Orca diary – Part 2

Text: Ursina Burkhart, according to comments by Jörn and Katharina, Pictures: firmm

Basically this second part of the orca diary (part 1) was planned as a short, closing blog... Nobody would have dared dreaming that we would see the orcas again and again – till the 23th of October...

15.08.2011

Amazing excursion on this Monday! Short time after we left the port of Tarifa, we already met a mixed group of Common and Striped Dolphins. And even after less than one hour we found them – the three female orcas. They circled among the Spanish fishermen. Today the movie crew including Paul Bieri and Viktor Schwab was with us. On our way back the big surprise: Already from far away we could see it – the Fin Whale! Surprisingly and totally abnormal the blow appeared in the middle of the fisher boats. The giant searched his way through the entanglement of ropes and the many small boats going towards the Atlantic.

Fin whale

Fin whale

17.08.2011

Again we easily found Common and Striped Dolphins. Reached the Spanish fisher men the orcas as well were lurking.

18.08.2011

Last orca sighting of the season! (for the moment...)

As these days the coefficient (difference) between ebb and flow was very low, the conditions were unfavourable for the fisher men because the stream was very weak and the tunas were hardly biting into. During such days we could act on the assumption that the fisher men won’t do their trip and therefore the orcas won’t appear.

22.08.2011

Despite the presumption that only a few fisher men would be out because of the low coefficient, we went on a tour to search the black and white giants. But although a few fisher men tried ones luck, the orcas didn’t show up.

Successful fishermen

Successful fishermen

24.08.2011

We received the information by the fisher men that they had seen orcas today. When we reached out there they confirmed us that the orcas had still been there some 15 minutes ago. With the two boats we did a large-scale search of the region but the orcas didn’t show up anymore.

25.08.2011

Today we started the last try for the moment… Because the fishermen had again told us that the orcas were here, we left the port of Tarifa with high expectations. On the way the family of our captain (local fisherman) communicated to us by funk that the orcas were there now. We of the crew were rejoicing already that we were going to be successful again today (but for the last time). When we reached the fishermen’s zone they told us that the orcas had nibbled the rope for a short moment and had even bite off a crook. But when they realized that there was no tuna on the fishing rod, they disappeared towards the Atlantic.

04.09.2011

We already had the suspicion respectively hope that when the Moroccan fishermen would finish Ramadan, they would go out again to the Strait and catch some tuna again. So we went out and could see from far that indeed the Pateras were out again. Jörn made a short visit to the fishermen with the Firmm Spirit – successfully! They were all here, divided into two groups, Camacho, the matriarch and the small calf!

A big part of the family

We hurry up to announce a 3-hours trip to the orcas again. Within 24 hours the boat is completely booked out.

05.09.2011

On the following day again we meet three females during the regular 2-hours tour. After the orca-tour – it was going to be exciting because we only met some isolated fishermen. Apparently the flow and ebb conditions were bad which means that the stream was too weak and the tuna hardly bite into. For this reason we found first Bottlenose and Striped Dolphins. Nevertheless we try it and drive in direction of the sun towards the Atlantic Ocean. And then – Eduardo, our Mariner, in an incredible distance of three miles discovered the cysticercus and the blow of Camacho! When we reached the orcas, we met a peaceful group on the surface of the water.

Suddenly the young animal broke out of the family and at lightning speed approached Firmm Spirit swimming on the back. This way through the water we could see his white belly. We are particularly happy because just on this trip our graphic artist, Sebastian Kanzler, who does volunteer work for firmm since years, is able to be with us and to see the calf from very near.

Calf

11.09.2011

On the today’s tour the students of maritime biology of the University of Basel accompanied by Prof. Dr. Patricia Holm (foundation board and responsible for the research of firmm), Dr. Jürgen Holm (Statistics expert of firmm) as well as Dr. Karl-Hermann Kock (Institute for sea fishing, Federal Research Institute for fishing, Hamburg) were with us. The students take extensive samples of plankton from the streams of the Strait of Gibraltar. After our meeting with Curro, (see detailed blog at "Curro - Problem child of the Strait of Gibraltar"), we were also able to show some orcas pausing near the Moroccan fishermen, far away from the African coast. Among them also Camacho, the matriarch and the young animals.

Of course, during our next tour we went there again. To our surprise the orcas were about to hunt without the help of the fishermen.

