For today’s update on our whale watching in western australia.
The original orca in australia crew overtook the hotspot today! El Notcho and his gang scouted the seas in a very widespread manner. The pod came together into an echelon formation on multiple occasions, exciting us as if they were beginning to hunt! The dives were progressively getting longer and deeper as their bellies grew hungrier and hungrier!
The juveniles never cease to amaze us! Slater and Oreo were beyond playful as they arched through the swell and down toward our stern. The pair rolled onto their side to get a closer look as we all wailed and waved in awe as they darted down the beam! El Notcho is by FAR one of our larger, apex males, reaching almost 9m and weighing a whopping 9 tonne! You could really distinguish his size and power today as he broke through the chop with such ease! His 2m dorsal fin is one of the most rigid and high scaling towers in the entire canyon!
We have encountered El Notchos pod since the beginning, which is now over 6 years ago! Cookie’s calf Oreo was one of the FIRST calves to ever be born under out witness and is now 5 years old. It is so rewarding watching these incredible animals develop, hunt and thrive in these optimal, pristine conditions. It won’t be long until Oreo will reach sexual maturity herself and transition into adulthood to one day raise her own young! There aren’t ANY other places in Australia where you can encounter orca consistently and on tour!
As the season reaches its halfway point we look back over what we have already encountered for the season! From witnessing nature in its rawest form through the takedown of a large beaked whale to orca ingesting SUNFISH for the first time on the globe! We are so excited to see what the rest of the 2020 season has to offer! Hint: It’s almost the augusta whale watching month!
