| The 'Wow' factor of Orca Killer Whale Watching |
You will not be able to get much closer to a large wild animal, in their natural habitat, than taking an Orca killer whale watching trip and actually seeing an Orca near your boat. A well organised ‘marine safari’ can let you get very close to these magnificent animals and give you a very memorable ‘wow factor’ experience.
The capital of Orca whale watching is Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. You will be presented with lots of choice for your whale watching experience. Many companies offer their services but my personal choice was with the Orca Spirit company. The two main ways to go are by a small boat that holds around 40-50 people and a Zodiac that accommodates 12 passengers. It is down to personal preference but I chose the bigger boat and what a great choice it was for that day.
Just before the trip left Victoria the Captain, John, was informed that a pod of Orcas had been sighted off the west coast of the San Juan Islands. These islands are in the territory of the United States but the Orca Sprit boat is capable of moving very quickly if whales are known to be in an area. The excitement was tangible as we sped past the beautiful coastline of Vancouver Island.
On board the Orca Spirit are some very knowledgeable Marine Biologists. Whilst you are travelling to the Orcas they inform you about the different kinds of Orca found in this particular area. Locally there are 3 resident pods or families in the Strait of Juan De Fuca. You are most likely to see one of these pods on your trip but occasionally there are transient Orcas passing through. The Orcas are here for a reason and that is an abundant supply of salmon. When the salmon return to spawn they travel up the Strait of Juan De Fuca. The Orcas are waiting for them and the millions of salmon make easy prey for the killer whales.
We finally reached the San Juan Islands. Two fins and white markings were spotted straight away near the coast. The Marine Biologists pointed out that we had found the J-Pod family. If you see one Orca you will probably see lots because they travel as a family group. Captain John spotted the pod coming down the coast so he positioned his boat and turned off the engine. All of us watched in amazement as numerous whale fins appeared in the distance. The boat is not allowed to go near the whales but they are allowed to come to you and moments later we had our first close encounter. A giant Orca passed the back of the boat and decided to breathe at the same time. Some of the passengers literally got an early shower as the Orca blew out excess water. These killer whales are gigantic and they move so smoothly through the water. What an awesome sight they are!
If you get a similar experience your eyes will be riveted to the surface of the water around you. The Orcas were appearing everywhere and luckily for us they were in a playful mood. They decided to do some tail slapping and we were treated to a spy hop, where the whale comes vertically out of the water. The ‘oohs’ and ‘aaahs’ from my fellow passengers reminded me of a firework display when the whales were encountered. The passengers were delighted by the Orcas and I have never seen a happier group of people after an excursion. We stayed over an hour with this pod of Orcas but reluctantly the experience had to end and we returned back to Victoria.
In conclusion I would say that it is well worth going on a whale watching ‘marine safari’ if you stay in Victoria. The Captain pointed out that each trip is different and sometimes they can’t locate the whales. They make every effort to make your trip special and they often locate porpoises, seals and bald eagles when searching for the whales. But if you see the Orcas it will give you a fantastic lifetime memory to treasure.
Bob Buttercup Your friendly online Whale Watching consultant! Join me at Buttercup Holidays too! |