Conversations with Killer Whales today as we flooded west with Bigg’s and Irwin’s family pods in smooth conditions with the wind and sun at our backs creating a perfect environment for a four hour conversation with our beautiful Orca of the Bremer Canyon. After two successful squid hunts close to The Patch, the Pod started to move west and in no time they were rudely interrupted at breakfast by a large Pod of Pilot Whales surging toward them looking to pilfer whatever they could in the opportunistic way of the Pilots. The Orca are always aware of their environment and eluded the Pilots just long enough by splitting the Pod in two and then rejoining after they past, not getting a chance at the squid that the Orca were carrying with them.
After a brief interlude to the Orca theatre we once again were underway to the West, joining the flow line to the far port flank we cruised slowly and deliberately along the Continental Shelf, just 19 nautical mile from the Bremer Bay Boat Harbour. Bonkers who is a 4-5 year old continually interacted with our vessel coming in to our stern delighting guests on the upper back deck with a grandstand view and appeared to be waving at us, responding to the slow waves of our guests back to Bonkers. During one interaction Bonkers literally stopped the boat coming so close to investigate the GoPro that we had to retract the pole to stop from touching this curious Orca.
After a couple of hours the Pod slowed and welcomed us to Join the Pod with them by bringing the whole family over. Bonkers was first in line before everyone else came over for an intensely curious and close investigation of everyone onboard and our vessel. This time they brought little Charlie into the vessel which is a sign of complete trust in us to have a wild Killer Whale within a meter of our vessel interacting with our family. We work hard to achieve this trust and the Orca responded in rewarding us with beautiful displays of interaction and genuine interest in making a connection.
To have Charlie allowed to approach us of his own accord, and perhaps some coaxing from Bonkers, is a true delight and sense of achievement for our family and team. Charlie is only a couple of months old and hasn’t even grown his teeth yet but he still wanted to represent Orcinus orca in the best possible way, of which he did his family proud.
