Bremer Canyon squid hunters were busy today as the Orca were successful with two squid kills resulting in distinctive oils slick on the Southern Oceans surface. The easterly breeze was in as it ruffled the waters surface with the birds loving the opportunity to use the winds energy to get them around. Arriving in The Patch we were welcomed by Kidji and her family first as they were relaxed and stretched out moving through the hunting grounds. Taking the opportunity to rest for a bit the family was content as they surfaced alongside so very close and it is always an impressive sight to see the whole family surfacing as one in tight formation. Restful behaviour continued for a while until a second family pod began to approach with blows causing a small cloud formation… it was Lucky and her family!
A large pod, often they travel far and wide to cover more ground when foraging but this morning they too were enjoying some time travelling in close quarters. Once both families were within fifty meters of each other there was a switch flicked as it was time to resume forage mode. Working diligently in The Patch today it was good to see both family pods working in coordination as they would push to the east then back to the west while incorporating deeper dives. It resulted in success as throughout the day we sighted not just one but two good sized oil slicks form as the family quickly shared their meal of delicious squid. It was a good days fishing and important for the family to continue the consistency of meal intake as every meal, both big and small adds up especially when you live in big family pods like Kidji and Lucky. It was lovely to spend time with the Orca today and see them content and enjoying time in The Patch as with the flow of food moving through the area the family pods can minimise energy spent traveling. The Bremer Canyon squid hunters were once again successful today as we wished them well for their day of foraging ahead with hopefully much more calamari enjoyed!
