The black-and-white beauties are back.
Sometimes, years can pass before killer whales make an appearance off the coast. But in just the past few weeks, there have been several orca sightings — creating a buzz along the coastline as marine mammal lovers rush out to the water to get a glimpse of the rare sight.
The latest pod — thought to be the same offshore group that showed up on Nov. 30 — was spotted late Monday. They were first spotted by a gray whale census group near Point Vicente, and word spread fast among whale watching boats that sped out to sea to see the orcas.
They found the pod of about 50 about six miles off Catalina Island, said Ryan Lawler, owner of Newport Coastal Adventure.
“We were hoping they would circle back and come along the coast (Tuesday) morning and sure enough, they came two miles off Laguna Beach,” he said.
This pod was different from the group of transient killer whales that showed up early December. This pod travels in a large group, with subgroups of about 10 or 15 that swim together.
“There’s just spouts dotting the horizon,” Lawler said.
Capt. Dave’s Dolphin and Whale Watching Safari owner Dave Anderson spotted them off Laguna Beach Tuesday morning.
“It’s so great to have killer whales hanging around, they might just stay around,” said Anderson. “That’s what I’m hoping.”
While all whales generate excitement among the charters, which all communicate and spread the word over radio channels when the sea creatures show, it’s the killer whales that generate the most thrill.
“Killer whales are found in all oceans of the world, but we don’t have any resident ones here,” Anderson said. “Sometimes we go years without seeing them… The sightings have definitely increased, so I’m thankful for that.”
Anderson said you have to be in the right place, at the right time.
“It’s not like you can say ‘I’m going to go killer whale watching today’,” he said. “They may come back, but they just as easily go up the coast and we don’t see them for years. It’s definitely an opportunistic thing, if you’re in the right place at the right time.”
California State Lifeguards were on a boat tracking the whales miles off Newport Beach as part of their interpretive program, sharing videos on social media about the sightings. State Parks supervisor Ryan Gates said people watched the video from as far away as Germany.
“You can see pictures in National Geographic and now we’re here,” said Gates. “It’s pretty cool we can come out and share it with the world.”
Gates has been a lifeguard for 20 years, and it was his first time seeing orcas out in the wild.
Carla Mitroff, photographer for Dana Wharf Whale Watching, was on a boat searching for them late Tuesday afternoon after seeing them on the morning trip off Newport Beach.
“They were on the move,” she said.
She marveled at how they swam in a formation, all different sizes, even some babies among the pod. There’s something about how rare they are, and the fact that they are a top predator in the ocean, that makes the sightings so special.
“They seem to be hanging around up and down the coast here,” she said. “That’s exciting … we’re learning new information about them, because we don’t see them often.
ABOUT ORCAS
Orcas, or killer whales, are the largest of the dolphins and one of the world’s most powerful predators. They feast on marine mammals such as seals, sea lions, and whales using teeth that can be four inches long. They are known to grab seals right off the ice. They also eat fish, squid, and seabirds.
Killer whales hunt in pods, family groups of up to 40 individuals. There are both resident and transient pod populations of killer whales. Resident pods tend to prefer fish, while transient pods target marine mammals.
They use echolocation to communicate and hunt, making sounds that travel underwater until they encounter objects, then bounce back, revealing their location, size, and shape.
Mothers give birth every three to ten years, after a 17-month pregnancy.
Source: National Geographic
Contact the writer: lconnelly@scng.com
