BajaNomad - orca ! - Powered by XMB

orca !

mulege marv - 8-14-2006 at 06:30 PM

taken on the way in from a stellar day of dorado fishing, these orcas seemed to take an interest in that new diaz panga also. pics taken right off conception point.

[Edited on 8-15-2006 by mulege marv]

[Edited on 8-15-2006 by mulege marv]

[Edited on 8-15-2006 by mulege marv]

another

mulege marv - 8-14-2006 at 06:32 PM

another

and another

mulege marv - 8-14-2006 at 06:33 PM

huh

same

mulege marv - 8-14-2006 at 06:34 PM

same

last one

mulege marv - 8-14-2006 at 06:34 PM

last one

Bruce R Leech - 8-14-2006 at 06:36 PM

Where did you see them Marv?

its there now

mulege marv - 8-14-2006 at 06:39 PM

sorry, you were looking at the pics while i was editing

David K - 8-14-2006 at 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bruce R Leech
Where did you see them Marv?

In Marv's first post in this thread: "...taken right of conception point..."

WELL, I LEARNED SOMETHING TODAY.

woody with a view - 8-14-2006 at 06:42 PM

orcas in the SOC! who knew? :?:

Ken Bondy - 8-14-2006 at 07:20 PM

Marv I am almost certain those are Dahl's porpoises, not orcas, but I will await a positive id from one of our marine biologists.

vandenberg - 8-14-2006 at 07:36 PM

I'm pretty sure I've seen orcas here in Loreto several times

I certainly hope you are right, Ken------

Barry A. - 8-14-2006 at 07:37 PM

I, for one, am not comfortable snorkleing with ORCA's, which would severly limit my enjoyment of the Sea of Cortez.

Ken Bondy - 8-14-2006 at 07:49 PM

Orcas are not that unusual in the Sea of Cortez. I have seen them as far north as Punta San Francisquito, off of Loreto, and in La Paz Bay. I just don't think the animals marv photographed are orcas. Shape of the dorsal fin and the markings suggest Dahl's porpoise but I am not 100% sure. Barry A there has never been a documented attack on a human by an Orca. I have been in the water close to them several times (Galapagos, Solomon Islands) and it is a magnificent experience.

orcas ?

mulege marv - 8-14-2006 at 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ken Bondy
Marv I am almost certain those are Dahl's porpoises, not orcas, but I will await a positive id from one of our marine biologists.

well im no marine biologist either, but for the record the pics do not really show their true size. i dont know how big a "dahl's porpoise" gets (never even heard of such an animal) but, i would estimate the length of these @ 12 to 15 feet long and the dorsal on the male in the pod was about 2 to 3 feet tall.

i just looked up Dahl's porpoises on the net and after seeing pictures of them i have to say, i dont think so. these were way to big to be a Dahl's porpoise. take a close look at the picture taken behind the boat where the mammal (for argument sake) is totally under water. the boat kinda gives it some perspective. but, i have been wrong before, ask my wife if you dont believe me ! :yes:

Ken Bondy - 8-14-2006 at 08:20 PM

marv I think Dahl's porpoise only get to about 8 feet in length so if the animals you saw were 12-15 ft long they must have been orcas. Dahl's porpoise are fairly common off of southern california. The thing that bothered me about your orca id was mostly the fourth photo (with the pair in synch). The coloring of the dorsal fin in the outboard animal is very typical of Dahl's porpoise with the white trailing edge. That almost never happens in orcas. Didn't mean to ruffle any feathers, but I have seen both species topside many times and have also been in the water with both several times and these just didn't look to me like orcas.

Kayaking with Orcas

Stickers - 8-14-2006 at 09:31 PM

Check out this video !!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n23_IsU4Uic

Thanks Ken, and others---------

Barry A. - 8-14-2006 at 10:03 PM

I made a bad assumption-------I know (?) they take seals, and just assumed that they might take "us" too. It is good to know that there is no documented record of this happening.

I really appreciate being educated. I was totally unaware that Orcas came into the Gulf---------but now I won't worry about it. :yes:

Orcas

pangamadness - 8-14-2006 at 10:26 PM

I have seen both from the boat diving south of Mulege. The real thing, Orcas, and the other ones I thought were orcas but the mexican guide said they were somthing similar. False killer whales I have heard them called. The mexicans seem frightened by both.

