Orcas!

[thurps]

Yesterday while fishing Little Reef, which is 3 ? miles off shore, I was looking behind my boat when up popped a pod of six Orcas about 200? away heading toward me. My yacht being a 13 ?? Boston Whaler, to say the least I was a little concerned. I started the engine, threw the motor in gear, hit full throttle and proceeded to put a little distance between the Orcas and me without reeling in my line. After checking my drawers and taking a few deep breaths, I radioed my location and told others about the Orcas. A few boats showed up and were treated to quite a show. There were jumps, eyeballing, rolls and general cavorting.
In 40+ years of ocean boating, this is my first sighting of Orcas other than at Sea World. After Googling ?killer whale attacks on humans?, I wish I hadn?t put quite so much distance between us. I will NEVER forget this encounter.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Orcas!

It's kind of scary being around a pod of Orcas. But, it has never seemed all that risky to me. I've been close to Orcas several times, and have never seen anything more than curiosity from them.

Still, it's disconcerting to have one come alongside and roll to look at you.

 

[oops!]

Re: Orcas!

just off vancouver island british columbia canada......(just above seattle)

it is a daily occurance........you never forget any encounter.....it is an awesome sight.......the ferry that travels between victoria and vancouver, regularly spots a pod or two.....when they do....the captain tells the passengers.......the ship begins to list when 800 people all rush to the same side of the ferry....you feel the captain make a correction every time !

once years ago i rented a 15 footer at pedder bay marina (outside of victoria bc). i went out to the race rocks light house...

watched a killer whale cruising the rocky shore line looking for food.....i drove beside him for a good 5 minits on a paralell course. he was sounding then breaching all the way....awesome

when i got to the light house......on the rocks were approx 80 - 100 sealions.....not the little ones 3-4 feet....the big california sea lions....big bulls at 12-18 feet....easy 1000 lbs each

i was 4 feet away from the rocks in the boat and 6 feet away from the huge animals.......any one of them could have capsized the boat....the big bulls were swimming under the boat...looking up at me from under water...

next time i go to victoria for a visit... ill do it again....and get pics.....its stunning......

next time you see a pod.....take the time.....watch them.....its allmost a spiritual moment.....at least ...one of thoes rare perfect moments in life

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Orcas!

Years ago, I was in an 8' boat fishing in the harbor at Morro Bay, CA. I had a balky old outboard on the back, but mostly rowed. I had been drifting the edge of the main channel, catching starry flounders. I had several in the bottom of the boat, and was planning a nice meal.

Suddenly, this 600 lb. harbor seal who lived in the bay and mooched food at the restaurants on the Embarcadero popped his head over the port gunwale of my tiny boat.

He (or she) was a friendly sort, and seemed to want to join me in the boat and investigate my catch. I flipped one of the flounders about 25 feet away from the side of the boat, and the seal went over and grabbed it.

Soon, though, it was back, head resting on the gunwale, fishy breath and all. I gave it another flounder, and started trying to coax my ancient Johnson back to life. As always, when you needed it to start, it wasn't in the mood to push the boat.

Well, eventually, that stupid harbor seal got all of my flounders, even followed me as I started rowing away from the area. To his credit, he seemed to know that more than his head wouldn't fit in the boat.

I got back to the dock safely, after I bopped him smartly on the top of the head with an oar, but I missed my nice dinner.

I'd rather have an orca giving me the eye than a stupid, hungry harbor seal.

 

[puddle jumper]

Re: Orcas!

We have two different pods up on the north end of the Vancouver Island. As many times Ive seen them is still are amazed bye there size.

 

[Limited-Time]

Re: Orcas!

Hearing about events like that amazes me!! You guys don't know how lucky you are...........................or maybe you do.

 

[Bigprairie1]

Re: Orcas!

As oops and Puddle Jumper mentioned they are pretty common around Vancouver Island and the waters of the Northwest. It would probably be uncommon spending a day on the water here and not seeing at least one or a pod.
However, if you are fishing and you see them....you mise well pull up all your fishing gear and make your way home. There probably isn't a fish, particularly salmon, within a country mile when they are around.
They are something to see tho'.
BP

 

[Tyme2fish]

Re: Orcas!

My yacht being a 13 ?? Boston Whaler. LOL

I guess my 18 foot Stratos bass boat is an Aircraft Carrier!!

 

[NW Redneck]

Re: Orcas!

Between general boating and fishing, SCUBA diving, and several years working at fish farms, I've had several close encounters (some measured in inches!) with Orcas, porpoises, pacific whiteside dolphins, seals, sea lions, bald eagles, ospreys, and other wildlife. And each time I appreciate how lucky I am to live in gods country, the Pacific North West!

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Orcas!

Hearing about events like that amazes me!! You guys don't know how lucky you are...........................or maybe you do.

Fishing around wildlife is great, even if it's inconvenient at times. Sometimes it's hilarious. Back in Morro Bay, again, there was one pelican, named Old Jake, that loved humans. It hung out on the piers and made its living stealing bait from unsuspecting anglers. He'd wait until someone was in the act of catching a fish, then waddle over and empty their bait container. Clever old guy.

But that wasn't his only trick. Another time I was out in that 8' dinghy, Old Jake chose the top of my outboard as a perch for about an hour. He just sat there while I fished. If I caught something too small for supper, I'd flip it to Old Jake, who accurately caught it.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Orcas!

Then, there are bears. On my only trip to Alaska, I was fishing for sockeye salmon in the Chilkat river near Haines, along with several other folks. Downstream about 100 yards, a grizzly bear was fishing for them as well.

Everyone seemed to get along OK. The bear stayed where it was, and we stayed where we were. I did notice, though, that one guy fishing near me had a shotgun leaned up against a rock.

 

[fdmsiv]

Re: Orcas!

If you have ever seen the video of the orcas "playing" with seals they are about to eat? Imagine a cat playing with a mouse except this time the mouse is a couple hundred pounds.

In one video two orcas are tossing a seal back and forth. They toss this big seal maybe 10 or 20 yards between them. Very impressive!

I think you probably did the right thing by putting some distance between you and them. They probably wouldn't have eaten you, but a playful bump to your yacht and you have a 3 mile swim through waters that contain other fishies that may be more inclined to take a nibble.

 

[puddle jumper]

Re: Orcas!

As oops and Puddle Jumper mentioned they are pretty common around Vancouver Island and the waters of the Northwest. It would probably be uncommon spending a day on the water here and not seeing at least one or a pod.
However, if you are fishing and you see them....you mise well pull up all your fishing gear and make your way home. There probably isn't a fish, particularly salmon, within a country mile when they are around.
They are something to see tho'.
BP

How true

 

[Mike Robinson]

Re: Orcas!

Actually I have caught salmon when Orcas have been around a couple of times. I don't think salmon always know when Orca are around, or the orcas probably wouldn't have a good chance of catching any. (This is just my opinion I have no facts to back this up) I'm sure that, like any predator, Orca's rely on the element of surpise to catch their prey.

I once was told by fishing guests at a lodge I once worked at, that an Orca actually came up and took a Coho salmon that they were about to net. The wife swore she would never go out in a small boat again!

A couple of years ago I had the great priviledge of watching a small pod of Orca teaching a calf how to hunt. They were toying with a male Stellar sea lion that I would estimate to be at least 1,000 lbs. It's back was broken by the time I came on the scene and it couldn't swim very well. The adult Orcas (one male & two females) where taking turns flailing the sealion with their tails. We watched this for about 1/2 hour and then the male Orca dragged the sea lion under and that was the end of the show.

It was humbling to watch.