The week of February 18 to 24 at Bremer Canyon

Today’s conditions created the perfect environment for activity in the canyon, with strong winds and swell stirring things up. Arriving at the hotspot, we spotted large flocks of birds circling, soon noticing orca blows beneath them. Wandering albatross, Wilson’s storm petrels, and flesh-footed shearwaters hovered above, while a few shearwaters squabbled over a stringy piece of meat—a clear sign of orca feeding below.

Among the orca, a male joined a group of 5-6 females, including Neve and her calf Nemo from Hermes’ pod. This interaction, with males from different pods socialising with unrelated females, suggested potential mating behaviour. Mature males seek out females from other pods, but once successful, they return to their mothers, leaving the fertilised female to raise the calf with her family—true mummy’s boys!

Later, we encountered another focused group of 7-8 orca taking deep dives, moving west past the ‘S bends.’ They suddenly turned upwind, facing the swell head-on alongside our vessel. A massive bird swirl above revealed Chopper, Auzzi, and Jagger surfacing in perfect sync, offering a fantastic photo opportunity. A playful juvenile swam near the bow, curiously engaging with the boat. As we headed back, a rare dark morph Southern Giant petrel glided past—a thrilling end to an incredible day!

each passing day delivering new surprises, this week demonstrated once again why Bremer Canyon is one of the best places in the world for cetacean encounters.

February 19: Cetacean and Unexpected Visitors

We found ourselves rained off with a bad weather day. Land ahoy for us today!

February 20: Dynamic Displays and High-Speed Pursuits

Minutes after arriving at the hotspot, Alki’s family of orcas approached our bow, treating us to an up-close encounter. A young orca named Maui rode a wave and surfaced just metres from the boat, followed by the rest of the pod. Among them were several mature males, their tall dorsal fins wobbling—a natural trait since orcas’ fins are made of cartilage, not bone. Male orcas’ dorsal fins can reach 1.8 metres and often stabilize as they fully mature.

The orcas weren’t travelling in any specific direction, instead milling around and surfacing near the boat. Small tuna leapt from the water, likely chased by orcas having a seafood snack. Overhead, flesh-footed shearwaters soared, joined by wandering albatross, including a juvenile with brown feathers. As these seabirds age, their feathers gradually turn whiter, though colour variations exist.

Later, the pod surfaced near the boat again, with a female rolling onto her side to look directly up at us. Another orca spy-hopped, revealing its striking panda-like face. Alki’s pod of eight, including Nicki, Maui, Maddison, Billie, Rio, Neo, Nani, and Slater, eventually moved on. As storm clouds loomed, we returned to the hotspot for one last glimpse before heading in, with Alki’s group giving us a final close pass before disappearing beneath the waves.

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February 21: Observing Orca Social Structures

Minutes after arriving at the hotspot, we spotted Wren, the smallest and newest member of the Bremer orca population, alongside her mother, Akama. Soon, Fanscar’s pod appeared, including Nibbles, Lucy, Mia, Roxy, Slug, and others. The group turned towards the boat, giving guests an unforgettable view of little Wren performing underwater flips and tail slaps. Shortly after, we spotted Razor’s pod nearby, consisting of Razor, Digby, Blade, Ringo, and Lil D. Five-year-old Blade zoomed in on a wave, playfully engaging with everyone on board before the pod continued its slow-moving dives. Above, an Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross and Flesh-footed Shearwaters soared over the waves.

As the orcas disappeared beneath the surface, Wren suddenly popped up alone, venturing a few hundred metres from her pod to greet us. We followed her as she led us back to her family, but soon, a commotion in the distance caught our attention. A pod of orcas was surging through the water, trailed by a flock of seabirds, including Flesh-footed Shearwaters, Wilson’s Storm Petrels, and a juvenile Wandering Albatross, which has the largest wingspan of any bird—reaching up to four metres. The orca surged rapidly, diving for short bursts before slowing down as they reached Henry’s Canyon, where they finally eluded us.

On our way back to the hotspot, we encountered both Fanscar’s and Razor’s families again, making close passes by the boat. Blade swam past the stern, curiously eyeing the underwater camera, while the two pods socialised. After a while, we called it a day and cruised toward land, but the excitement wasn’t over. A pod of common dolphins zoomed around the bow, and on Glasse Island, Australian sea lions basked in the afternoon sun—a perfect ending to an unforgettable day with the Bremer orcas.

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February 22: Pilot Whale Sightings

Today, we headed out into the Southern Ocean, which was alive with energy, the cloud cover giving the sea a beautifully moody feel.

The first cetaceans we spotted for the day were two mature males, their massive dorsal fins slicing through the water. The first was Hookfin, and about 200 metres away was Chalky. These two males belong to Tatty’s family group, which consists of around 17 individuals.  They seemed intent on whatever they were doing, surfacing briefly before disappearing into the depths—until, eventually, they vanished altogether.

