BajaNomad

Orca encounters in Loreto

BajaNomad - 7-3-2020 at 12:20 AM

'Orcas surfed and jumped in wakes generated by a fishing boat operated by Robert Ross... north off Loreto. Ross... told For The Win Outdoors that up to six orcas frolicked in the turbulence. Orca encounters are somewhat rare in the Sea of Cortez, but sightings sometimes involve the sleek mammals wake-riding behind vessels. Loreto, about 300 miles north of Cabo San Lucas, seems to be a popular hangout. “I see them 10 to 15 times a year and I always make them play behind the boat,” Ross said. “They love to surf in the waves I make while running at about 14 knots.” Ross added: “They will only follow you and play with the boat if you go in the direction they’re initially going. If you go the wrong way they will not follow you.” '

https://ftw.usatoday.com/2020/07/playful-orcas-grab-spotligh...

83418556_1106885503014983_5047751007143820802_n.jpg - 49kB

Russ - 7-3-2020 at 05:47 AM

I have recently watched a lot of Orca videos on you tube . What a rush!

AKgringo - 7-3-2020 at 07:05 AM

In 2014, I spent a couple of days on the beach at Los Barriles. There was a huge swarm of rays there at the time, jumping out of the water four or five at a time.

A couple of kite boarders at the Geezer Shack told me that the day before I was there, a pod of Orcas turned the water red feeding on them. That would have been a show!

wilderone - 7-3-2020 at 07:56 AM

Great photo!

RnR - 7-3-2020 at 08:44 AM

Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo  
In 2014, I spent a couple of days on the beach at Los Barriles. There was a huge swarm of rays there at the time, jumping out of the water four or five at a time.

A couple of kite boarders at the Geezer Shack told me that the day before I was there, a pod of Orcas turned the water red feeding on them. That would have been a show!


We saw the same thing in El Sargento about twelve years ago.

Huge schools of rays had been in the bay for a few weeks. Five of us were near the beach early in the morning. Suddenly, the water just erupted with rays jumping and thrashing everywhere.

Five orcas appeared and pinned the school of rays right against the beach about two hundred yards away from us. We ran down the beach to get closer and watched in awe. The water turned pink and foamy. The orcas were so close to the beach that their tails and backs were in and out of the water. It was all over in less than three minutes.

Definitely a 'once in a lifetime' experience .......

elgatoloco - 7-3-2020 at 09:34 AM

Orca might be my favorite cetacean right behind the blue and the grey. They are badass. I have never had the good fortune to observe them in Baja but have have witnessed a few encounters in the northwest that involved salmon and seals as lunch. In the case of the seal we watched for 20 minutes as three orcas tossed a seal back and forth almost like a game of hot potato. It was fascinating and a bit gruesome all at the same time. Kind of like watching NASCAR for the wrecks. You cant look away.

BajaBlanca - 7-4-2020 at 12:22 PM

What a fantastic photo of the whale! That would be a site to see, for sure.

Howard - 7-4-2020 at 01:42 PM

Those cute majestic mammals are really bad ass. They are the largest member of the dolphin family.

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2019/07/killer-wh...