Transient Orcas
June 2, 2009
Strait of Juan de Fuca
Photo by Andrew Lees

June 1
What a magnificent start to Orca Month with over 20 Transient Orcas in the Strait of Juan De Fuca! (see above photo) During our afternoon tour we were incredibly fortunate to not only observe two Harbor Seal kills by the Transient Orcas but a greeting ceremony as two different groups met North of Port Angeles. We observed one dramatic kill in particular as a young Orca porpoised directly towards a harbor Seal and then exploded onto the poor unsuspecting Seal! Later as the two groups met we saw a number of tailslaps, Spyhops, pectoral waves and breaches, it was breathtaking to watch.
Andrew Lees, Marine Naturalist, Five Star Whale Watching

June 1
Another morning starting out without knowing where or if there were any Orcas close by. Then the call came - 3 miles N of Dungeness Spit, which is near Sequim. We got there in about 50 minutes and watched a spectacular scene. One of the other captains announced that there was a seal to the port side of his boat. No sooner said, three female orcas headed toward the poor seal at top speed, porpoising through the water with blazing speed. The captain said he just saw the seal turn its head toward the onrushing Orcas about a second before he was gone. This all happened so quickly that I missed most of it with my camera but not the eyes. We left about 4:00 PM and shortly after that the last boat on scene departed and the Ts were not to be found again yesterday evening.
Capt. Jim Maya, Maya's Westside Charters