That last one

Sharksbaja - 8-15-2006 at 12:14 AM

looks like the Dahls' Porpoise. If you examine the fluke or dorsal fin, you will notice it makes quite a distinct arch backwards. Orcas typically have a fin that is aligned in a more vertical manner. This does not mean that they are not Orcas. The second photo looks more like the fin of an Orca tho????
How long were they? Any idea?

capt. mike - 8-15-2006 at 04:47 AM

Ken - i have been told that the SOC can be host to all the whale species that exist - all have been spotted at one time or another. true? if so.....i want to see a blue sometime!!

and a sperm.

dono - 8-15-2006 at 05:30 AM

We had a giant Sperm whale wash up on one of our breakwaters here in north Barriles about 12 yrs. ago. Tried to pull it off with a boat but it was just too big about 36', finally got a D-8 Cat dug a giant hole and pushed it in, that area of the arroyo is really green.

dono - 8-15-2006 at 05:33 AM

Through the years we have seen lot of orcas as well as many other types that i couldn't identify.

i think

mulege marv - 8-15-2006 at 05:33 AM

i think they might just be Dahl's orcas, or killer porpoises !
:lol:

Ken Bondy - 8-15-2006 at 06:22 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by capt. mike
Ken - i have been told that the SOC can be host to all the whale species that exist - all have been spotted at one time or another. true? if so.....i want to see a blue sometime!! and a sperm.

mike I've never seen a sperm whale in the SOC but here's a blue off of Loreto:

False Killer Whale

Ken Bondy - 8-15-2006 at 07:11 AM

This is a false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens) I photographed at Cocos Island in Costa Rica. The resemblance is internal, sure isn't external:

elgatoloco - 8-15-2006 at 07:40 AM

The Orca is found in every ocean on the planet.

one thing

mulege marv - 8-15-2006 at 02:12 PM

the one thing i have got out of this thred , is i now know how to spell Porpoise, which these were not.

[Edited on 8-15-2006 by mulege marv]

Orcas

frizkie - 8-15-2006 at 10:06 PM

Great pictures Marv...thanks for starting this thread....very interesting.
But I must agree with you. My "educated" guess would be that they are Orcas.
The first picture looks like a female by the size of that dorsal fin.
In the second picture (a male) it shows the bluntness in the scull in front of the blowhole. Dall's Porpoise have a very slopping scull at this point.
In the fourth picture the grey saddles are clearly visible behind the dorsal fin, an Orca feature for sure. In this picture the outside whale's dorsal fin does, as Ken says, look weird..actually I think that may be the sunlight reflecting off it somehow. Great pics again from you Ken..Awesome Tail!! :wow:

Your last picture looks to me like two females. And if they were Dall's porpoise they would have a rooster tail shooting off their backs ... that is a common identifying feature for a Dall's porpoise.
Dall's porpoise grow to a maximum of seven feet and are a cold water small whale. We have lots of them here in my neighbourhood but I doubt that they would be in the Sea of Cortez...I have never seen them there. I would think especially not in the summer when the water is warm. But HEY!! ya never know, stranger things have happened I'm sure. :yes:

AmoPescar - 8-15-2006 at 10:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by elgatoloco
The Orca is found in every ocean on the planet.

BUT...aren't we talking about the SEA of Cortez...?

Amo

Sharksbaja - 8-16-2006 at 12:33 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by mulege marv
i think they might just be Dahl's orcas, or killer porpoises !
:lol:

I concur,

Ken Bondy - 8-16-2006 at 05:56 AM

Thanks frizkie - your message reminded me that with all the discussion of species I forgot to say to marv that, regardless of what they are, your photos are terrific and I really enjoyed them. I should have said that first before I started wondering what the animals were. frizkie, to the best of my knowledge I have seen Dahl's porpoises in the Sea of Cortez in the winter in the Punta San Francisquito area (when the water is pretty cold). I have also seen orcas there at various times of the year.

elgatoloco - 8-16-2006 at 06:20 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by AmoPescar

Quote:

Originally posted by elgatoloco
The Orca is found in every ocean on the planet.

BUT...aren't we talking about the SEA of Cortez...?

Amo

Hey smarty where you bean?

The Orca is found in every ocean and most seas including the Sea of Cortez, Arabian Sea and the Med, not to mention a Marine park or three. :tumble:

Did you know that in Norway it's not Orca, it's Spekkhogger?

True story. :moon:

Bob and jane - 8-16-2006 at 09:49 AM

Ken, In June of 2005, Marilyn and I were 30-35 miles N. E. of Loreto and encountered a pod of sperm whales. A local panguerro said that this was not uncommon in summer.

Ken

frizkie - 8-16-2006 at 10:13 AM

To my knowledge they never go much further South than California so that is very unusual that they would be anywhere in the Sea of Cortez. Just a few little wayward Dahl's (??sp) I guess...Hey! Maybe we are talking about two different critters here, Hmmmm?? I am referring to Dall's porpoise named after William H. Dall an American zoologist who originally captured two off the coast of Alaska in 1873. Maybe a Dahl's porpoise is a different species..Do ya think???

By the way Ken your pictures of your Anacapa Island dive are far beyond AWESOME!!! Thanks for those and please don't ever quit sending in your photos.

Barbara

bajajudy - 8-16-2006 at 01:58 PM

I think that they are porpoise. On our sailing trip we ran into a pod of about 50 of them and with reference books and field guides in hand we determined that they were porpoise. Is it a pod or a school? ?Quien Sabe?
Marv do you have any pix with the nose in them. That would let us know for sure..

chickensoup - 8-16-2006 at 03:37 PM

I don't want to sound like a dork here...but I worked at Sea Wolrd at the Shamu Stadium for like three years. I sold Coke and popcorn there. Those are orcas. No doubt. After that, I worked in Antarctica for a few years and I saw tons of orcas. Those photos are of orcas! Come on.

