EncDate:06/05/23 

EncSeq:4

Enc#:19

ObservBegin:01:15 PM

ObservEnd:01:26 PM

Vessel:Mike 1

Staff:Mark Malleson

Pods:Transients

LocationDescr:Oak Bay

Start Latitude:48 26.03

Start Longitude:123 16.06

End Latitude:48 27.40

End Longitude:123 15.40

 

EncSummary:

As Mark approached Oak Bay from the east after leaving the group of 18 Bigg's at Middle Bank (see Encounter 18), he heard that the three inbound whales near Trial Island had been confirmed as the T101s; two brothers T101A and T101B along with their mother, T101. Moments later, he saw the two large fins on the horizon passing through Mayor Channel abeam the Oak Bay Beach Hotel and his apartment.

The flood current was racing northward through Oak Bay, and when Mark finally re-sighted the trio again at 1315, they were well ahead of him, entering Baynes Channel at 1315. They were doing close to 9 knots over the bottom with 4 or 5 breaths followed by a short “long” dive of around three minutes. Once he got a few left and right shots of each whale, Mark ended the encounter after 11 minutes at 1326, just north of Ten Mile Point light.