chain Islands. T123A was separated from the other 3 by a quarter mile.