Last but not least, the first time I went to Punta Chivato when I was 14...I saw orcas. Give me some orca love!

uh huh

mulege marv - 8-16-2006 at 07:52 PM

thats what im talking about ! chicken soup i give you an avitar !

i love it

mulege marv - 8-16-2006 at 08:05 PM

a few pictures are now going on 3 pages of debate. to orca or not to orca. i just might make senior nomad before its over.

Bajame - 8-16-2006 at 08:17 PM

Theres been a lot of squid, one of the orca's favorite foods, plus those cute gray whale babies that they go after in the early spring all up and down the Pacific Coast.

Bajame - 8-16-2006 at 08:20 PM

Love the pic's Ken!

ahh

mulege marv - 8-17-2006 at 05:02 AM

one more picture, may end the debate, or maybe not
big dorsal, wouldnt you say

[Edited on 8-17-2006 by mulege marv]

Bajame - 8-17-2006 at 10:41 AM

Marv, thanks for the outstanding pic's!

Cypress - 8-17-2006 at 11:08 AM

Good pics Marv. Thanks. They look like orcas to me, but I'm by no means an expert on whales, porpoises, or anything else for that matter.

chickensoup - 8-17-2006 at 01:50 PM

Seriously! Shamu. I saw those things EVERY DAY...close up. They may be in a giant fish tank, but they are still orcas. "SHAMMMMMUUUUU...KILLLLLLLER WHHHHAAAAALLLLE!!"

Antarctica. They were everywhere. They swim and eat! That's what they do. swim. eat. that's what they doooooo!! Do! Do!

:bounce:

Sharksbaja - 8-17-2006 at 02:05 PM

:lol:

Sprouting Orca

frizkie - 8-17-2006 at 03:20 PM

Thanks again Marv for another great picture. This is of a juvenile male and he seems to have started to sprout...as opposed to spout....which could, actually go hand in hand or flipper in flipper for that matter...Tee! Hee! :rolleyes:

Because at about seven years of age the males become sexually active and when this takes place their dorsal fin starts to grow straight up (or "sprouts" as it is referred to) rather than staying curved to the back like the females. Hmmmmm? Let the games begin.

The "porpoise" of this whole thread was to enjoy Marv's terrific pictures of these beautiful creatures. The debate that has come about has been fun and educating. But it could likely be easily ended when you just consider what Marv said in the beginning... these guys were 12-15 feet long!!! Now if there are any Dall's porpoise this long anywhere in the ocean I'm sure there are some Mexican Itchthyologists out there that would be very interested to hear about it. Hee! Hee!

DRAT!!!

frizkie - 8-17-2006 at 03:25 PM

I was just itchin' to get that spelled right!!!

But we'll have to correct that to say ichthyologist! Ahhh! that's better.

Yesterday I couldn't even spell the word and today I am one! :lol:

huh

mulege marv - 8-19-2006 at 12:45 PM

http://www.mexfish.com/mulg/mulg2006/mulg060731a/mulg060731a...

another sighting of the black & whites !

:yes:

Kewl!!!!

frizkie - 8-19-2006 at 07:59 PM

:wow:

another grrrreat picture.....Thanks Marv

Sharksbaja - 8-20-2006 at 12:42 AM

Quote:

I'm sure there are some Mexican Itchthyologists out there that would be very interested to hear about it.

Man, I'm goin' back to school. All this time I thought they were mammals, not fish?? :lol:

[Edited on 8-20-2006 by Sharksbaja]

JZ - 8-20-2006 at 08:02 AM

When were the pictures taken Marv.

pics taken

mulege marv - 8-20-2006 at 11:27 AM

the pics are a week old and taken a few miles off conception point.

toneart - 8-21-2006 at 08:45 PM

Marv,

Thank you for the great pictures. I can't wait to put my panga back in the water in October. (I bought the Cop Out from Octavio last April, just before I left). :cool:

Paulina - 8-22-2006 at 02:24 PM

Many moons ago we saw Orcas in Bahia. Watched them do a good job at taking out a whale shark down around Rincon.
Great photos, thanks for sharing them.

P<*)))><

BIG DINNER

Sharksbaja - 8-22-2006 at 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Paulina
Many moons ago we saw Orcas in Bahia. Watched them do a good job at taking out a whale shark down around Rincon.
Great photos, thanks for sharing them.

P<*)))><

You mean, like they attacked and feasted on a whale shark? Wow, that would be amazing. I wasn't aware the animal was in the orcas' diet?

sharks!!!!

BAJACAT - 8-22-2006 at 11:33 PM

Next time in Bc be carefull HAAAAAA(just kiddind Sharks).. :lol: