I have had more than 50 years as an Offshore Commercial Fisher…
Some “adventures” to Share…
Whale Watching is very much in the news, sadly
The conclusions of investigations will show that the Ocean is unpredictable, and some areas of the B. C. coast are extremely dangerous.
My experiences involve Whale Watching, but with a different ending, still here to tell the story. Luckily.
In the 80’s + 90’s I had a boat called MV Viscount, pretty boat, but a bad leaker, We fished her in weather then, that I would not do now, with a better boat, younger and more foolish I guess.
We were fishing Albacore off Cape Cook , Vancouver Island, approximately 80 miles out, Kind of rough, but out there anyway so making the best of it, not catching many fish either, so we were pretty bored, grey and drizzly as well.
There were three of us aboard, and someone spotted a group of Killer Whales, 6-8 whales, not too far away. Being bored, I headed that way; on getting closer, I noted that one of the Orcas had a huge spike fin, I never had seen one this big.
We got up pretty close for a better look. We were all up on the roof, for a better look, Suddenly we saw two large Orcas heading side on to our old leaker boat at full speed, this still gives me shivers, we would be goners if they had touched that boat, never felt them touching the hull, and didn’t see them come out on the other side of the boat. A sigh of relief from us, then I saw two Orcas right at our stern, we were still going ahead with our lines out, our tuna lines were draped over the backs of those two whales; they were close enough to touch.
They gave us a good look, and then went down, and all the Orcas were gone.
That was the end of my Whale Watching days, if I see an Orca , I go the other way.
After some time and other Orca encounters, I have come to the conclusion, that they wanted us to stay away from them, that’s what I DO.
Bruce
Owner and Skipper, F.V. Estevan