Bremer Killer Whale Tours are currently departing daily with another special day spent with three family pods as they surfed the swell. Searching the area of The Patch we had numerous Shearwaters and Albatross covering ground as a lofty exhalation appeared as Stella and Hookfin swam straight towards our bow. The rest of the family followed as they raced over for morning greetings and it was so good to see them all after a few days away from the sighting grounds. Young calf Aurora Star was having some fun with Cubs and Cubby as they played around the bow before it was time to revert back to forage mode. The family worked consistently as they covered ground within the envelope they had created while working from east to west. Food was lean on the ground today but the family still worked with patience and discipline as they ensured no area within their envelope was left unchecked. Suddenly there was a change of pace as the family pod regrouped as Queen arrived with her pod and a social get together ensued.
It is always lovely to see multiple pods mingle and socialise together as the friendship bonds they share get passed down from one generation to the next. A little while later after a quick catchup Queen and her family continued on with their day while Aurora Star, Cubs and Cubby continued on with playtime. Surfing the swell and swivelling upside down as they approached the bow had everyone smiling as the enthusiasm and zoomies of the calves was clear to see. Chasing, wrestling and diving after each other was great fun for the youngsters as they practiced skills that will become more and more important the older they get. Hunting skills can often be perfected during play for a young calf so not only are these social interactions a whole lot of fun for the calves but it is a fundamental part of their growth and development. Playtime continued as the adults relaxed nearby while a few others of the family pod were still busy foraging. Wishing them well we hoped that the afternoon would result in a good meal for the whole family after all their foraging efforts today. A big shoutout to Pod Member Christine, wonderful to have you join us again today!
