Pilot Whales and Bremer Orca were observed today as we arrived in the sighting grounds to a commotion of white water and dorsal fins, the Pilot Whales were in town! It was exciting to see them again after a few weeks since our last sighting and there were many as over one hundred individuals raced towards the Steep Point. Breaching, spy hops and tail slapping ensued as they were social and excitable while moving with us through The Patch. Pilot Whales are one of the most interactive cetaceans we have the opportunity of working with as their confidence and enthusiasm is hard to miss out on the Southern Ocean. Playtime continued for most of the pod as a few others succeeded in foraging dives as small oil slicks formed on the waters surface. It was fantastic to spend some time with them but the Orca were on our mind and it was time to continue our search for the apex predators of the sea.
Today was set to involve some travelling as we worked over know pathways the Orca like to travel on when searching for prey outside of The Patch. Pilot Whales were sighted a second time as they seemed to be moving westbound which would encourage the Orca to return back to their favourite foraging grounds without the Pilot Whales distraction. Wishing them well we continued onwards and noticed a distinctive dorsal fin, it was El Notcho! Cookie and the family pod had returned after also being away for a little while and it was so good to see them all looking well. El Notcho hung out with us for a bit as his massive frame and presence was distinctly different to that of the Pilot Whales. Swirl, Cookie and the rest of the family came over for greetings as they approached us for a closer look and social time. It was the perfect way to complete a busy day with the Pilot Whales and Bremer Orca as they foraged for what they could find amongst the hunting grounds.
