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Old 12-22-2016, 05:37 PM   #1
Bob Ballew
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Of Orcas, Grey Whales and Squid

...Since the weather is up and diving reports are down....a large group of offshore Orcas (the meateaters that munch sharks, whales, etc) have taken up residence locally off Long Beach for the past week. Situated between here and Catalina, the 30 to 50 Orcas are traveling in and out in small groups , including babies. As a result, the grey whales are hugging the coast as they travel south to Mexico to have their babies.
...Only one free diver incident I know of, took place off San Diego years ago, when an Orca nipped a divers foot, causing minor injuries...Couple of other times, Orcas have scared the hell out of commercial ab divers who were closely trailed, as their dive tenders pulled fast and hard on the hoses to get them in..the diver.must have felt like a very small trolled bait!
...Watched in the Catalina mid-channel once, as a small pod of 7 Orcas attacked a group of 13 seals. The Orcas were teaching two babies to hunt and herded the seals by swimming side by side in a straight line, suddenly changing direction and sweeping back and forth across the jumping seals like the sweep on a radar screen...
...All 13 seals perished. Tthe last one was inhaled by a big male who came up under it and cleared the surface by 10', crashing down with the seal inside it's mouth...nothing left but a large patch of bloody water...most impressive was the intelligent way they cornered the scared seals....I don't recommend swimming with the offshore herd...a very different animal than the inshore Orcas who feed primarily on fish...oh....squid showing off Huntington Beach and Catalina..a few yellows and wsb in the mix....
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Old 12-22-2016, 05:49 PM   #2
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Re: Of Orcas, Grey Whales and Squid

You have the best reports, Bob. I've always enjoyed them even though I'm from FL.
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Old 12-22-2016, 06:28 PM   #3
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Re: Of Orcas, Grey Whales and Squid

Wow that is one hell of a report! Since I was in preschool Orcas have been the coolest animal in my little world.
I cant imagine that scene you got to watch.
Awesome
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Old 12-23-2016, 11:20 AM   #4
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Re: Of Orcas, Grey Whales and Squid

Very informative post. All the best to you and your family this Holiday Season.

Cheers, Kadman
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Old 12-23-2016, 07:19 PM   #5
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Re: Of Orcas, Grey Whales and Squid

The type that you are referring to, "Offshore" Killer Whales are not mammal eaters... exclusively feeding on sharks and fish. A guy took a drone video of one Monday carrying around a blue shark on its fin near Catalina.

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/12/rare...-in-california

We also had one of these offshore males bow ride on my whaler Tuesday

https://www.facebook.com/newportcoas...2363795270433/

A few other pics from earlier this week





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Old 12-23-2016, 11:57 PM   #6
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Re: Of Orcas, Grey Whales and Squid

Meat is meat to an Orca...but, I will relay your info to the greys who are almost up in the kelp beds....
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Old 12-28-2016, 11:33 AM   #7
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Re: Of Orcas, Grey Whales and Squid

I am just glad they weren't here when I was diving for bluefin.
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Old 12-28-2016, 11:48 AM   #8
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Re: Of Orcas, Grey Whales and Squid

I recently talked with a scuba diver who was 60' down in poor vis when he saw a large school of salmon flash by about 15 feet away. Half a second later an orca buzzed by in chase of the salmon and he could feel the water move as it passed. Scary but amazing.

It is super interesting that orcas are so disinclined to attack people, but if I ever see one in the water-I'm getting out.

Orcas are cool.
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Old 12-28-2016, 01:07 PM   #9
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Re: Of Orcas, Grey Whales and Squid

I got "vibed" out of the water once diving ship rock with 5' of vis and reports of orcas near by. I could hear them and couldn't stand the thought of seeing that big eye staring at me 5' away!
On a good note, I'm pretty sure that the GWS population is in some 2000' deep trench, hauling butt on their way to South Africa now
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Old 12-28-2016, 02:37 PM   #10
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Re: Of Orcas, Grey Whales and Squid

Friend just hooked and released a small white off of Ventura pier. It is a weekly and even daily happening. Nice thoughts tho.
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Old 12-28-2016, 02:56 PM   #11
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Re: Of Orcas, Grey Whales and Squid

Thanks Bob. Hopefully the orcas will thin out the great whites.
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Old 12-28-2016, 03:41 PM   #12
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Re: Of Orcas, Grey Whales and Squid

I'm thinking of taking the family out to whale watch on Saturday. Can anyone confirm the whales are still out there and give me an approx place to look for them? How far out have they been? Straight out towards catalina? North or south? Anything helps.

Thanks
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Old 12-28-2016, 04:03 PM   #13
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Re: Of Orcas, Grey Whales and Squid

I couldn't view the video. Apparently it was on the Facebook or something??
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Old 12-28-2016, 04:07 PM   #14
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Re: Of Orcas, Grey Whales and Squid

I'm going with this:

http://www.sharkattacknews.org/2013/...-white-30.html


But most shocking about the 2000 attack is that approximately six months later, a tagged great white named Tipfin who frequented the Farallon Islands had his tag pop off which provided researcher Schulman-Janiger with a surprising minute-by-minute account of Tipfin's movements immediately after the attack.

"On the hour of the attack, Tipfin abruptly dropped to 500 meters and headed west," says Pyle. "He swam all the way to Hawaii." Coincidence? You decide.
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Old 12-29-2016, 09:41 PM   #15
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Re: Of Orcas, Grey Whales and Squid

Regarding the Orcas' locations for viewing...they are inshore one day and 3 miles off Catalina the next...weather coming up Friday and Saturday with rain...best bet would be to take kids out on a whale watch boat running out of Dana, Newport or L.A. harbor...the captains exchange daily info on locations...
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