An orca spectacle

Text: Lusia Berghoff, Photos: firmm

On the 13th of July 2013 the orcas were sighted by our foundation back in the Strait of Gibraltar for the first time this year. On the prowl to find a special delicacy, the Red Tuna, the orcas usually gather in the Strait at the beginning of summer to head off the Red Tuna trekking from the Mediterranean Sea into the Atlantic Ocean. But not only are the orcas interested in this big fish: the Moroccan fishermen as well go out with their small boats traditionally fishing for the Tuna with long lines. Hence, the orcas have adopted the habit of swimming around these fisher boats snatching a Tuna here and there from the fishing line, saving precious energy for the hunt. As this phenomenon is well known by our marine biologist and experts at the foundation, we search for these fishermen in order to find these impressive mammals.

I was lucky to arrive in Tarifa only one day after the orcas, starting a two-month volunteer time with the foundation firmm. My second trip was the one: as we were leaving the harbor with our boat Spirit during the afternoon of the 16th of July, the nice weather and the refreshing wind already promised a special trip. Only after a short time heading for the orcas the boat suddenly slowed down. Katharina Heyer, expert and president of the foundation, keeping a lookout up on top of the cabin for whales and dolphins, reported via speaker a sighting of a fin whale. At first the visitors and I could not find the whale, but due to the exact locating of the animal finally everybody could see the impressive back floating out of the water.

 

This elegant giant bowled me over for the first time that day. Indeed no rarity in the Strait of Gibraltar, still it is a peculiarity sighting this fast swimmer and second largest whale of the oceans. Once the fin whale disappeared it was possible to lose his track but the fin whale came up again to the surface for breathing already far away from the boat. We were lucky that day. After watching the fin whale for some time at a respectful distance, we had to say goodbye letting the whale calmly move on and continuing our search for the grampus.

Even though hardly any Moroccan fishermen could be seen that day, Katharina finally spotted a group of orcas in close distance to our boat. We steered the course towards the mammals stopping our drive early enough not to disturb them and floating with calm engine on the clear water in order to watch the fascinating black and white dolphins.

  

Words failed me another time, hypnotized by the diving and coming up of these noble hunters. Surprisingly the orcas came closer interested in the boat. The big dolphins appeared not be disturbed giving us the chance to space ourselves watching the surrounding water from all sides of the Spirit. The orcas, some of which were young animals, started playing and diving around and beneath the boat. All this was a proper orca spectacle.

  

The guests and myself were able to catch extraordinary and striking images of the romping and diving orcas. So we spent some time with the mammals, who finally moved on their path. Our expert Katharina decided that we as well should start our way returning to the port in time. After these wonderful and heady sightings everyone present aboard was happy and satisfied and I enjoyed the ride and the view on the blue ocean with the North African Morocco in the back of the boat as we steadily approached Tarifa. After arriving at the port we left the boat with new impressions and – speaking on my behalf – with an even stronger respect for these animals.