Orca strike again as Queen and her pod were once again successful with another Beaked Whale hunt while little Gabriel and family were hanging out nearby happily. It was a lovely morning with a summers breeze ruffling the waters surface as we made our way out to the sighting grounds. Blows were sighted as we met up with Cheryl and her family including new baby Gabriel who was looking strong. It is always wonderful to watch these new calves grow in strength and coordination while the family keeps a close eye on the newborn. Half of the family was happily travelling with us and completing circle work as they rested and on each surfacing would move in towards the vessel. The family was relaxing and as they moved alongside us we could see that all was well and it appeared very likely that they had fed recently as a nearby oil slick was clear to see. The family was content but nearby a second family was looking for their breakfast as Queen and her pod worked hard through the morning in tracking mode. It ended in a high speed surge as they pushed quickly and it was an exhilarating feeling to be racing with the Orca across the Southern Ocean. A very large oil slick formed as Queen and her pod were successful in yet another Beaked Whale kill.
The family began to feed happily as the strong scent of mammal from the slick attracted more and more Shearwaters and Albatross. Dozens of birds worked around the Orca ever desperate to secure their morsel while the sharks were also lurking at the surface targeting the larger scraps left behind and following the Orca closely. The family was excited as they shared the large meal and it was amazing to watch as one would hold the food steady while one or two others gently moved up to their mouth to grab the meat and pull away to secure their bit with the process being repeated. Feeding and sharing the food is a skill of its own and today we were able to witness the complexities of preparing and sharing this important meal. Bubbles amazed us as she lifted her piece up above the surface to show everyone as the outline of the spine was clear to see. She repeated this a few times which caused the Shearwaters to become very excited in hopes she was sharing with them, but not part of her plan as she quickly swept it away! Once feeding was completed the call went out with breaching and fluke slapping for the family to continue on as they surged together and enjoyed some bow and wake riding with us on the way. A perfect way to complete yet another incredible day with the Bremer Bay Orca as we wished them well for hopefully a restful afternoon ahead with full bellies and happy Orca. Today we also celebrated our beloved Jade whose birthday it was and thank you to everyone for making it such a special day for our beautiful, talented and mischievous Stormy.
