Bremer Bay apex predators on a beautiful day as an enormous male Sperm Whale foraged on squid and the Orca gathered for some social times together. A beautiful morning escorted us towards The Patch as the gentle swell rolled under our feet and the chill of Autumn was in the air. Today we met two Bremer Bay apex predators as the Orca enjoyed themselves today with plenty of social time as they travelled together and mingled. A truely incredible place is located in the waters just off Bremer Bay as this enormous population of Orca enjoy a life of good food and good company with many pods creating long term friendships that have been passed down through the generations. Calves will interact and socialise together, building a bond that remains even as they grow older and mature. Today we had big males Giovani and Nani hanging out just as they would have done in their slightly younger years as calves, the bond still remaining to this day.
These two males are still only young and not yet completely fully grown so still love social time. Playful antics could be sighted as they chased after each other, showing off their bellies and muscles to one another. The females mingled with their calves and enjoyed some relax time as the boys got up to mischief. It was special to observe the younger pod members and then turn to see just off our bow the older boys continuing a friendship that was formed a long time ago. Another wonderful surprise today was an enormous male Sperm Whale who was replenishing oxygen and preparing for the next feeding dive. The countdown to the lift of the fluke is one of the most incredible tail dives on the planet and never ceases to amaze. Gracefully lifting the fluke high, he slipped down into the depths below and we wished him well on his journey to find another meal of the finest squid one could find in one of the most beautiful places on the planet.
The afternoon had one last surprise for us as we arrived in perfect time to see Graeme Drew and his team working hard after successfully catching a large amount of Pilchards. The process is incredible to watch and a lot of hard work! Next time you pick up a pack of bait from the fishing and tackle store it is highly likely those Pilchards have been scooped by Graeme and his team.
