06.03.2021
WOW! One day of orca absence is more than enough and we certainly were happy to see them today! Flat-as-a-tack conditions and sunshine with the odd sprinkle of rain provided the perfect backdrop to observe the Orca relaxed and heading East. I’ll hand you over to Rikki our Intern for her recap of the day.
With similar sunny and calm conditions to yesterday, and its lack of wildlife in the back of our minds, the crew was on high alert, hoping to spot the illusive orcas that slipped through our fingers only a day prior.
Our spotter (Ando) gave us the first glimpse of hope with a visual on what seemed to be a sunfish. As we turned towards the direction it was last spotted, the fish was gone. With eyes peeled and hopes high, it wasn’t too long before we spotted a pod of 50+ long-finned pilot whales cruising along the glassy sea surface. Amongst them were a number of young calves, broadcasted for us all to see.
Our eyes now adjusted to prime wildlife spotting, we shortly landed the first visual on the killer whales, a pod led by one of our matriarchs, Moon. Gracefully gliding through the waters, we soon realised we were surrounded by not just one but several pods, all heading east and spread out over a few kilometres. Noosa and Flapper quickly came to the show, harbouring two calves (one only a month old) by their side, and following closely behind was Irwin, one of our larger males.
With the conditions too good to pass up, we continued to follow the pods for the remainder of the day; blue skies and flat seas, the afternoon was a scene for relaxation and enjoyment.
I couldn’t have asked for a better day to go out Orca spotting and am happy to report smiles all round. Another successful day out doing what we love!
