'The Ocean Magic trips out of Victoria on Saturday July 18th, were some of the most exciting adventures so far this year. Understanding that Killer Whales, 'ORCA ',are wild and free, it isn't always possible to know where they are every minute of the day. With only two Mike whales and no Orca seen on the first trip at 9am, we were thrilled to hear they were heading in from the west by noon. With winds gusting between 25- 30 knots, and four-five foot waves all around, it was an amazing sight to see many orca rise to the challenge of the conditions, as they filled the air with their 'spray blows'. J and L Pod were traveling fast in small family groups, and well spread out, as they headed in from Race Rocks. Our guests enjoyed the thrill of the ride and rose to their own challenge trying to find the orca among the abundant white -caps. As if excited by the action of the sea, the orca treated us to much ' tail lobbing', and 'sharking' behaviours. One of our favourite L Pod boys, L 78, a 20 yr old named 'Gaia', was sporting some new scars, 'rake' marks on his dorsal fin. The orca continued to head east past Trail Island and over to San Juan Island. The 3.30pm Ocean Magic trip found these pods split up along the west side of San Juan Island, with J's going north and some of L's going south. What an amazing adventure in choppy seas. We watched as several porpoising Orca rode the waves and breached later in the day. Our Prince of Whales Captain, Shaun and crew members, Mika, Rhonda, and Arleigh were exemplary in these thrilling and challenging conditions. Way to go!!!
Marie "Orca-Magic", Clint "Orcawizard"
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