EYEBALLED BY ORCA

WOW! Today was FULL of close encounters and cruising orca! I think today is the type of day where an image speaks 1000 words! We had three pods at the hotspot on our arrival, two of which came in close proximity of the vessel! The pods came together and joined up at the bow, providing over 2 hours of entertainment for our customers! As the 20+ orca rose in a perfectly synchronised line we noticed the bull from one pod and a large female from the other split off from the group! The two proceeded to do their own thing roughly 300m off the stern for hours as the rest of the pod chased tuna at the surface! The pods consisted of multiple catalogued animals today, including Jagger, Picasso, Patch, Hermes, WA067, WA065, WA094, WA102 AND George the BIG bull that could be mistaken as our KING A380!!! It was awesome to see so many of these animals for the first time this season!! As the number of orca in the canyon rises throughout the season, so does the excitement and diversity of our tours!!!  We had two calves playing off the bow, ducking in from both sides, putting their noses on the hull to feel the vibrations!! Our customers also got to witness a large female propelling her body toward us upside down!! Her ventral side glowed below the surface as she came closer and closer!! As she approached the bow she quickly turned around and lunged her entire head out of the surface to eyeball the customers!!! She proceeded to hover below the surface, moving from port to starboard on her side, still trying to sus us out as we all cheered and screamed! It is hard to describe the feeling of another mammal looking into your eye as you look into theirs! WOW, just WOW!!! What a privilege it is to witness customers in tears of happiness as they tick something off their bucket list! On our way back to shore we came across our first sooty albatross for the season!! The dark grey seabird had its wings locked as it soared towards us. This encounter was soon followed by over 30 common dolphins porpoising out of the water while they circled a bait ball at the surface, all taking a break to ride out bow!! It’s easy to say it was another EPIC day in Bremer Bay! Over and out….until tomorrow!!!