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Join the multi – award winning Bremer Bay Orca Experience and meet the oceans apex predators with Australia’s most experienced Whale Watch family.
Departing every summer from January to mid April we visit the feeding grounds of the Orca and introduce you to the family pods who call this incredible coastline home.
Over the last 9 years our family has spent more time in the Bremer Canyon than any other operator, aboard on every tour consisting of over 6500 hours of observation and research, guaranteeing you the knowledge and education you expect from a dedicated, elite team. Travel with the Experts!
Tour Dates: January – April
Bremer Bay is located 5 hours south east of Perth, Western Australia in the pristine Great Southern.
It is from this beautiful township we journey to the edge of the continental shelf to discover the oceans apex predator, the Bremer Bay Orca (Killer Whales).
The Bremer Canyon Sub-Basin is host to the largest congregation of Killer Whales in the Southern Hemisphere. It is believed that a very deep Antarctic flow, the Flinders Current, enters the canyon gathering bio-carbons which create a nutrient rich environment to collide with the Leeuwin Current and the topography of the canyon creates an oceanic eddy. This interaction creates nutrient rich upwelling waters where phytoplankton develops and an intense food chain for marine life prospers. Killer Whales are at the top of that food chain with multiple family pods calling this stretch of coastline home numbering between 200-300 individuals.
Our vessels and family team are dedicated to whale watching all year and specialise in operating in harmony with Australian cetaceans. Whale watching should be just that, watching and our motto is to observe and not influence behaviour. Sound is the main communication skill below water and our vessels have been designed to minimise sound pollution in the environments we work in. Our family team have spent many years and thousands of hours building a skill set and interaction procedures that are implemented onboard every tour. The art of whale watching takes time and patience, our family business has dedicated our time to creating a whale watch experience that allows you to Join The Pod® and be welcomed by the whales into their wild environment.
The Experience - View All Details
Departing the Bremer Bay Boat Harbour daily we meet our pod members for boarding drinks and check-in at our brand-new box office, as we prepare for Australia’s award-winning Orca experience. Departing the harbour our journey to the heart of the hunting grounds is only 19 nautical miles from the coast and a short one-hour trip onboard our dedicated whale watch vessels. The journey to The Patch as the hunting grounds are known is the perfect time to spot the transition of wildlife as we move from Bremer Bay into offshore feeding grounds for an incredible congregation of wildlife including offshore seabirds such as albatross, shearwaters and petrels along with dolphins, seals and sharks. Arriving in The Patch our team of onboard researchers and scientists begin the search for Orca as everyone onboard joins in on that incredible moment of the first sighting of the day.
The Orca (aka Killer Whales) are often sighted within moments of arriving as the area comes alive with the energy of the ocean’s apex predator. Our dedicated team have spent years studying and building a relationship with each of their family pods. One of the many joys of each tour for our team onboard is introducing our guests to each Orca that approaches our vessel and educating you on their name, personality, and role within that particular family pod. During our day with the Killer Whales, we will observe them foraging, socialising, and hunting in the waters of the Bremer Canyons. Our tours are educational and interactive as our cetacean expert onboard will be your translator for the day with our live commentary explaining moment by moment the behaviours you are witnessing. Our time also provides an opportunity to observe other wildlife as well including Sperm Whales, Pilot Whales, Sunfish, Fur Seals and rarely sighted Beaked Whales who all gather to feast in these highly productive waters in the summertime.
Throughout our day you will witness a variety of different behaviours and activity. The vast majority of each day for these apex predators is spent foraging for their next meal and we can observe the tactical and specific foraging patterns amongst each family pod. The moment prey is found the demeanour of the Orca change as they launch into hunt mode, and it is a great privilege to observe a hunt unfold before you. The meal is shared amongst each pod member with great joy and celebration as the hard work put into the hunt has been rewarded with a meal for everyone. The leader of the family is the eldest female, the matriarch. The matriarch’s role within her family pod is vital as she leads, nurtures, and protects each of her family members. To meet the queens of the canyon is a great privilege as each matriarch is often between forty to one hundred years old. Our team will introduce you to each Orca pods matriarch and during your time with them you will learn stories of these families and the incredible life they live in these pristine waters.
