Orca pod cruise through Algoa Bay

Posted on 3 November 2020

A pod of orcas were sighted in the waters of Algoa Bay, in the Eastern Cape on Saturday, 31 October and Raggy Charters shared incredible images to social media.

The 8-strong pod consisted of one large male, two adult females and a number of different sized calves.

‘Reports from other boats that were fishing in the area lead us to believe that the size of the pod could of been more than double the number than what we saw,’ said Raggy Charters in a Facebook post. 

The group set out from Nelson Mandela Bay Yacht Club and encountered a small pod of Bottlenose Dolphins.

‘We had a tough decision to make, should we skip the dolphins and rush to try and find the killer whales or do we stop for the sighting. Keeping our excitement at bay we made the only real choice and that was to spend our permitted time with the dolphins as there was no guarantee that we would be able to find them again.

‘Although the Dolphins were spread out in a large area the calm conditions and a few inquisitive individuals made for an excellent sighting. We left the dolphins to carry on with their business and made haste towards Cape Recife. As we neared Cape Recife Point the sea conditions worsened as we were losing the shelter of the bay, we made a quick pit stop to ensure our guests were all holding on or seated comfortably, and to inform them that there was a sighting off the point that would be worth the detour and the bumpy ride,’ said the Facebook post.

The vessel then made its way to where the orcas had been sighted.

‘It was tricky to get a good sighting of the pod as they were staying down for a few minutes at a time whilst traveling in a wide circles. We managed to get a few short looks at them on either side of the boat before they vanished.’

The post concluded: ‘We were amazed how the pod disappeared so quickly. A good reminder of how the cetaceans we observe are the ones who ultimately control the sightings that we have.’

Getaway spoke to Jake Keeton, Raggy Charters manager, guide and photographer about the sighting. He explained that between 2017 and 2020 he has only seen orcas in Algoa Bay three times.

The animals are transient and roam huge areas and so their arrival is random, explained Keeton, making it difficult to anticipate their appearance.

In speaking about the orca temperaments, Keeton said: ‘Their temperament is much like dolphins. During the sighting I have experienced they have proven to be curious of our boats and it’s occupants. They are however not easy to read and disappear at will.’

Keeton explained that this year’s whale season in Algoa Bay has seen an ‘amazing amount’ of humpback whales but only 4 southern right whales. He concluded that there were only a few sightings last year but in 2017 the southern right whale numbers were better.

Take a look at the incredible sighting below:

A number of calves were sighted within the pod.

Reports from other boats indicated that there may have been more than 8 individuals.

Killer whales have an unmistakable dorsal fin.

Orcas are transient and their arrival is random.

Orcas are at the top of the food chain.

These animals feast on fish, penguins, sharks and other marine mammals such as seals, sea lions, and have been known to hunt whales.

Keeton’s experience is that orcas have a similar temperament to dolphins.

Picture/s: Raggy Charters






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