Coastal Wildlife Encounters--Orcas Up Close

#whaletail #sailingcanada #orcas A few simple shots of an unforgettable encounter with a large family of Orcas who share their afternoon with us and our sailboat, Big Bear, in remote British Columbia. It is important to disengage the engine on your vessel when Orcas and whales are close, especially when they have their curious youngsters with large male looks right up at us as he swims sideways next to the boat. Can you see his belly in the first shot? They truly are the rulers of the ocean. There are both transient and resident orca pods. Transient orcas eat marine mammals like seals and sea lions, whereas resident orcas in this region of Canada rely on salmon as a primary food source. And not just any salmon, the King/Chinook is preferred. They can be identified by their markings and the knowledgable scientists in the area and also wise locals recognize the orcas as individuals and as families. We can only hope to become more intimately familiar with these bea