Whale Season Farewell

Possibly my last whale sighting for this year. September has been a month of wind, barely a day under 15 knots for any period. A window appeared this week and I have taken advantage of it twice.

Rolly was company for this trip and wasn’t sure of his ski’s economy and wanted to test it. We would cross the 28 K’s to Keswick Island and take it from there. Conditions were mint all the way, the best I’d had for this crossing making it my fifth. Spotted a school of fish about 5 K’s from the island. Made a plan of attack, I pulled out my hand line and took off over to the school. Arriving minus my new hand line that would of rolled off the ski (dickhead). Rolly took a troll, to report they were small Bonito ? and has had no luck with them previously trolling. Continued up Egremont Passage between Keswick and St Bees Islands, around the north end of St Bees and down its east side.

Ventured in close and checking the bottom out with his fish finder still in 10M of water. Through a line in at a couple of spots with some bites but no hook up.

The few beaches on the east side are all gravelly rock.

Turtles seemed to be everywhere I looked and very camera shy.

There is a nice little bay around that rock point with rocky sand beaches. Maybe good shelter in bad conditions, not sure about the the bottom for anchorage.

This rocky point is the second last point when heading west. Rolly dropped a line for a few small cod around that rock. While I explored about and over to Aspatra Island along some of its western side and poked around its end. We then headed to the mainland via Green Island burn up a few more K’s.

We stopped a few K’s off Green Island and spotted whales. At first I spotted something unusual, not characteristic to other whales in my first season on the water in these parts. Keeping watch there was blow spray to confirm Whales so off we went. The adult seemed to be floating with minor movement. The Juvenile was swimming around brushing and rolled on it a couple of times.

People have said that Mothers with calf will sometimes be still on the surface with a baby swimming around her. This was no calf but hope they are correct, I thought the adult was sick ?

We made for Slade Point spotted more schools of fish the size of dog Mackerel. Had a troll to no good probably big Bonito. Back at the Harbour about 10.30 and 100ks later. Great morning run with the best of sea conditions although some overcast.

Thanks George