Our dedication to our whale watch craft is unrivalled and we are the only operator who has the same family members onboard every single tour since our Bremer Bay operations began. Spending thousands of hours with the Orca ensures that our team is the most highly experienced and trained Orca specialists. Our time spent out in the Bremer Canyons has provided opportunities of observing the first ever documented events in the region including:
- The first documented complete Blue Whale hunt
- The first observed Antarctic Minke Whale hunt
- The first observed Humpback Whale hunt
- The first observed Dwarf Sperm Whale hunt
Spotting other wildlife is always a wonderful addition to every tour as we often meet the worlds heaviest bony fish in the sea, the Sunfish. The largest toothed predator on the planet is the Sperm Whale who also gather in these waters to feast on giant squid in the depths below. The hilarious and family orientated Pilot Whales will often surge through The Patch in their hundreds, and we can find ourselves surrounded by their curious approaches. Hundreds of seabirds follow the Orca in hopes of food scraps that get left behind. The moving cloud of birds act as our eyes in the sky as the seabirds follow the Orca relentlessly. Beaked Whales, Sharks, Fur Seals, and tuna also make a regular appearance on our daily tours out to the canyons. Guests onboard can enjoy throughout their day a fully catered experience with all food, snacks and beverages included. Turn moments into memories to share with loved ones as our onboard professional photographer will capture the very best images of the day for you to download free of charge from our Daily Whale blog. Our Whale Watch family team dedicate each tour to furthering our understanding and knowledge of the Orca we work with as interaction logs, audio recordings and ID cataloguing is collected and shared with leading universities and researchers from around Australia and the world alongside our own in-house research program. Our journey back towards the Bremer Bay Boat Harbour is a time to reflect on the incredible events we have witnessed and celebrate with a complimentary beer, wine, or champagne to say cheers and thank you to the Bremer Bay Killer Whales for making memories to last a lifetime.
Tour Inclusions
Included in the expedition are boarding drinks with fruit platters, a delicious morning tea, *buffet lunch and afternoon tea with all drinks along with our legendary VIP service.
Celebrate with a complimentary glass of champagne or a cold beer on the journey home as well as a FREE postcard and photo’s of your experience.
Join The Pod®️ and witness the hunt as we venture to the Bremer Canyon in January to April with our 100% Lifetime Sighting Guarantee
Limited Time – Limited Opportunity – Book Today!
It’s more than an experience… it’s an education!
*Bremer Bay Orca Experience aboard Steep Point
*Bremer Bay Orca Extreme aboard Whale Watch 1 enjoys light snacks and drinks throughout the tour.
Upgrade to VIP Captains Lounge Experience
Upgrade to our VIP Captains Lounge for the ultimate Bremer Bay Orca Experience
Includes entry to the luxurious Captains Lounge with priority boarding and arrival drinks served by your private hostess who will provide all of your requirements throughout the tour.
You will be welcomed into the research centre of the vessel and will join our team for an onboard insight into the world of Bremer Bay Orca education and research.
Also included is all vessel access, Whale Watch Gift Pod Pack, return journey enjoy premium drinks package & cheese platter.
This is the only tour of it’s kind in Australia, spoil yourself with a once in a lifetime experience and savour the memories forever.
- Priority boarding with personal hostess
- Luxurious private limited seating
- Whale watch VIP gift pack
- Premium food and beverage package
- Superior elevated viewing
About Orcas
Orca (Killer Whales) are the largest member of the oceanic dolphin family.
A true apex predator, Orca live in matrilineal pods with the elder females leading the family. The Orca of Bremer Bay live in family pods of 6-20 individuals and during each journey we will introduce you to the families we meet. Our team knows every Orca by name and during your tour will teach you how to recognise each individual and build your Whale Watch skill set and Orca identification knowledge.
Every population of Orca have a specific diet and our research indicates that the Orca of Bremer Bay enjoy foraging on Squid, Beaked Whale and Tuna when available. Other species of baleen whale have also been targeted and our onboard research has documented Blue Whales, Humpback Whales and Antarctic Minke Whales being included in the diet of the Bremer Bay Orca.
How to Prepare
- We recommend taking motion sickness medication the night prior and on the morning of your tour if you are susceptible. (Please consult your Doctor)
- Children participating in the extended tours must be a minimum of 10 years and some ocean experience is recommended.