Hunting without the help of the fishermen

12.09.2011

The ebb and flow-conditions were good for the fishermen. For this reason we went straight to the Pateras. From far we saw the blow of the orcas. Three fishermen were already working. They drew up the tunas; let them down for a bit again to make the fishes tired. Of course the orcas were lurking as well. Patiently they were circling around the boats. The fishermen were nervous. And unfortunately they frittered their ropes under water and on the surface of the water the boats almost crashed. A loud cursing was intercepting the silence on the sea. The orcas took their chance and stole the tunas. Easy-going they shared their prey outside of the fishing zone.

After they left quietly towards the Moroccan coast. Therefore for us it was time as well to return to Tarifa. On our way back we were searching the Guardia, the Pilot whales protecting their territory against the orcas. Like out of nowhere suddenly they appeared – like torpedoes or arrows they volleyed through the water towards the orcas. They were really chasing away their enemies out of the Strait of Gibraltar. To our surprise even a middle sized young whale was among them.

19.09.2011

The today’s tour let us guess atrocious things. Already in the middle of the Strait of Gibraltar we met huge waves. They are so high due to the change of ebb and flow. But as if by a miracle we discovered within these floods a group of about 1000 Striped Dolphins. They were truly rushing beside the Firmm Spirit. The boat kept on finding its way through the waves because normally we were on the search of the black and white giants... And here they were, Camacho, 3 females and the biggest of the calves. To our surprise 30 – 40 Pateras were out in the waves as well. The matriarch probably stayed safely near the coast with her small baby.

Suddenly all the orcas like on commando made a turn towards the Atlantic. So we went on our way back, the passengers already wanted to seat down and store their cameras when again we discovered animals at the horizon. What we first believed to be a further group of orcas, turned out to be the "Guardia", the guards of the Strait of Gibraltar! They Pilot whales were rushing away beside us and these ways were casting the orcas out of their territory. After a few sorrows at the beginning this tour turned out to be a big hit!

24.09.2011

We trusted in the gut feeling of Katharina and Eduardo. Therefore we were predicting a further 3-hours-tour for today, Saturday. We were aware of that we had to hurry to the fishermen’s zone respectively the orcas today because it was already four hours after the ebb, so quite late. On our way out we met small dolphins. But we didn’t stay too long with them because we wanted to find the orcas. Reached the zone, we only see 6 – 8 Pateras. In the region of the fishermen we met 30 hunting Common Dolphins. Were they tired of life or in this case the black and white giants were not here? But short time after we discovered three female orcas which were already departing from the Pateras. It was beautiful to observe how quite they were swimming. This way we were able to accompany them the whole way until far out in the Atlantic.

Female orca

Far out we saw some Moroccan fishermen spreading their fisher nets. We supposed that the orcas apply another tactic here and so try to steal the fishes from the nets. On our way back about 30 Bottlenose Dolphins crossed our way.

It is quite extraordinary that after so long time and some many days with Levante the orcas still appear continuously in the Strait of Gibraltar.

04.10.2011

The probably most extraordinary sighting of the year – orcas in the Bay of Algeciras!! 7 orcas, a male – is it Camacho? The big guessing game started... He is it...NOT...! No, toady we got visits of the “small” big ones.

Orcas in the Bay of Gibraltar

06.10.2011

Hundreds of Striped Dolphins! They were surfing on the Levante waves, were our companions and played beside our boat. By funk we got the news that orcas have been seen. Of course we immediately went on target for it. From far we already saw the blow of five orcas. But reached out there they had already disappeared. On our way back we discovered them again – far away. Obviously the animals were rushing, hunting and therefor impossible for us to follow them. But at least we knew that they were still here...

07.10.2011

During all the tours we kept our eyed wide open to see some orcas. We were already on our way back during the last tour, meanwhile it was 18:30 when we discovered some blows a mile away from us in the direction of the Mediterranean. Unfortunately we didn’t have time to reach there. Later on we got the message that they have been seen along the Spanish coast (3 orcas).

23.10.2011

They just didn’t want to leave us... After our meeting with many small dolphins during the morning tour near Tarifa, naturally we watched out on the following tour. Directly in front of Tarifa we discovered already black bodies in the water, they seemed to be bigger... Maybe Bottlenose Dolphins... Three female orcas went towards East. One of them trustfully approached the boat, swam beside us for a long time, made three "floaters" (turn on the back), obviously she had time and delight to be with us. Meanwhile Eduardo, our mariner, discovered four more orcas in the West. Again the Macho we have met shortly in the bay is among them. Certainly they go in the direction of Algeciras. We are able to accompany them during five miles, after is was time to go back to Tarifa.

"Tail slapping"

"Floating"

Orca-lady playing

With these last impressions the time for the orcas in the Strait of Gibraltar seems to be over for this year. There were many very nice sightings and the visit of the black and white gentle giants was surprisingly long time this year...