We continued searching, hoping for more interactions, and during our travels, we came across a large bait ball. The surface of the water buzzed with movement from the fish below, with occasional silver streaks flashing as fish leapt for their lives. Flesh-footed shearwaters were making the most of the feast, diving down to catch their share. These deep-diving birds are known to reach depths of over 30 metres!

While we were spending time with Tatty’s family, a third mature male was spotted, hinting that another family was nearby. The male appeared again and was identified as Wonks. Shortly after, the matriarch of his pod, Split Tip, popped up beside him, confirming that a new family had joined the fun.

As we cruised alongside Split Tip’s group, it became clear that we weren’t the only ones interested in these orcas. Hookfin and Chalky had joined the group, socialising and hoping to get lucky. Chalky paired off with a female, attempting to impress her, while Hookfin swam alongside sprouter male Adino—perhaps slightly confused or just looking to get some practice in.

A mix of both Split Tip’s and Tatty’s groups, moved in close proximity, surfacing in unison as they passed the boat. As the swell rolled towards the boat, the orcas emerged in near-perfect synchronicity, lined up as they rose from the face of the wave, heading straight toward our bow.

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February 23: Orcas Surfing the Wake

Upon arriving at the hotspot, we were greeted by a juvenile Black Brow Albatross gliding past the boat. Soon after, the call for Orca came, and we spotted two bulls among the group, identifying them as members of Kwillana’s rare family. This family is seldom seen, with only two recorded encounters in 2021 and 2024. All five members were present—Clayton, Blackberry, Kwillana, Jade, and Banjelung—cruising in a tight formation before merging with another pod. The new group, led by Hermes, grew to around 15 Orca, including Chopper, a calf missing her dorsal fin, and other identified members such as Kali, Patch, Picasso, and Meeka.

The large pod treated us to several close passes before synchronising their breathing, possibly indicating sleep. Orca are uni-hemispheric sleepers, meaning they shut down half their brain while remaining semi-conscious. The calm atmosphere was enhanced by flesh-footed shearwaters overhead and a Wandering Albatross gliding by. After 40 minutes, the group spread out, moving slightly faster, and a playful female approached our bow, delighting everyone on board.

Suddenly, the Orca became more elusive, staying underwater for longer periods before surfacing briefly and diving again. Their behaviour suggested foraging, as they split into smaller pods. During their dives, we encountered a sunfish and a large jellyfish, which we examined closely. After a few more close passes, we bid farewell to the Orca and began our journey back. On the way, we passed Glasse Island, where Australian fur seals basked in the sun, bringing a perfect end to an incredible day on the water.

February 24: A Day of Diverse Cetacean Encounters

As we journeyed 24 nautical miles across the Southern Ocean, we were followed by shearwaters and an Australasian gannet. Upon reaching the hotspot, the skies teemed with bird life, a promising sign of nearby activity. However, after a thorough search, no cetaceans were in sight. We tracked west, hoping to find them in neighbouring canyons, but the thinning bird life signalled otherwise. Trusting the birds’ instincts, we returned to the hotspot, where deckhand Mitch finally spotted our first orca. More quickly appeared, but they were widely spaced and surfaced briefly, making them difficult to follow.

The encounter turned playful when Pinocchio and Hookfin passed the bow, confirming we were with Tatty’s pod. Young orca Wasco, Charlie, and Snoop entertained us by surfing waves and rolling on the surface. Soon after, the dorsal fins changed, indicating we had transitioned to Fanscar’s group, with Nibbles and little Wren, the calf stealing the spotlight. Razor’s pod was close by, and Wren delighted everyone by leaping out of the water while the others surfaced gracefully. Suddenly, the energy shifted as the orca surged through the waves, leaping halfway out to maintain speed. Their streamlined bodies, powered by strong muscles, can reach bursts of over 50 km/h.

Tatty’s group reappeared, joined by Clayton from Kwillana’s pod. After 20 minutes of surging, all the orca vanished, diving deep. Then, Hermes’ pod zoomed around socialising, and we spotted Blackberry, a massive male, alongside Chopper and her mother, Kali. While no feeding evidence appeared, their celebratory behaviour suggested a successful hunt. With the excitement winding down, we took a final look at Hermes’ pod before heading home.

This orca has had its dorsal fin severed. It is easily identified by the missing appendage

See These Epic Cetaceans Yourself!

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The week concluded with successful expeditions, with guests experiencing the thrill of observing orcas in their natural habitat. The consistent sightings throughout the week highlighted Bremer Canyon’s significance as a hotspot for cetacean activity.

Throughout the week, guests aboard the Alison Maree were immersed in the wonders of Bremer Canyon, experiencing firsthand the behaviours and interactions of orcas and other cetaceans. These expeditions not only provided thrilling wildlife encounters but also deepened understanding and appreciation of the marine ecosystem’s complexity. Join us on a bucket list tick expedition on the Bremer Canyon Killer Whale Expeditions.