Close encounter with a sperm whale

Stuart Mason and his colleague Nicholas Gill have recalled their “amazing” encounter with a sperm whale as they were at sea working on the pilot boats yesterday morning.

It was not the first time Mr Mason has seen a sperm whale, but he said this latest encounter stood out above others.

“I have seen many but in this case she was close and did not feel threatened at all,” he said.

“She came close and stopped resting and just observing us and the boat until she decided to go down to the depth.”

As he is out on the water all the time Mr Mason is well acquainted with what you find in the sea, especially items that should not be there.

“I just wish people wouldn’t throw so much rubbish in the water its incredible the amount of plastic and rubbish I pick out of the water on a daily basis,” he said.

“Yesterday [Sunday] I picked a big tin of paint half full and last week three bin liners full of plastics and foam thrown from a ship,” he added.

Photos and video courtesy of Stuart Mason