- Warm jacket in all weather conditions is advisable.
- Tours are weather dependent so when possible be flexible in planning your travel date.
- Personal camera if required (Professional photographer is onboard).
Departure Times 08:00am
- Bremer Bay Boat Harbour, Swarbrick Road, Bremer Bay.
- Please check departure pickup points and times.
- Please arrive 30 mins prior to departure time
- Boarding commences 15 minutes prior to departure.
- Boarding Gate closes 5 minutes prior to departure (No Exceptions)
- Child 10 – 17 years
Join The Pod®️
This is your opportunity to be a part of a new frontier of research and development with Whale Watch Western Australia.
Our research team of marine specialists and scientists will educate you in the Language of the Whales™ with our onboard live commentary. All of our research and identification data is provided to Curtain and Murdoch Universities along with DBCA and the Federal Government. The Bremer Canyon is the feeding grounds of not only the Orca but also Sperm Whales, Beaked Whales & Pilot Whales as they hunt in the nutrient rich upwelling waters.
This expedition is an all day experience as we discover and research the apex predator, the Orca. You will learn all about the Bremer Canyon and everything that this eco marine frontier has to reveal including many other mega fauna’s and Antarctic migratory seabird’s. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to witness one of the wonders of the marine world in the wild natural habitat of the Southern Ocean.
Other species sighted in the Bremer Canyon include:
- Sperm Whales
- Pilot Whales
- Beaked Whales
- Dolphins (many different species)
- Sea Lions
- Migratory Antartic Sea Birds
- Sunfish
- Sharks (many different species including Great Whites)
Witness the Hunt!
Bremer Orcas are generalist hunters meaning they have a varied diet including other cetaceans but their primary food source target are giant squid. These squid are predators in their own right and can grow up to 13 meters in length. The battle for life is on display every moment in the Bremer Canyons.
Targeting Giant Squid!
Your opportunity to witness the most unique chain of events that occur in this isolated marine environment that is rarely witnessed anywhere on the planet. Currents, topography, water temperature & sunlight create the environment for phytoplankton, which attracts krill, which attracts fish, which attracts squid, which attracts cetaceans, which attracts ORCA
… the Hunt is ON!
The Bremer Canyons
The Bremer Canyon Sub-Basins are host to over 200 Orca which is the largest known aggregation in the Southern Hemisphere & a hunting ground to many species.
The Bremer Canyon Sub-Basin is a series of deep sea canyons that extends over 11,500 km2 and reaches depths of over four kilometers at certain points. The mixing of a cold Antarctic current colliding with the warmer waters of the Leeuwin current creates a nutrient rich environment. The unique topography of the canyons creates an oceanic eddy and this interaction with nutrient upwelling waters kick-starts the food chain for marine life to prosper.
Our Vessels
Our purpose built vessels offer you two fantastic tours, the award winning Orca Experience aboard Steep Point & our newest tour Orca Extreme aboard Whale Watch 1, swim with the Orca without getting wet! Our year round live research programs onboard guarantees your experience will become a lifetime memory. Let our family immerse you in the world of the Orca and teach you the Language of the Whales.
MV Steep Point – Orca Experience
Western Australia’s Premier Whale Watch Vessel
Interior opulence, expansive viewing platforms over three levels and superior speed for transiting between your departure location and the sighting grounds. MV Steep Point is the largest and most luxurious dedicated Whale Watch vessel in Western Australia. Meet the cetaceans of your tour in comfort and style onboard a purpose built open ocean Whale Watch cruiser designed for speed and luxury with the highest priority for customer safety and satisfaction.
MV Whale Watch 1 – Orca Express
Australia’s Newest Eco-Friendly Whale Watch Vessel Only Orca tour of this type in Australia.
Proudly designed and made in Australia specifically for Whales by Whale Watchers to elevate your whale watch experience to an elite level and immerse you in the world of the cetaceans. Our brand new vessel is a game changer for the industry, specifically designed and dedicated to whale watch experiences providing a less intrusive vessel to allow for respectful observation of the cetaceans and wildlife we interact with daily complete with underwater camera and sound recorders displayed via our onboard research theatre.
