Orca Encounter from Water Level

Orcas from Water Level

    Today was our morning to cruise for charismatic megafauna, aka really cool big animals, in the whale rich waters of Frederick Sound, Southeast Alaska. We were nearing a group of islands called the Brothers Islands which are well known for having a stellar sea lion haul out. I often like to take the small groups aboard the Safari Quest to these islands and then get a more intimate experience by loading into our small skiffs. As we neared the islands this morning however, I knew it was going to be a skiff ride to remember.

   As we slowed down the Quest to load the skiffs the captain and I were both looking in the opposite direction from our destination islands. Sure enough there they were again, surfacing and heading our way. It was a pod of transient orcas, or killer whales. I can count the number of times I’ve seen orca from a skiff on one hand, so I was anxious to load everyone up. We quickly got all the guests into their lifejackets, onto the two skiffs, and off we went. A skiff ride to remember indeed!

   The orca circled around us for what seemed like an eternity. What they were actually circling was a distressed male sea lion. It looked like they may have injured it as it was having difficulty breathing and wasn’t trying to escape. But in the end the orca mysteriously left it behind as they eventually started moving out heading south across the sound. At one point the orca disappeared for a few minutes and then popped up with a loud ‘whoooosh’ about 10 feet behind our little skiff. It took everyone by surprise, myself included. It felt good not to be a sea lion in that moment. 

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